A 19-year-old man has been charged with DUI and drug possession, according to police sources. Illinois officers arrested the man, who now faces a drug charge and a DUI charge for allegedly being under the influence of the street drug Ecstasy while behind the wheel. So far, no trial date has been announced, and it is unclear whether the man has secured representation.
According to the police report, the man was pulled over by Illinois officers for allegedly failing to signal during a lane change. Police say the man exhibited signs of being under the influence of Ecstasy, which is also known by the popular name “Molly.” A drug dog present at the scene indicated to officers that narcotics were present in the vehicle, so the officers say they asked for permission to search his pockets, to which he allegedly agreed.
Police say they found what they believe to be a crystallized form of Molly in a bag, prompting them to search the rest of the car. They say they also found open alcohol and allegedly evidence of marijuana use. They also say the man admitted to taking drugs and drinking alcohol prior to driving. The man was arrested on site and later formally charged with DUI and possession of narcotics.
Admissions of guilt are subject to challenge in court when the subject may have been under pressure from police at the time. Illinois prosecutors will have to prove that the substances recovered by police were actually narcotics in order for the drug charge to stick. Additionally, they will have to provide evidence that police respected the man’s rights throughout the search process. If they failed to secure permission to search the man’s person, any potential evidence they recovered may not be deemed admissible.
Source: news-gazette.com, “Tolono man faces DUI, drug charges“, Mary Schenk, Sept. 3, 2014