Crime & Safety

Traffic Stop Turns Into Drug Bust in Richland Township

The case againt Terry B. Ely Jr. is forwarded to Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

A traffic stop for a loud muffler turned into a drug bust recently in Richland Township and the arrest of a man wanted on an active warrant.

Terry B. Ely Jr., 23, of Westmoreland City, PA—one of three persons in the car—is charged with possessing 51 stamp bags of heroin with the intent to deliver, as well as possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia.

He was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Wednesday, but did not show up.

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Magisterial District Judge Suzanne Blaschak forwarded the case to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. His formal arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 30.

Ely was in the back seat of a red 1989 Chevrolet Corsica traveling on Route 8 around 9 p.m. on July 12 when police pulled the car over into the parking lot because of a loud muffler, according to the criminal complaint.

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 Officer Jeffrey Jones first spoke to the driver, Christopher D. Chritzman, 39, of Portersville, who told the officer that he had a suspended license for a DUI-related offense and that the muffler needed to be replaced because of a hole, the complaint states.

The front-seat passenger, 32-year-old Robert M. Woodruff, of New Kensington, had an active warrant for his arrest from Harrison Township, court documents show. He is charged with five felonies for theft, receiving stolen property, burglary, criminal trespass and conspiracy, as well as misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief and institutional vandalism, according to court documents.

When Jones approached the Chevrolet's passenger side to arrest Woodruff, he "observed in plain view a white stamp bag of suspected heroin, along with several open / used stamp bags, and three needles on the floor at Ely's feet," the criminal complaint states.

The officer also saw a blue metal Eclipse breath mint case; it had 50 white stamp bags of suspected heroin, grouped into five bundles of 10 bags, according to the complaint.

Chritzman was cited for driving under suspension, along with the equipment violation, the court document states. He also was issued a disorderly conduct citation for a used syringe that he told the officer was in his jeans pocket, the complaint states.

An inventory of the Chevrolet showed 7 open/used stamp bags under the rear portion of the passenger seat, 3 used syringes on the right rear passenger floor, one white stamp bag with suspected heroin, and the Eclipse case with 50 stamp bags, according to the criminal complaint.

Ely's cell phone was also seized, police said.

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