Duo arrested after police find drugs hidden in their lemonade can

Stock image | St. George News

HURRICANE — A man and woman were taken into police custody Thursday after officers discovered multiple drugs in a lemonade can inside their vehicle during a traffic stop.

Police conducted a traffic stop on a car for failing to come to a complete stop at a stop sign on 100 South Main St., Hurricane City Police Sgt. Yates Wright wrote in a probable cause statement supporting the arrests.

Wright made contact with the driver of the vehicle, identified as Jason Anderson, and a passenger, identified as Tiffani Mitchell, both of Fredonia, Ariz., and ran their identification through dispatch.

Jason Anderson booking photo posted March 5, 2015 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff's Office, St. George News
Jason Anderson booking photo posted March 5, 2015 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

During the traffic stop, the Kane County Task Force informed Wright they had information about the occupants of the vehicle and their involvement in transporting controlled substances, the statement said.

Wright questioned the man and woman about the possession of drugs in the vehicle.

Information was gained through interviews at the scene that there was a tin compartment under the driver’s seat that contained drugs, the statement said.

Upon searching the vehicle, Wright located a marijuana cigarette in the front door panel of the vehicle, he said in the statement, along with a small amount of marijuana.

“At this point, (Anderson) said the marijuana cigarette was his,” Wright said in the statement, “and that there was more in the center console.”

Behind the driver seat on the floor, Wright also located a can of Arnold Palmer lemonade, he said in the statement. When he shook the can, Wright discovered the content inside was not liquid.

“I unscrewed the top of the can and discovered two small baggies of a white powder/crystal like substance suspected to be methamphetamine,” he said in the statement. “The substance was later NIK tested and tested positive for methamphetamine.”

Wright also discovered two other baggies containing a brown-black substance inside the can along with a meth pipe and empty pen tubes believed to be used to smoke heroin, according to the statement. The substance inside the bags later tested positive for heroin.

Tiffani Mitchell booking photo posted March 5, 2015 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff's Office, St. George News
Tiffani Mitchell booking photo posted March 5, 2015 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

On the passenger side of the vehicle, where Mitchell was sitting, Wright also located a notebook on the floor with a piece of folded piece of tinfoil inside, the statement said. Tinfoil is often used as a way to smoke heroin and can be considered paraphernalia.

Anderson told Wright they were going to the Washington County area to get drugs, the statement said, and he was “hoping to score marijuana.”

“(Anderson) denied possession of the other drugs in the car,” Wright said in the statement, “but later told me his fingerprints would be on the meth pipe that was in the can.”

Anderson and Mitchell were arrested and booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

Anderson was charged with two third-degree felonies for possession of methamphetamine and heroin; two class B misdemeanors for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia; and one class C misdemeanor for failure to stop at a stop sign.

Mitchell was charged with two third-degree felonies for possession of methamphetamine and heroin; and one class B misdemeanor for possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to booking information, both Anderson and Mitchell were released from custody after posting bail via a bond payment.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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3 Comments

  • Billy Madison March 9, 2015 at 9:52 am

    Lemonade can? Yeah right, they should of used a doughnut box, cops never look in those.

  • ladybugavenger March 9, 2015 at 10:23 am

    For a moment I was wondering how they had drugs in their lemonade….duh, ladybug the can was empty.

  • sagemoon March 10, 2015 at 12:58 pm

    Dang tweekers.

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