LA PLATA, Md. - The La Plata Barrack of the Maryland State Police (MSP) today released the following incident and arrest reports.
March 17, 2007, at approximately 11:30 p.m., Trooper J. Wiersma was participating in an authorized DUI Sobriety Checkpoint on southbound Route 301, south of Rosewick Road, La Plata, Charles County, Maryland. Trooper Wiersma was standing on the double yellow lines when the suspect vehicle approached his position and stopped southbound Route 301 in lane 1. The driver was identified by his Maryland driver’s license as Michael David Ellis, 38 years, of White Plains. Upon making contact with the driver, Trooper Wiersma smelled a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath. Ellis’ speech was mumbled and slurred, his eyes were red and glassy. Ellis was asked to step out of his vehicle to perform a set of standardized field sobriety tests, which he failed. A search of the driver and the vehicle incident to arrest revealed one ceramic in construction CDS smoking pipe containing trace amounts of CDS Marijuana and one small burnt CDS Marijuana cigarette, both of which were found inside the center console of the vehicle. Ellis was arrested and transported to the Charles County Detention Center pending a bond review. Ellis was charged with the following: DUI, Possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia.
March 18, 2007, at approximately 12:25 a.m., Trooper K. Hunt was participating in an authorized DUI Sobriety Checkpoint on southbound Route 301, west of West Industrial Park Drive, La Plata, Charles County, Maryland. Trooper Hunt was standing on the double yellow lines when a white Ford Ranger bearing Maryland registration 37L020 came through the DUI checkpoint and stopped at his position. Trooper Hunt approached the vehicle and detected a strong odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle. The driver was identified by his Maryland driver’s license as James Kenneth Boswell Jr., 22 years, of La Plata. When Trooper Hunt questioned Boswell, as to hiding anything in the vehicle, Boswell immediately told Troop Hunt that there was marijuana in the vehicle. A probable cause search revealed three marijuana smoking devices in the glove box and a half burned marijuana cigarette on the driver’s side floor mat. Boswell was arrested and transported to the Charles County Detention Center pending a bond review. Boswell was charged with the following: Possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia.