By Kevin Carroll kcarroll@timesleader.com
WILKES-BARRE — A Scranton man was arraigned on Wednesday on charges that he was in possession of marijuana and cocaine at a traffic stop.
Walter Pruitt II, 31, was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver after police pulled him and a female driver over on Kidder Street.
Police observed the driver of the car, a Ford Fusion, making a lane switch without properly signalling. Officers were aware of the driver and knew that she had a suspended license, which led to them pulling the vehicle over.
Pruitt, in the passenger seat, was visibly nervous and shaking, according to the police report. Pruitt and the driver made contradicting statements to police, with Pruitt saying that the two had been coming from Hazleton while his companion said they had been in New York.
Police detected an odor from marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. He indicated that he had a medical marijuana card, but that he smoked the marijuana, which is in violation of medical marijuana laws.
A K-9 officer was brought to the scene, and a bag of suspected cocaine was found underneath the hood of the car. The bag weighted approximately 513 grams.
Pruitt was arraigned in front of Judge Joseph A. Halesey and was unable to post bail of $100,000.
