4 arrested on drug, neglect charges

By: 
Staff Writer Kate Wehlann

Constance Scanlon, 44, Salem, was preliminarily charged with: maintaining a common nuisance, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, two counts of neglect of a dependent and dealing in marijuana.

Waymond Spears, 46, Salem, was preliminarily charged with: maintaining a common nuisance, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, two counts of neglect of a dependent and dealing in marijuana.

Kaley Spears, 23, Salem, was preliminarily charged with neglect of a dependent.

Joshua Strange, 26, Salem, was preliminarily charged with possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine and possession of a legend drug.

Just before 1 a.m. on Oct. 10, Ashley N. Bowman called the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, afraid she was being followed home from work in Louisville and the people were trying to kill her. Dispatchers determined her location to be on Walnut Ridge Road near the intersection of Rush Creek Road.

Deputies Allen Taylor, Brad Naugle, Tory Hildreth and Lucas Gray made their way to the area. Naugle and Gray had already checked one home when Allen and Hildreth arrived and the latter two approached 4805 W. Walnut Ridge Rd., to see if Bowman was there. They were met by Waymond Spears, 46, Salem, at the door, who told them Bowman wasn’t there, but that he was her step-father and he wanted to know what was going on.

As the deputies were speaking with Spears, Allen said he could smell marijuana, but the officers then heard over their radios from dispatchers who said Bowman was believed to be at the old schoolhouse residence on Walnut Ridge Road.

The officers left to go to that location and found Bowman’s car parked in the driveway. A man, later identified as Joshua Strange, 26, Salem, and woman, identified as Bowman, were walking up some concrete stairs as the officers walked to the back of the home. Bowman told officers again she believed two people followed her home and were trying to kill her and Strange confirmed it as well. Bowman told officers she hadn’t called sooner because she thought she could lose her pursuers, who she believed to be two black men who had seen her working as a dancer.

“After hearing the story, due to our training and experience, we believed that Ashley and Joshua were under the influence of some type of drugs,” Allen wrote in his report.

Bowman told the officers she thought the men she believed were pursuing her had gone through her car once they parked at the home, which she said belonged to her aunt. When no one answered the door, they hid on the back stairs. Bowman took the officers up on their offer to check the vehicle out to see if anything was missing.

In plain sight on the center console, Hildreth found a Gabapentin pill, a medication used to treat seizures and pain caused by shingles. Strange said he had a prescription for the Gabapentin, but didn’t have it with him.

Both Bowman and Strange denied being under the influence of anything and both denied having any weapons on them, though Strange admitted he had some marijuana in his pocket, which Hildreth removed. Ashley said there was nothing illegal in her vehicle and officers could look in the vehicle if they wanted.

They did so and found a small baggie containing methamphetamine, in the driver’s side floorboard. Gray read Bowman and Strange their Miranda warnings and Bowman said she had no idea why that was in her car. Strange admitted it was his and he was placed under arrest for: possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine and possession of a legend drug.

The officers told Bowman her license was suspended and her vehicle had a flat tire on the driver’s side. Allen gave Bowman a ride to her step-father’s home down the road. Hildreth and Allen, followed by Naugle, who Allen told about the smell of marijuana, went to the house with Bowman.

They were greeted by Spears and a woman identified as Constance Scanlon, 44, Salem. Naugle informed Spears he could smell marijuana and Spears told Naugle he had smoked a joint on the porch before they arrived and admitted there was “probably a little bit of weed” in the home. Spears and Scanlon both allowed officers to look inside the home and told them Spears’ daughter, Kaley Spears, 23, Salem, her child and his 13-year-old nephew were also inside.

Spears took Naugle to a bedroom and showed him his weed. Naugle also found two paraphernalia pipes and a small plastic container with substance that later tested positive for metha. Spears denied using anything but marijuana and Scanlon told officers she had been clean since she got out of jail.

Spears showed officer the garage, where they found another baggie of marijuana, two digital scales, an open box of plastic sandwich bags and a paritally burnt marijuana cigarette. When officers ran license checks on everyone in the home, dispatchers informed them Spears had a warrant out for his arrest. Officers arrested him on the warrant and all illegal items officers had noticed were seized for evidence. Scanlon and Kaley Spears were also arrested.

Waymond Spears was preliminarily charged with: maintaining a common nuisance, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, two counts of neglect of a dependent and dealing in marijuana.

Constance Scanlon was preliminarily charged with: maintaining a common nuisance, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, two counts of neglect of a dependent and dealing in marijuana.

Kaley Spears was preliminarily charged with neglect of a dependent.

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