By T. Scott Boatright
What first appeared would be a routine traffic stop soon turned into a drug arrest early Thursday morning on South Vienna Street.
A Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy reported a gray Chevy Trailblazer traveling in front of him leaving the right lane, crossing over the center dotted line and then returning to the right lane.
The deputy reported he then initiated his overhead lights to conduct a traffic stop at the intersection of S. Vienna Street N. Texas Avenue.
After making contact with the driver, identified as Donald Sims, Jr., 24, of 918 Devereaux St. in Minden, and a female passenger, the deputy reported asking Sims to step out of the vehicle after he observed a rifle in open view on the back seat. The deputy then said he was told that a handgun was also present in the vehicle.
The deputy said both firearms were then removed from the reach of the occupants before he returned to the vehicle and requested Sims’ driver’s license and vehicle documentation, along with the female passenger’s identification.
Sims reportedly provided the requested documents but the passenger told deputies she didn’t have any identification.
After requesting the female’s full name and date of birth the deputy reported learning the passenger was 13 years old.
The deputy then reportedly read Sims his Miranda rights with Sims indicating he understood them.
When asked about his relation to the passenger, Sims was reported to have “stuttered multiple times before stating he was an Uber and was picking her up per an Uber request.
The deputy said he then asked Sims to provide him with the Uber verification and transactions but that Sims was unable to do so.
Sims was then reportedly asked if there were any other firearms or illegal narcotics in the vehicle with Sims allegedly looking around and then to the ground before staying no.
The arrest report said Sims granted deputies consent to search the vehicle and they found a small plastic baggie containing multiple colored tablets, suspected to be Ecstasy, near the gear shift stick.
Sims was then handcuffed and the female was released to a guardian who had arrived on the scene.
The firearms and narcotics were reported logged into evidence at the LPSO.
Sims remained jailed at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center Thursday facing charges of improper lane usage, illegal possession of a Schedule I narcotic (Ecstasy), illegal carrying of a firearm in presence of a CDS, and illegal possession of CDS in the presence of a juvenile.
His bond was set at $12,500.
