On Feb. 4, police officers arrested a man for allegedly having drugs and drug equipment in his possession. The incident took place at a gas station in Joliet at approximately 7:50 a.m.
According to the Joliet Police Department, officers were called to the scene of a car accident at a Speedway gas station located on the 1600 block of West Jefferson Street. Once on the scene, the officers said they observed drug paraphernalia laying out in the open in one of the vehicles. They searched the vehicle and allegedly discovered multiple plastic baggies containing cocaine. The driver of the vehicle was then taken into custody on drug charges.
The defendant was transported to the Will County Jail for processing. A judge later set his bail at $10,000, which means he cannot leave jail until he posts a $1,000 bond. According to court records, he has previously been charged with burglary, theft, DUI, and possession of marijuana.
When people are arrested on drug possession charges, they may be tempted to cooperate with authorities. However, it may be advisable for defendants to exercise their right to remain silent and contact a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. An attorney could protect a defendant’s rights throughout police questioning and review the case for any details that could help the defendant in court. For example, if the record indicates that officers violated a defendant’s rights during the search that led to the seizure, the case could be thrown out of court. If the evidence is strong, the attorney could still attempt to arrange a plea deal that reduces the most serious charges and penalties.
Source: Joliet Patch, “JPD: Man With Cocaine Arrested At Speedway Gas Station“, John Ferak, Feb. 5, 2019