An early-morning traffic stop for speeding and driving outside of travel lanes on Interstate 17 resulted in the arrest of an Ohio woman for possession of large quantities of fentanyl pills, cocaine, and marijuana.
A news release from the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office reports that at about 5:15 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, a deputy observed a Dodge Ram with Ohio plates speeding and not maintaining the lane of travel on I-17 just north of Cordes Junction.
Crystal Briley, 39, from Ohio was the driver and only occupant of the vehicle.
“While speaking with Briley, the deputy could immediately detect the overwhelming odor of fresh marijuana,” stated the news release, adding that Briley was “extremely nervous during the interaction and deceptive when answering questions.”
Briley reportedly denied there were any illegal drugs in the truck except for a small amount of marijuana in her purse. But based on the odor and Briley’s behavior, the deputy asked for her consent to search the truck.
When Briley denied consent for the search, the deputy requested a K9 unit to the scene to conduct a “free air” exterior sniff around the truck.
An Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper and his K9 arrived and during a walk around the vehicle, the K9 alerted to odor of illicit drugs, according to the news release.
During the search,…
