By Abigail Roberts
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputies had a busy Tuesday night as they made multiple drug-related arrests.
At about 9:20 p.m. on May 4, Deputy Austin Price was on routine patrol when he observed a 2013 black Chevrolet Impala traveling west on U.S. Hwy. 150 east with a rear license plate that was not illuminated.
A traffic stop was initiated and the operator was identified as Althea Quinton, 57, of Crab Orchard.
Deputy Price noted in the citation that Quinton was “very shaky and nervous.”
Quinton denied the presence of anything illegal in her vehicle and denied consent for the deputy to search the car.
Chief Deputy Michael Mullins deployed K9 Major around the vehicle, who gave a positive alert on the driver side door, according to the arrest citation.
“A search of the vehicle resulted in finding a clear container that contained suspected methamphetamine, one and half white pills identified as Loratab,” the citation states.
Quinton was unable to provide a valid copy of her insurance card and stated the vehicle did not have active insurance. She was also not wearing a seat belt, was unable to produce her driver’s license and the vehicle registration has been expired since March 31.
She was arrested and charged with several traffic violations as well as two counts of possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine and drug unspecified).
Quinton was lodged in the Pulaski County Detention Center. Deputy Price was assisted by Deputy Butch Phillips.
Later that night, at about 10:48 p.m., Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Dustin Phillips observed a motorcycle with no license plate turning at Hwy. 150 west and U.S. 27 north.
Deputy Phillips conducted a traffic stop during which the operator of the motorcycle, Kelly Tolson, 50, of Pleasureville, stated he did not have a driver’s license.
During the stop, Tolson gave deputies consent to search himself and the motorcycle. The search turned up two glass narcotic pipes and a rock of suspected crack cocaine located in a folded up dollar bill inside of a cigarette pack.
Tolson was arrested by Deputy Austin Price and charged with possession of a controlled substance (cocaine). He was lodged in the Pulaski County Detention Center.
Deputy Butch Phillips and Stanford Police Officers Preston Middleton, Chase Marcum and Bo Wallin assisted in the arrest.
