A routine traffic stop Thursday night led to the discovery of methadone pills and a large amount of cash.
According to the Blountstown Police Department, Officer Patrick Crawford and Deputy Eddie Dalton of the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office were monitoring traffic on Hwy. 20 East when they spotted a vehicle with a taillight out. The pair pulled the vehicle and spoke with the driver, Ryan Blake Lindsey, who was reportedly sweating profusely with the air conditioner on full blast, breathing heavily, and extremely nervous. When questioned, Lindsey said he wasn’t nervous, he just wanted to get to Gainesville because his grandmother was sick. Lindsey denied having anything illegal in the vehicle, but a patdown search for officer safety revealed a pill bottle in his shorts pocket. The label had Lindsey’s name on it, but no other information. Lindsey stated, “They’re just my antibiotics.”
Due to the pill bottle being unlabeled and Lindsey’s nervous demeanor, Ofc. Crawford requested permission to search the vehicle. Lindsey denied the request and Dep. Dalton advised he would have his narcotics K-9 walk around the vehicle. Before the dog was deployed, Lindsey changed his mind and gave consent to a search.
Ofc. Timothy Partridge arrived on the scene to assist and Lindsey asked permission to retrieve his money from the vehicle. Officers escorted him and he removed $2100 from the center console. During the search, another pill bottle was discovered with Lindsey’s name on it for Aprazolam. However, the 19 pills inside turned out to be methadone. The other bottle was found to have antibiotics, along with one methadone pill. Since he did not have a prescription for methadone, Lindsey was placed under arrest.
It was learned that Lindsey was on probation and under a drug offender curfew in Bay County that required he be home by 7 p.m. Lindsey advised his probation was due to a drug charge. Lindsey said he got the methadone pills from a friend in Panama City.
Due to the number of pills, Lindsey was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, as well as possession without a prescription.
