A traffic stop for running a stop sign late Tuesday led to the arrest of the driver on multiple felony drug charges after drugs and 42 syringes, two of them loaded, were reportedly found in his vehicle.
Thomas Laroy Merritt Jr., 49, who lists a Northgate Street address in Hot Springs, was taken into custody shortly after 11:30 p.m. and charged with possession of a controlled substance, meth, with purpose to deliver, furnishing prohibited articles into a correctional facility and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, punishable by up to six years.
Merritt, a felon on probation, was also cited for failure to obey a stop sign, no liability insurance and failure to present a driver's license. He was being held on $25,000 bond and appeared via video Wednesday in Garland County District Court where he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after 11 p.m., Arkansas State Police Trooper Ryan Wingo saw a black pickup turn right off Hershell Road onto Airport Road without stopping at the stop sign so he pulled the truck over.
He made contact with the driver, identified as Merritt, who provided the vehicle registration and insurance information, but claimed he had misplaced his driver's license. A computer check showed Merritt to be an active supervision probationer with a search waiver on file and indicated his insurance was canceled.
Wingo detained Merritt while he searched the truck where he located a pharmacy bag in the center console that allegedly contained multiple syringes and a digital scale. Two of the syringes were loaded with what later tested positive for meth, a total of 34 units.
The trooper also reportedly found a black bag between the console and back seat which contained multiple empty baggies, more syringes, a glass smoking pipe and a baggie with a crystal substance that later tested positive for meth. A second baggie of meth was "stuffed behind the driver's door handle." The total amount of meth in the two baggies was 1.6 grams.
Merritt was arrested and taken to the Garland County Detention Center where he was asked if he had anything else illegal and he said no. During a search of his person, deputies allegedly found another baggie of meth in his pocket, 0.7 gram.
The affidavit notes a total of 40 empty syringes were reportedly found in Merritt's possession along with the two loaded ones.
Local on 09/26/2019