Eldersburg Resident Charged With 'Bath Salts' Possession in NJ

A local man and a New York man were arrested and charged with possession of cocaine, opium, a form of "bath salts" as a drug and several pills, including Adderall, after an April 4 traffic stop that found the driver to be driving under the influence, said Lt. Ryan Melsky of the Clinton, NJ, Police Department in a statement Wednesday.

Patrolman Joseph SanGiovanni stopped Jordan Weaver, 20, of Eldersburg, at about 11:30 p.m. for not staying in his lane while on I-78/Route 22 West and found that Weaver was unable to produce a driver's license and was not the registered owner of the 2008 Ford Explorer, according to the statement.

The patrolman reported that he suspected Weaver was under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance, police said.

Weaver and his passenger Justin Muller, 20, of Little Neck, NY, consented to a search of the car, which is how police said they found 17 grams of cocaine, 21 grams of opium, bath salts, a Sabaxone pill, an Adderall pill and an unknown pill.

Bath salts, known for their synthetic properties, have recently emerged as a household item that can be ingested or snorted for short-term "highs"—and longterm health risks, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

"Due to our location and due to the highways that run through Clinton Township, this sort of stop is—unfortunately—not uncommon for our area," Lt. Melsky said.

Weaver and Muller each face three possession and drunk driving charges. The charges are possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, and being under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance. Weaver faces five additional motor vehicle charges.

Both men have been released and will be prosecuted at the Hunterdon County Superior Court in Flemington, NJ, Lt. Melsky said.