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Police: Ohio man accused of selling cocaine

An Ohio man was accused of selling cocaine in capsules after state police pulled him over for driving erratically on Route 422, according to documents.

Police said over 100 plastic capsules filled with cocaine were found hidden in the vehicle of James K. Parker, 51, of Youngstown, Ohio.

He was charged Sept. 18 with two counts of felony drug sales and misdemeanors DUI, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and three counts of use and possession of drug paraphernalia following a traffic stop in Franklin Township.

Police received a report of an erratic driver traveling west on Route 422 in Summit Township around 12:30 a.m. Sept. 16. Troopers said they observed the vehicle, a green Chevrolet Tahoe, crossing over street lines on several occasions before initiating a traffic stop.

Police said they detected an odor of alcoholic beverage on Parker’s breath when they spoke with him during the traffic stop. Field sobriety tests also showed he was impaired, according to documents.

When troopers asked Parker if there was anything illegal in the vehicle, he indicated there was not and refused a search of the vehicle. Police said they contacted a K-9 unit to the stop, and Parker then attempted to get back into his vehicle.

Documents showed that a trooper told Parker to stop returning to the vehicle and stepped in Parker’s way to stop him. Police said Parker then shoved the trooper away and attempted to get in his vehicle. A second trooper took Parker into custody with much resistance, according to the affidavit.

A search warrant for Parker’s vehicle was granted four hours after the initial stop, police said. A hidden compartment was discovered inside the vehicle’s center console.

The console contained two bags of suspected cocaine and seven bags of bulk plastic capsules, police said. There were also 107 plastic capsules containing suspected crack-cocaine, packaged to sell.

Parker was placed in Butler County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail. Documents showed he waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday, Sept. 27 before District Judge Joseph Nash.

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