Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT —
Stonewood residents Chadley Russell Claypool, 26, and his fiance Kathern A. Counts, 20, were arrested in Marion County after a West Virginia State Police officer pulled the vehicle over because of excessive speed.
According to criminal complaints, on Wednesday afternoon, Cpl. Mike Boyle of the West Virginia State Police clocked Claypool and Counts driving 82 mph on Interstate 79 southbound near mile marker 130, a 70-mph zone, in a Ford Crown Victoria. After pulling the two over, Boyle asked to see Claypool’s license. Counts allegedly told Boyle that Claypool did not have a license.
After a license check, Boyle confirmed that Claypool’s license had been suspended due to an unpaid citation, the complaint says.
After arresting Claypool for driving without a license, Boyle spoke with Counts, who reportedly told him that she was having a panic attack. After Counts exited the vehicle, Boyle noticed drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.
“Heroin is usually packaged in little paper containers, folded paper that is about stamp size,” Boyle said. “They had about 2,000 packets.”
Boyle said that’s worth about $30,000 on the street.
After questioning, Counts reportedly admitted that the packages contained heroin, but denied knowing who it belonged to or how it ended up in the vehicle.
According to the complaints, Claypool and Counts are being charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent of distribution. If convicted, a charge carries between one and 15 years in prison, a $25,000 fine, or both.
Magistrate Hank Middlemas set bond for Claypool and Clayton at $250,000 each.
