City man arrested after traffic stop
Passenger facing drug charges after driver pulled over on Christmas Eve
From Mirror staff reports
A city man is behind bars on drug charges after a traffic stop on Christmas Eve.
William Clair Caldwell, 53, was a passenger in a black Toyota Rav4 whose driver was pulled over about 9:43 p.m. by Logan Township police because the vehicle’s tail lights were not on. Police noticed the vehicle while conducting a stationary road patrol on 17th Street, just north of McMahon Road, Altoona.
The driver admitted to police that her license was suspended, according to court documents. When the passenger was asked for his identification, he stated his name was “Benjamin” and said he had a valid license.
As police were processing the information, Blair 911 asked officers to contact dispatch, where a call was received from a male who said he was the real “Benjamin.” Police spoke with the caller who said his father heard the call over the scanner and asked why he was getting pulled over in Altoona. The caller said he suspected Caldwell was the passenger in the truck, as Caldwell had used the caller’s name and address previously.
When police ran William Caldwell’s name through their system, it came back with possible warrants. Caldwell was taken into custody at that time, police reported.
The vehicle’s owner then showed up at the traffic stop and allowed police to search the vehicle. The driver also agreed to a search of her purse, the affidavit states.
In the driver’s door jamb, police found a metal straw with suspected marijuana residue. Nine white stamp bags of suspected heroin were found in the glove box and an empty blue plastic bag with residue was found under the passenger side seat cover.
In the backseat behind the passenger, police found a zipper pouch containing 86 methylphenidate pills, 71 methylphenidate pills and 12 Concerta pills. In total, police reportedly found 169 pills in the fabric pouch, the report states. In addition, the pouch contained a piece of paper with the milligram listed for each pill. A glasses case in the same compartment contained needles and miscellaneous paraphernalia.
The vehicle owner said the glasses case and pouch were not hers, police reported.
Caldwell said a backpack found in the front passenger seat was not his, the report states. Inside the backpack, police found two additional pills, glass smoking pipes and other paraphernalia.
Caldwell was arraigned Christmas Eve before Magisterial District Judge Matthew Dunio on two felony charges of possession with intent to deliver, seven misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia and a misdemeanor charge of providing false identification to law enforcement.
Unable to post $100,000 bail, he was remanded to the Blair County Prison. His preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 2 before Dunio.