A Trooper from the Indiana State Police Toll Road Post, while conducting a welfare check of a broken down vehicle and its two occupants, arrested one of those occupants on numerous drug related charges on Thursday, December 28, 2017.
According to Trooper Aaron Meyer, at approximately 2:40 a.m. on December 28, 2017, he was dispatched to the 132 mile marker on the westbound side to check on a broken down vehicle.
While speaking with the two occupants, he offered them the opportunity to sit in his patrol vehicle to get out of the frigid cold. He reported the temperature at the time to be six degrees below zero.
His suspicions were heightened when the occupants refused his offer and indicated they would wait the 45 minutes, in their vehicle which was not able to run or provide heat, for the tow truck they had already called.
Further investigation by Meyer led to a LaGrange County Sheriff Department K-9 being summoned to conduct an open air sniff around the vehicle.
Following a positive alert for narcotics, a search of the vehicle was conducted. Methamphetamine, a plant-like material believed to be marijuana, ecstasy, heroin and prescription pills were allegedly located along with a syringe and other items commonly associated with the use and dealing of narcotics. Purportedly, more than $800.00 in U.S. currency was also located.
The driver of the vehicle, Erin Paul Kaiser, 41 years of age and the passenger Scott Fraley, 55 years of age, both from Angola, Indiana were taken into custody without incident and incarcerated in the LaGrange County Jail. Kaiser was preliminarily charged with driving while suspended prior.
Fraley was preliminarily charged with the following:
- Possession of Methamphetamine
- Dealing Methamphetamine
- Maintaining a Common Nuisance
- Possession of Marijuana (with a previous conviction)
- Possession of Controlled Substance
- Possession of Paraphernalia
