Traffic Stop Leads to Discovery of Weed, Counterfeit $100 and Arrest of Philly Man

A Philadelphia man has been jailed following a police initiated vehicle stop in Bristol Borough late Thursday afternoon exclusively covered by Lower Bucks Source in which officers recovered drugs, digital scales and a number of counterfeit $100 bills, authorities said.

21 year-old  Marquis K. Holmes was arraigned by on-call  district judge Stacy Wertman on charges of Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver a controlled substance, intent to possess a controlled substance, driving while license is suspended, improper sunscreening, and related offenses.

Holmes was remanded to the custody of Bucks County Correctional Facility in lieu of 10 percent of $200,000.00 bail.

According to the criminal complaint, at approximately 3: 41 p.m hours, while conducting traffic enforcement at the intersection of Swain and Otter Streets, police observed a silver Chrysler 300 fail to stop at the posted stop sign at the intersection of Swain  and Otter.  Police noted  that the vehicle’s windows were excessively tinted to the extent that the occupants could not be observed from outside the vehicle, constituting improper sun screening.in violation of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code.

Police activated, emergency lights and siren to initiate a traffic stop. The vehicle turned into the parking lot of Bath Street Market, located at 500 Bath Street, Bristol, where the driver immediately exited the vehicle and entered the store.

LBS Contributor Joe Nelson

Officer Dale Walton Jr. exited the patrol vehicle and made contact with the driver, who was identified as Holmes .

He was advised that he had been stopped for failing to stop at the posted stop sign, officers wrote in court records. Police requested Holmes’s provide his driver’s license, vehicle registration, and proof of insurance.

Holmes, said he didn’t have any of the requested documents and further stated that they were at traffic court in Philadelphia, police wrote in court records.

Holmes provided his name and date of birth. Your affiant instructed Holmes to return to and remain seated inside his vehicle while the traffic Investigation was completed.

While preparing the appropriate citations, Holmes exited the vehicle without instruction. Due to the vehicle’s dark window tint, officers was unable to determine whether any additional occupants remained inside the vehicle and requested additional officers to respond for assistance. Officer Bernard and Officer Briehler arrived on scene shortly thereafter.

Walton Jr  briefed both officers on the circumstances of the stop while continuing the investigation.

A records check through law enforcement databases revealed that Holmes’s Pennsylvania operating privilege was suspended.

Credit: Lower Bucks Hospital

Based upon Holmes operating a motor vehicle while under suspension and his failure to provide proof of financial responsibility, your affiant advised Holmes that the vehicle would be towed in accordance with department policy. Officer Bernard advised Holmes that an inventory search of the vehicle would be conducted prior to towing to document and safeguard any property remaining inside.

During the search, Officer Briehler located a bag containing suspected marijuana, a black digital scale, and multiple suspected counterfeit United States $100 bills inside the center console. Also located was an additional suspected counterfeit $100 bill underneath the driver’s seat, the probable cause alleges.

As officers continued the inventory search into the rear passenger compartment, Officer Briehler observed an open blue backpack containing numerous individually packaged bags of suspected marijuana along with additional suspected counterfeit $100 bills.

Upon discovering the suspected controlled substances and counterfeit currency, the inventory search was immediately discontinued in order to preserve the evidence pending the application for a search warrant for the vehicle and its contents, police said in court records.

Credit: LBS Contributor Joe Nelson

Holmes was immediately placed under arrest, handcuffed, searched incident to arrest, and secured in the rear of a marked patrol vehicle. During the search of Holmes’s person, police recovered more than $3000.00 in cash  which was seized as evidence.

He was then  transported to Bristol Borough Police Headquarters and secured for processing.

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The blue backpack containing the suspected marijuana and counterfeit currency was secured as evidence and transported to police headquarters, according to court records./

Holmes’s Chrysler 300 was towed by Lynch’s Collision to the Bristol Borough Police Department.

Bristol Borough Police officers  accompanied the tow truck to headquarters. Upon arrival, the vehicle was secured inside the department’s evidence garage. Your affiant, along with Lieutenant Soto, placed evidence tape across the seams of all doors and the trunk to preserve the integrity of the vehicle pending the issuance and execution of a search warrant.

LBS Contributor Joe Nelson

Holmes is due back in court on July 2o for a preliminary hearing. There were no charges filed as of yet with regards to the alleged counterfeit $1oo’s discovered by police, according to online court records.