CLEARFIELD – A Clearfield man has been accused of resisting arrest and being found in possession of methamphetamine after a traffic stop.
Kevin Lee Straw, 36, has been charged by Trooper Chad D. Ryen of the Clearfield-based state police with misdemeanor counts of intentional possession of a controlled substance, use/possession of drug paraphernalia, make/repairs/sell, etc. offensive weapon, resisting arrest and flight to avoid apprehension and seven summaries.
Straw waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday during centralized court at the Clearfield County Jail. His bail has been set at $20,000 monetary.
The charges stem from a traffic stop on a 2005 silver Pontiac G6 Sedan at 10:31 a.m. Aug. 28 on Post Office Road in Bradford Township, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed with the office of Magisterial District Judge Jerome Nevling.
Ryen approached Straw at his driver’s side and positively identified him by name and date of birth. Straw related that he knew the vehicle was not legal for the road and was just driving it from Clearfield to Woodland for a friend.
Straw was arranging for a ride and to get the vehicle off the roadway while Ryen ran his information through NCIC/CLEAN. It was learned that Straw’s driver’s license was under suspension and he was wanted on bench warrants in Clearfield and Centre counties.
Ryen contacted his PCO who confirmed the warrants and he advised Straw that he was being taken into custody. Straw reportedly commented that he “wasn’t going to jail” and resisted when Ryen tried to handcuff him.
A struggle ensued and Ryen and Straw fell down an embankment. Straw fled on foot down the hill into the woods; however, Ryen was able to apprehend him at the bottom and take him into custody.
When Ryen conducted a standard custodial search of Straw, he found a tin containing approximately one gram of suspected methamphetamine in a small plastic baggie, an empty baggie with residue and a small spoon; a glass smoking pipe; a hypodermic needle; and a handled knife with a spring-assisted blade.
The vehicle’s registration expired in September of 2017 and inspection in October of 2017. Its front tires were worn, it had rusted out rocker panels and it wasn’t insured. Straw also wasn’t wearing his seatbelt at the time of the stop.
Straw was housed in county jail due to the active bench warrants.