A Hot Springs man was arrested by Arkansas State Police late Monday after he was allegedly found in possession of cocaine and paraphernalia while riding an unlicensed scooter.
Michael Charles Veasley, 43, who lists a Cedar Street address, was taken into custody at around 9:45 p.m. Monday and charged with possession of meth with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to 10 years in prison; three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, punishable by up to six years; and furnishing or possessing prohibited articles, punishable by up to 20 years.
Veasley was later released on $11,000 bond and is set to appear July 16 in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, at around 9:30 p.m. Monday Cpl. Andrew Ault watched an unlicensed white Yamaha scooter turn from Central Avenue to the outside eastbound lane of Grand Avenue, then change lanes multiple times without using a signal, reportedly causing vehicles to take action to avoid a collision. He followed the scooter as it turned onto Valley Street, where he activated his emergency lights.
The male driver of the scooter reportedly looked over his shoulder and made a U-turn and continued to drive down Hillwood Street in the opposite direction of the officer.
Ault followed the scooter until it came to a stop and placed Veasley under arrest.
During a search, Ault reportedly located 0.9 gram of what later tested positive for cocaine, a baggie containing 0.6 gram of suspected marijuana, another baggie with about 2.6 grams of suspected marijuana and two clear plastic straws in his front right pocket.
Officers also found over $650 in small denominations on Ault. Once at the Garland County Detention Center, sheriff's Deputy William Neitzel reportedly located another plastic baggie hidden in Veasley's sock containing more marijuana, resulting in the additional charge of furnishing prohibited articles.
Local on 07/11/2018