Sheriff: Traffic stop leads to prescription pill arrest

A 48-year-old Morgan City woman was caught Tuesday with Lortab pills she didn’t have a prescription for after a traffic stop in Berwick, St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert said in a news release.
—Kathy Pierce, 48, of the 7100 block of Park Road in Morgan City, was arrested at 7:49 p.m. Tuesday on the charges of no turn signal, possession of Schedule II Lortab, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a juvenile and violation of a drug free zone (church).
Narcotics detectives patrolling the Berwick area observed a vehicle fail to signal a turn onto Sixth Street and conducted a traffic stop.
Detectives made contact with the driver, identified as Pierce, and a child who was also inside the vehicle. During the traffic stop, detectives received consent to search and located seven Lortab pills in Pierce’s purse. Pierce did not have a prescription for the drugs, the sheriff said. The investigation took place near a church. No bail is set.
Hebert reported responding to 32 complaints in the parish and reported the following arrests in east St. Mary Parish:
—Rebecca Matherly, 32, of the 7400 block of La. 182 in Morgan City, at 4:56 a.m. Tuesday on the charges of improper driving on a roadway laned for traffic, no driver’s license, switched license plate, possession of synthetic cannabinoids and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A deputy traveling on La. 182 in Morgan City observed a vehicle moving across the centerline multiple times and conducted a traffic stop. The driver, identified as Matherly, was unable to produce a valid license stating that her driver’s license had been suspended.
The deputy also determined that the license plate displayed was not registered to Matherly’s vehicle. As the investigation continued, the deputy received consent to search the vehicle and located four packs of synthetic drugs inside along with a pack of cigars. Matherly admitted to the deputy that she used the cigar wrappings to smoke the synthetic substance, the sheriff said. Matherly was jailed with bail set at $4,250.
—Agnes L. Johnson, 73, of the 2600 block of Johnson Drive in Berwick, at 12:19 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant charging her with issuing worthless checks. Johnson came to the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office in Morgan City in reference to the warrant. She was released on a summons to appear in court Nov. 17.
—Kevin Mitchell, 46, of the 10600 block of La. 182 in Amelia, at 4:42 a.m. today on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of direct contempt, failure to signal lane change, operating a vehicle without a driver’s license on person, displaying/possession of an invalid registration certificate or registration number plate, and failure to honor written promise to appear. A deputy made contact with Mitchell at his residence and learned of the active warrant for his arrest. Bail is set at $349.50.
Morgan City Police Chief James Blair reported the following arrests:
—Telieigia M. Busby, 49, of Fifth Street in Morgan City, at 1:57 p.m. Tuesday on the charges of appearing in public intoxicated and remaining after being forbidden.
Officers were dispatched to a local business on La. 70 in regards to someone refusing to leave the premises. When officers arrived, they were told that Busby had been disturbing others in the business and had been asked to leave several times.
Officers made contact with Busby and could smell an odor of alcoholic beverage emitting from her breath. Busby was placed under arrest and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and incarceration.
—Rashid J. Hamilton, 19, of Jeanerette, at 2:34 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant charging him with remaining after being forbidden.
Hamilton turned himself in to the Morgan City Police Department for an outstanding warrant for the Sixth Ward City Court. Hamilton was booked and later released on bail.
—Ameedah T. Charles, 30, of 11th Street in Morgan City, at 3:51 p.m. Tuesday on the charge of contempt of court.
Charles was placed under arrest in the City Court of Morgan City for disrupting court proceedings. She was booked and later released on bail.
—Cathy C. Johnson, 63, of Franklin, at 9:20 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant charging her with issuing worthless checks. Johnson was transported from the Law Enforcement Center in Centerville to the Morgan City Police Department for an active warrant she held for the Morgan City Police Department.
—Billy W. Smith, 53, of Clark Road in Bayou Vista, at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant charging him with failure to appear. Smith was transported from the Patterson Police Department to the Morgan City Police Department for an active warrant he held for the Sixth Ward City Court.
—Glendy Hernandez, 35, of Miami, Florida, at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant for two counts of failure to appear, failure to signal for turn and no driver’s license.
A patrol officer in the area of First and St. Clair streets observed a vehicle fail to use a turn signal and conducted a traffic stop. The driver, Hernandez, was determined that to not have a driver’s license and held active warrants for the Sixth Ward City Court. Hernandez was jailed.
Patterson Police Chief Patrick LaSalle reported no arrests.
Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported no arrests.

This story was written by Zachary Fitzgerald of The Daily Review staff. Reach him at zfitzgerald@daily-review.com.