ELYRIA — A 38-year-old man was arrested after a traffic stop led to the discovery of crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm, according to a report from the Elyria Police Department.
Officers Petsas, House, Hume, and Gonzales conducted the stop around 4:21 p.m. on November 5 near West River Road North and Lake Avenue. The officers noted that the front windows of the suspect’s vehicle, a silver Buick sedan, were tinted darker than the legal limit, prompting the stop.
Police identified the passenger as Paul W. Dempsey, 38, of Elyria, who was found to have an active warrant for contempt of court through Elyria Municipal Court. After verifying the warrant, officers placed Dempsey under arrest.
During a search, officers found a white, chalk-like substance in Dempsey’s sweatshirt pocket that later tested positive for crack cocaine. Additional paraphernalia, including two glass smoking pipes, two tooter straws, and a push rod, were located inside a cross-body bag and on the passenger seat. A hypodermic needle was also found and properly disposed of according to department policy.
The driver of the vehicle, who was not identified in the report, informed officers that a firearm was positioned between the center console and driver’s seat. The weapon was secured, and the driver was released from the scene with a verbal warning regarding window tint.
Dempsey was transported to the Lorain County Jail, where he remains held without bond pending his initial appearance through Elyria Municipal Court.
According to police, Dempsey faces charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of drug abuse instruments, along with a contempt of court warrant.
Source: Elyria Police Department