Two De Soto men, one 21 and the other 22, were arrested after a large amount of marijuana allegedly was found in their vehicle. The alleged drug bust happened about 3:15 a.m. Dec. 26 on I-44 in Eureka after the suspects reportedly got into a confrontation with a St. Ann couple, according to Eureka Police.
A Eureka officer spotted a Dodge Dart and a 2014 Nissan Altima pulled over on westbound I-44 with people standing outside the cars. They appeared to be arguing, the report said.
When the officer pulled up to the scene, he found a 21-year-old St. Ann woman in the driver’s seat of the Dodge, and a 24-year-old St. Ann man standing next to the Dodge. The woman told the officer the driver of the Nissan was driving carelessly and kept swerving near her car, according to the report.
The woman said she tried to slow down to let the Nissan pass, but the car kept slowing down with her. She finally pulled over to the side of the road, and the Nissan pulled in front of her, the report said.
Four people got out of the Nissan, including the two De Soto men, who approached the Dodge and allegedly started cursing at the St. Ann couple. The 24-year-old St. Ann man, who said he was an off-duty St. Ann Police officer, got out of the Dodge, drew his weapon and ordered the men to return to their car. The St. Ann man told police he drew his weapon because he feared the approaching men were drunk and possibly armed, according to the report.
When the Eureka officer talked to the occupants of the Nissan, which also included a 21-year-old Farmington man and a 21-year-old woman (whose residence wasn’t listed in the report), they claimed the Dodge was trying to race them, the report said.
The officer detected an odor of marijuana, and when he looked in the Nissan, he allegedly saw a glass smoking pipe on the floorboard and a bag containing what appeared to be a large amount of marijuana in the center console, according to the report.
The De Soto men were arrested and taken to the Police Station, where they were booked and then released pending application for warrants. Eureka Police will seek charges for disturbing the peace and possession of a controlled substance against the De Soto men through Eureka Municipal Court, Capt. David Wilson said.
The other two occupants of the Nissan, who did not approach the Dodge on the highway, and the man and woman from St. Ann were not arrested, Wilson said.