Poughkeepsie Man Finds Out the Hard Way That Pot is Illegal in PA
Just because marijuana is decriminalized in the Hudson Valley doesn't mean your New York license plate will protect you from getting nailed in Pennsylvania.
This week, Pennsylvania lawmakers unveiled a bipartisan bill to allow the use of recreational marijuana. While the state seems to be moving towards legalization, it's not there yet. Sadly, one Hudson Valley resident found that out the hard way.
According to the Times Leader, Ethan Dieter Montenegro from Poughkeepsie was arrested by park rangers on Saturday after they determined he was in possession of marijuana. The 20-year-old man was driving through Frances Slocum State Park in Luzerne County when park rangers say they noticed the smell of marijuana coming from his vehicle.
Officers approached Montenegro's 2008 Honda Element,and found it was also occupied by a 21-year-old woman and a one-year-old child. After exiting his vehicle, rangers say the man refused to show identification before jumping back into the car and speeding away.
Montenegro drove for a half mile before being stopped by officers. Authorities say the man refused to leave the car and "yelled" at officers before driving off again. This time, the man was stopped by local police, who had blocked the road.
The police report indicated that marijuana was discovered while the passenger was removing the child from the car. No charges have been made against the woman, but Montenegro is facing charges of "fleeing or attempting to elude police, possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia." The report says that as of October 12 Montenegro was being held at Luzerne County Correctional Facility for not being able to pay bail of $5,000.
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