Check on sleeping motorist at area hotel leads to felony drug charges
A Royal man was arrested early Wednesday on multiple felony drug charges after Hot Springs police reportedly found him and a Royal woman sleeping in a car parked at a local motel.
Kyle Edwin Tobin, 28, who lists an Owl Creek Road address, was taken into custody shortly after 5 a.m. and charged with possession of meth with purpose to deliver, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and seven counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to six years.
Tobin, who also had a warrant for failure to appear, remained in custody Thursday in lieu of bonds totaling $22,000 and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court. Also arrested was Amanda Faye Gaston, 30, who lists a Timberlake Drive address, who also had a warrant for failure to appear and remained in custody Thursday on zero bond.
According to the probable cause affidavit, around 5 a.m. Wednesday, Officers Thomas Plummer and Tylor Ward spotted a gray Honda Accord parked at the Red Carpet Inn, 1879 E. Grand Ave., occupied by two people who appeared to be sleeping. It was noted officers had received prior complaints about drug-related activity and loitering during nighttime hours in that area.
They made contact with the driver, identified as Tobin, and front-seat passenger, identified as Gaston, who “appeared disoriented” and could be seen moving about the vehicle. The two stated they were waiting to get a room and fell asleep.
A computer check revealed the warrants for both of them so they were taken into custody and Tobin reportedly gave consent to search the vehicle and denied there was anything illegal in it.
In the front seat area, Ward allegedly found an orange zippered container with three syringes, including one loaded with
51 fluid units of what later tested positive for meth. The other two syringes had bent tips “from use.” The bag also contained a digital scale, a spoon with residue and two bags, one containing a white crystalline substance that also tested positive for meth, a total of 1.9 grams.
In the trunk, officers reportedly located a square blue box marked, “Kyle’s (expletive) organizer,” which held another capped syringe with a bent tip. It was noted the spoon and syringes are “a common method of processing meth for intravenous use.”
When questioned later after being read his rights, Tobin reportedly told Plummer all the drugs and paraphernalia belonged to him and that he had used meth intravenously within the last two days.