A man walking down the street was allegedly found with a bag of what the police asserted was methamphetamine, but he reportedly told them it was salt for his ingrown toenail.
Around 4:30 am on March 30, an officer with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office reportedly “observed a black male walking in the 300 block of Pink Street” in West Monroe.
The officer approached the man and identified him as 47-year-old John Combs. According to the affidavit, Combs hails from Chatham, but his physical address was listed as unknown.
While he was walking in the middle of the street, Combs was reportedly holding a big wooden stick, and the officer asked him to set it on the ground. To ensure the man was not carrying weapons, the officer asked to pat him down.
The man reportedly told the officer he would consent to the inspection.
During the search of his person, Combs reportedly appeared to try to prevent the officer from checking his right front pocket. He allegedly turned away from the officer and tried to reach into the pocket himself.
When reaching into the pocket, the officer reported that they found a section of a plastic bag marked with the Walmart logo. A powdery “crystal like substance” was allegedly wrapped in the plastic, and the officer asserted that he “identified the substance as methamphetamine” using his “experience and training.”
After being read his Miranda rights, Combs reportedly said he had an ingrown toenail, and the bag contained salt that he planned to use for treatment.
Combs was placed under arrest and booked into the county jail on a $5,000 bond. He is expected to face charges for one felony count of possession of a schedule II controlled dangerous substance.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a drug offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.