Traffic stop on speeding vehicle results in driver's arrest, multiple drug charges

Jason Kent Jenkins - Submitted photo
Jason Kent Jenkins - Submitted photo

A traffic stop on a speeding vehicle Sunday afternoon resulted in the arrest of the driver on multiple felony and misdemeanor drug charges.

Jason Kent Jenkins, 47, who lists a Lecroy Road address, was taken into custody shortly before 1 p.m. and charged with felony counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to six years in prison, and two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to one year in jail.

Jenkins, who also cited for no liability insurance, was being held on an $8,000 bond and was set to appear Monday in Garland County District Court.

According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Hot Springs police Officer Jonathan Smith was southbound on Seventh Avenue near its intersection with West St. Louis Street when he got behind a black 2004 Toyota 4-Runner that was reportedly speeding.

He made a traffic stop on the vehicle on Alpine Street and made contact with the driver, identified as Jenkins, and based on a previous encounter with Jenkins earlier that day, Smith asked for consent to search the vehicle.

Smith said he told Jenkins he could refuse, but Jenkins consented to a search so he removed him from the vehicle while it was being conducted.

In the rear storage area, Smith allegedly found four bottles of Deca Durabolin, or Nandrolone, an anabolic steroid that is a schedule 3 narcotic, a total of 69.7 grams, a loaded syringe with 5.9 grams of Deca Durabolin, one unused syringe, a digital scale, 20 buprenorphine pills and seven alprazolam pills.

At that point, Jenkins was taken into custody and put in Smith's unit. After a short period of time, he began to complain of pain in his lower back and legs so LifeNet was contacted and transported Jenkins to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs to be evaluated. He was later released from the hospital and taken to the detention center.

Local on 04/07/2020

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