Peru – Last night, a traffic stop by Indiana State Trooper Luke Bowyer led to the arrests of Sojerta Ath, 23, Veasana Ath, 18, and Matthew Woods, 24, all from Winder, GA. They were incarcerated in the Miami County Jail. Sojerta Ath faces felony charges for possession of cocaine, possession of LSD, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of a scheduled I narcotic. He also faces a misdemeanor count for possession of drug paraphernalia. Woods was arrested on a felony charge for possession of marijuana and a misdemeanor count for possession of drug paraphernalia. Veasana Ath faces two misdemeanor counts for possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana less than 30 grams.
Yesterday at approximately 8:00 p.m., Indiana State Trooper Luke Bowyer initiated a traffic stop on a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt which was traveling southbound on U.S. 31 near Division Road, in Miami County. Bowyer observed the Cobalt, driven by Woods, allegedly following another vehicle too closely.
During the course of the traffic stop, Bowyer noticed indicators that criminal activity might be afoot and requested a narcotics detecting police dog. Trooper Daniel Prus and his narcotics detecting police dog, Zeke, arrived to assist.
Prus deployed Zeke to conduct a free air sniff around the Cobalt. Zeke gave a positive alert to the odor of illegal narcotics inside the vehicle. During a subsequent search of the car and its occupants, officers allegedly found methamphetamine, marijuana, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), cocaine, approximately 200 hits of LSD, and drug paraphernalia.
Citizens are encouraged to call their local law enforcement agencies with any information about the possession, distribution, or manufacturing of illegal narcotics. Information can also be reported anonymously by calling the Indiana State Police Methamphetamine Tip Line at 1-800-453-4756.
Trooper Bowyer was also assisted by officers from the Miami County Sheriff’s and the Peru Police Department.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law
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