A Portage man has been arrested on heroin and cocaine-related charges, as well as operating while intoxicated.
It was around 12:15 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 30, when an Indiana State Police trooper observed a vehicle driving erratically in the area of 5th Avenue and Jefferson Street in Gary.
The vehicle was driving at a very low rate of speed, weaving side to side and made several unsafe lane movements, according to investigators.
The trooper made a traffic stop on the vehicle, a white Nissan Sentra, and spoke with the driver. While speaking with the driver, the trooper detected the strong odor of alcoholic beverages on his breath.
Field sobriety tests were performed on the driver which lead the officer to have probable cause to place the driver into custody.
When asked to place his hands behind his back, the driver, identified as Varra N. Jones, 36, began to yell obscenities at the trooper. Mr. Jones became aggressive towards the officer and attempted to pull away, pushing the trooper with both hands.
A brief physical altercation ensued with the trooper being able to gain control of the driver and placed him into custody.
Jones was taken to the Lake County Jail where he consented to a breath test, the results of which were .245%, which is three times the legal limit for intoxication.
During the arrest, several items were located in Jones’ vehicle. Those items included several baggies containing different types of illegal substances. The substances field-tested positive for Cocaine, Heroin and Ecstasy/MDMA.
Jones is being charged with the following:
- Dealing Heroin- Level 3 Felony
- Dealing Cocaine- Level 3 Felony
- Possession of Heroin- Level 3 Felony
- Possession of Cocaine- Level 4 Felony
- Operating While Intoxicated Prior Conviction- Level 6 Felony
- Operating While Intoxicated With BAC .15% or more- Class A Misdemeanor
- Operating While Intoxicated Endangering- Class A Misdemeanor
- Resisting Law Enforcement- Class A Misdemeanor
