Four people have been booked into the Ada County Jail on multiple charges following three unrelated drug cases Wednesday in Meridian.
Around 11:15 a.m., officers investigated a report of an erratic driver in the 1600 block on North Main Street.
After stopping the vehicle, officers believed the driver, identified as Teresa Kile, 51, was under the influence.
“She failed a sobriety test and was placed in custody,” said Meridian Police Deputy Chief Tracy Basterrechea.
Officers found 18 grams of marijuana, 1.2 grams of meth, and drug paraphernalia in her possession, he said.
Three children were also in the vehicle; a 7-year-old boy, a 5-year-old girl, and another girl younger than one, according to Basterrechea. The children have since been placed into the care of the State Health and Welfare Department.
Kile faces a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance, and misdemeanors of driving under the influence, transporting a child in a vehicle while under the influence, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana.
Around 12:20 p.m., officers spotted a vehicle with no front license plate and studded snow tires near the intersection of Main and State Streets in downtown Meridian.
Shortly after they initiated a traffic stop, the male passenger, later identified as Dominic Hinton, 27, jumped out of the vehicle and took off running.
Officers quickly set up a perimeter and began searching the area -- while they arrested the driver, Natalie Rowe, 22.
A police K-9 was called to help in the search.
Incoming officers later spotted Hinton on a nearby street and arrested him.
After the dog alerted on the possibility of drugs, police searched Rowe’s vehicle and found 1.7 grams of marijuana, 2 grams of methamphetamine and 2 grams of heroin, Basterrechea said.
Rowe was arrested for misdemeanor drug possession.
Hinton faces two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance, as well as misdemeanors of possessing drug paraphernalia, possessing marijuana, resisting officers, not having a valid driver’s license, and injury to property.
Later, Meridian officers were helping Probation and Parole officials in making a routine check of the home Jason Epperly, 45, in the 500 block of East Broadway Street.
The search found .2 grams of heroin and miscellaneous prescription drugs that Epperly reportedly did not have prescriptions for, Basterrechesa said.
Epperly was arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance, and misdemeanors of possession of drug paraphernalia, and possessing prescription drugs without a prescription.
