A Jay man who was a passenger in a traffic stop was arrested June 17 and is facing a felony drug possession charge.
Sandy Biggs, 47, 3271 Pine Level Church Road, was a passenger in a white trail blazer belonging to Leonard David Smith when deputies pulled the vehicle over for failing to maintain a single lane, according to a Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office report.
The report said when deputies made contact with the vehicle occupants, the driver said he had dropped a flashlight and was trying to pick it up, which caused him to cross into the other lane. Smith provided all the paperwork the officer asked for, except his insurance card, which he said he left at home.
The officer issued Smith a citation for no proof of insurance and a verbal warning for not maintaining a single lane, the report said.
Before the officer let Smith leave, he asked him if he had any objection to the officer searching his vehicle for any illegal narcotics or firearms and Smith asked if the officer would follow him to a nearby church parking lot to get off the roadway.
The report stated the officer assured Smith he would rather look inside the vehicle where it sat. Smith stepped out of the vehicle and the officer checked him to assure no weapons or firearms were on him.
According to the report, the assisting officer was watching the passenger, Biggs, exit the vehicle and checked him for weapons. The officer observed Biggs throw some item on the ground in front of the passenger door, out of his right front pocket.
Later, 3 grams of methamphetamine were located inside an empty cigarette pack in the exact area, the report said. The officer had checked the ground area while he was walking up to the vehicle and did not see any empty cigarette packs. The officer advised he watched Biggs throw the item to the ground, the report stated.
Biggs was arrested and transported to the Santa Rosa County Jail, where he was given a bond of $1,500.
