Richard Rhodes, 45, of Mechanicsville and Thomas Lewis, 46, of Crofton
On Sunday, September 3, 2017 at approximately 5:00 p.m., Deputy Durner of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Solomon’s Island Road in the Area of HG Trueman Road after observing a vehicle swerving between lanes and force a passing car onto the shoulder.
The passenger was identified as Richard Rhodes, 45, of Mechanicsville. Rhodes would not look Deputy Durner, and seemed to be confused.
Deputy Durner identified the driver as Thomas Lewis, 46, of Crofton. Deputy Durner asked him why he was driving so erratically. Neither Rhodes or Lewis would answer any questions, and they were having a hard time talking in complete sentences. Deputy Durner asked Lewis if he had been drinking and he stated “no.” Deputies then asked if he was on any kind of controlled dangerous substance or medication, and Lewis did not answer them.
Deputies then asked Lewis to step out of the vehicle, which he complied. Lewis agreed to take the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. Lewis had a hard time keeping his balance while walking. Lewis had a hard time hearing Deputies, and in many occasions, they had to repeat or even shout at him to be heard. Lewis could not complete the test due to the fact that he could not follow the directions. The third test Lewis attempted was the one leg stand. As Deputies began to explain the test to Lewis, he told me them was not going to do the test. Lewis was then taken into custody and placed into a patrol vehicle.
Deputies then removed the passenger out of the car to search for evidence of Lewis’s impairment. Deputy Durner found directly in the center console cup holder a possible crack pipe. The device was a metal smoking device with copper shavings inside it. Deputies questioned Lewis and Rhodes, who both denied possession of the crack pipe. Rhodes was also taken into custody and placed in a serpate patrol vehicle.
Both Lewis and Rhodes were transported to the Calvert County Detention Center, and the Volkswagen was towed.
Deputy Durner then asked Lewis if he would like to submit to a test for controlled dangerous substances, and Lewis stated, “I don’t need to take a test I know what I am on, PCP”.
Rhodes was arrested and charged with:
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Lewis was arrested and charged with:
- Negligent Driving
- Reckless Driving
- Unsafe Lane Change
- Failure to Drive Right of Center
- Failure to Obey Traffic Control Device
- Driving while Impaired by Controlled Dangerous Substance
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Richard Rhodes, 45, of Mechanicsville
Thomas Lewis, 46, of Crofton
