by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Within a 15-hour window, Monteagle Police made drug arrests for heroin and methamphetamine, as well as a small quantity of marijuana. “We’ve been busy lately,” said Assistant Police Chief Jared Nunley, lead officer in both cases.

At 4 p.m. on the afternoon of July 29, Nunley pulled over a car with a busted windshield for “obstruction of view.” The driver said Police Chief Jack Hill had already written a ticket for the busted windshield. Nunley smelled marijuana.

“I got the driver out of the car. The driver failed the field sobriety for DUI and then the passenger told on the suspect,” Nunley said. “When you deal with drugs somebody’s always going to snitch when you separate them.”

Monteagle Police Officer Donnie Burnett joined Nunley.

A cigarette pack in the suspect’s possession contained marijuana and .54 grams of heroin. Based on the quantity of heroin and packaging, the suspect was charged with distribution, Nunley said. The suspect was also charged with possession of marijuana and DUI.

Around 7 a.m. the following morning, the police department received a call from a resident of the Raulston Avenue apartments who said she heard a young couple talking about selling drugs.

“I pulled up and there was a young woman sitting in a car,” Nunley said. A young man came out of the residence briefly. Nunley discovered the temporary tags on the car had been altered.

“That’s when I decided everybody’s detained,” Nunley said. “We’re going to find out what’s going on.”

Nunley called Grundy County Sheriff’s Deputy Leslie Turner for assistance.

The young man agreed to cooperate and turned over amounts of marijuana and methamphetamine, warranting charges of possession. The young woman is a minor. The couple did not live at the residence and were visiting a relative.

Nunley said lab tests showed none of the drugs confiscated in the two arrests contained the narcotic Fentanyl. Earlier in the summer, illegal drugs containing Fentanyl resulted in a death. Other users’ lives were saved when Monteagle Police administered Narcan.

Monteagle Police Chief Jack Hill also assisted with the July 29 and July 30 arrests.

“The Monteagle Police Department is doing an outstanding job of cleaning up the drugs in the town,” said Monteagle Vice Mayor Tony Gilliam.