A traffic stop late Thursday in Ashland resulted in drug charges.
According to Ashland Police Officer Andrew Weaver, on Thursday, October 6th, 2022, around 11:45pm, while on patrol, he observed a maroon Dodge Caravan pull into Turkey Hill along Centre Street. The van had a loud and broken exhaust.
Weaver said the driver quickly pulled out of the parking and traveled down Middle Street. Officer Weaver was able to travel down Centre Street and cut off the driver at 15th Street where Weaver activated his emergency lights.
As soon as the driver stopped the van, he jumped out of the vehicle and began fumbling with something. Weaver drew his firearm while the driver and two passengers appeared to try and conceal something.
After several verbal commands, all 3 complied.
The driver, at first identified himself as Thomas Cooney, which police would later learn his real identity was Tyler Mooney of Frackville.
The passenger would be identified as Kaitlyn Mierskey and Williams Esrolla, both of Mahanoy City. Nobody inside the vehicle had a valid driver's license.
At this time, Officer Weaver's backup would arrive from Butler Township and Mount Carmel. Mount Carmel Police Freiler offered assistance with his K-9 Blek. K-9 Blek was deployed and provided a positive alert for an odor of narcotics from the vehicle.
A physical search of the vehicle would lead to the finding of a bag under where Mierskey was sitting. Inside that bag was a zip lock baggy with a large crystal rock-like substance that would be seized for being suspected methamphetamine, two small baggies of suspected crack cocaine, as well as various drug paraphernalia including a crack pipe and a scale.
As a result of the findings, Officer Weaver charged Mierskey with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Mooney was charged with driving without a license.