Portage Man Arrested for O.W.I., Resisting and Drug Charges
GARY- Monday morning at 12:15 a.m., Trooper Alaa Hamed observed a vehicle driving erratically in the area of 5th Avenue and Jefferson St. in Gary, IN according to Master Trooper Glen Fifield. The vehicle was driving at a very low rate of speed, weaving side to side and made several unsafe lane movements. Trooper Hamed made a traffic stop on the vehicle, a white Nissan Sentra, and spoke with the driver. While speaking with the driver, he detected the strong odor of alcoholic beverages on the driver’s breath. Field sobriety tests were performed on the driver which lead the officer to have probable cause to place the driver into custody. When asked to place his hands behind his back, the driver, identified as Varra N. Jones, 36 years old from Portage, IN, began to yell obscenities at the trooper. Mr. Jones became aggressive towards the officer and attempted to pull away, pushing Trooper Hamed with both hands. A brief physical altercation ensued with Trooper Hamed being able to gain control of the driver and placed him into custody, Fifield said in the release.
Trooper Hamed then transported Mr. Jones to the Lake County Jail where he consented to a breath test, the results of which were .245%. That result is three times the legal limit (.08%) for intoxication in Indiana.
During the arrest, several items were located in Mr. Jones’ vehicle. Those items included several baggies containing different types of illegal substances. The substances field tested positive for Cocaine, Heroin and Ecstasy/MDMA.
Mr. Jones is being charged with the following:
- Dealing Heroin- Level 3 Felony
- Dealing Cocaine- Level 3 Felony
- Possession of Heroin- Level 3 Felony
- Possession of Cocaine- Level 4 Felony
- Operating While Intoxicated Prior Conviction- Level 6 Felony
- Operating While Intoxicated With BAC .15% or more- Class A Misdemeanor
- Operating While Intoxicated Endangering- Class A Misdemeanor
- Resisting Law Enforcement- Class A Misdemeanor
*All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court*
