On April 1, 2020 at approximately 1745 hours the McArthur Police Department received a report from a Trooper with the Ohio State Highway Patrol that there was a vehicle parked at the VFW on Veteran’s Memorial Drive in McArthur, OH and that the business was supposed to be shut down due to the State stay at home order. Captain Thomas Heaton and K-9 Officer Zara responded to check the vehicle.
Captain Heaton observed a female in the driver’s seat of the vehicle and asked her for identification. While the female was attempting to locate her identification in her wallet, Captain Heaton saw a pipe in the wallet. Captain Heaton had the woman get out of the vehicle. The Trooper from the State Highway Patrol had arrived on the scene for assistance. While taking the
woman into custody, Captain Heaton saw a syringe in her hand. The woman was detained and identified as Kelly Vu, age 21 of Commercial Point, OH.
Captain Heaton then used K-9 Officer Zara to do a exterior search around the vehicle. K-9 Zara gave a positive indication of the odor of illegal narcotics in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted and several drug related items were found in the vehicle as well as suspected cocaine and methamphetamines. The vehicle was impounded and Kelly Vu was transported to the South East Ohio Regional Jail on charges of Drug Trafficking, Possession of Drugs and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
The case will be reviewed by the Vinton County Prosecutor’s Office for possible additional charges.
Chief Kight would like to thank the Ohio State Highway Patrol for their assistance in this case.
