Chillicothe, OH — A routine traffic stop on October 27, 2024, ended with the arrest of a local man after officers discovered methamphetamine during a search of his vehicle.
While patrolling Stafford Avenue, Officer Chance Blankenship noticed a silver Honda Civic displaying a white light from the rear. The vehicle also failed to signal during a turn at the intersection of Stafford Avenue and Allen Avenue. After following the vehicle onto Stacey Road and then making a right onto McKell Street, Officer Blankenship activated his emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop.
The driver, identified as Raul Ortiz, initially continued to drive slowly before coming to a stop at the intersection of McKell and Arch Street. Officer Blankenship observed Ortiz acting nervously inside the vehicle, digging in the floorboard. After identifying Ortiz, the officer asked for his driver’s license, which revealed that Ortiz’s license was suspended.
When questioned about his actions, Ortiz admitted to looking for a “pipe,” specifying it was a meth pipe. Upon exiting the vehicle, Ortiz was subjected to a probable cause search, during which Officer Blankenship found a clear baggie containing a white crystalline substance in his left front pocket. Based on his training, the officer suspected the substance to be methamphetamine.
A search of the vehicle revealed a burnt glass pipe in the driver’s side floorboard, further confirming the suspicion of drug use. Hills Towing was called to tow the vehicle, and Ortiz was taken into custody.
After being read his Miranda Rights, Ortiz acknowledged his understanding and confirmed that the crystal substance was indeed methamphetamine, estimating its weight to be over three grams—a quantity commonly referred to as a “ball” in drug terminology.
Ortiz was transported to the Ross County Jail, where he received a summons for possession of drug paraphernalia, as well as a traffic citation for driving under suspension. He was also issued a warning for the rear light violation. Following processing, Ortiz was released.
Evidence collected during the stop, including the baggie and the glass pipe, has been secured by the Chillicothe Police Department for further analysis. The investigation remains ongoing.
