Three people were arrested in St. Lucie County last week on heroin-related charges after a deputy noticed a speeding vehicle with an expired tag.
The discovery ultimately ended with the driver, and her passenger, under arrest, accused of trafficking heroin, among other crimes, and a third person arrested for destroying or tampering with evidence.
Brittany Ann Driver, 28, of Fort Pierce was driving a Buick sedan east on Prima Vista Boulevard at SE Naranja Avenue in Port St. Lucie when she was pulled over.
According to the arrest report, Driver was going 53 mph in a 40 mph zone.
During the traffic stop, the deputy sought and received permission to search the vehicle, Driver and her passenger, identified as Chaddley Dean Lynch, 29, of Fort Pierce and Texas.
The search netted 12 grams of encapsulated heroin, pre-sorted for sale in small bags, according to the arrest report. The heroin was found in an undergarment Lynch was wearing.
Other items found included a charred glass pipe containing cocaine residue discovered in Driver’s waistband, a plastic bag containing cocaine as well as a straw with residue in her purse, assorted drug paraphernalia found in the Buick’s trunk, and two prescription medications without proper labels.
Following the investigation, authorities received and executed a search warrant on a home located in the 1400 block of SE Bayharbor St., Port St. Lucie, where they made contact with their target, Johnny Rasheed Ward, 40, of Fort Pierce.
A resident at the home told investigators that Ward arrived at the house “in a panic” telling her that he knew Chad (Lynch) had been stopped. He also told her that Chad had “just gotten a large amount of heroin” from Ward to sell for him.
She told the investigators that Ward went to the bedroom and then the bathroom and flushed the toilet multiple times. Authorities discovered cocaine residue and gel pill capsule evidence in and around the toilet as well as the kitchen sink.
Ward currently doesn’t face a heroin trafficking charge. However, he was arrested on charges that include felony evidence destroying/tampering, felony cocaine possession, and misdemeanor marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession. He is being held at the St. Lucie County jail in lieu of $37,000 bond for these charges.
He is also being held on more than $300,000 bond on unrelated charges that include aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, heroin trafficking in Martin County, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, among others. Driver and Lynch both face a felony charge of heroin trafficking between 4 grams and 30 kilograms. Lynch is being held at the county jail in lieu of $75,000 bond.
Driver also faces felony charges of cocaine and controlled substance possession. She is being held at the St. Lucie County jail in lieu of $105,750 bond.
