NEWBERRY COUNTY — A man and woman from North Carolina were arrested on multiple drug charges after a Newberry County deputy spotted their vehicle behind a restaurant on S.C. 34 last week.
Stephen Everett Taylor, 27, 2401 Davis Mills Road in Deep Run, N.C., and Bridgette Danielle Clark, 22, 6313 Washington St. in La Grange, were charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine, simple possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Taylor was also charged with possession of an unlawful weapon.
Taylor’s bond was set at $47,370 with $27,370 being cash/surety while Clark received a $45,870 cash/surety bond. Both remained in the Newberry County Detention Center on Tuesday.
The pair was arrested Jan. 28 after a deputy with the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office spotted a silver vehicle in a parking area behind a restaurant in the area of S.C. 34 and Tom Griffin Road. The driver exited the vehicle in an erratic manner and was acting suspicious. The pair then moved the vehicle to a non-designated parking area not far from where they had been parked.
As the deputy initiated an investigatory stop and approached the vehicle, the driver exited the vehicle in an aggressive manner and moved toward the deputy, who detained him for questioning.
The deputy smelled a strong smell of marijuana and saw a handgun in the driver-side door pocket. The deputy secured the handgun.
Deputies searched Taylor and Clark, finding marijuana, cocaine, pills, crystal methamphetamine, over $4,000 in cash, and a handgun.
“We work to combat drugs in the community at every level,” Sheriff Lee Foster said. “It takes an entire community to make this happen. We take that responsibility seriously in partnering with the community and it is our aim to seek out those who continue to oppose that standard.”