One man arrested after traffic stop near Western Greenbrier Middle School

CRAWLEY W.Va. (WVDN) – A Greenbrier County officer was on patrol on Route 60 in Crawley on June 27. He reportedly noticed a blue truck two vehicles ahead of him crossing the yellow line. It then proceeded to drive 30 mph in a 55 mph zone for several yards, then crossed the yellow line again, according to the criminal complaint. The officer then turned on his blue lights and initiated a traffic stop. The vehicle continued traveling for a bit and came to a stop in front of Western Greenbrier Middle School.

The officer reportedly exited his cruiser, approached the driver, asked for her license and explained the reason for the stop. The driver, identified as Amanda Burdette, explained she was driving a friend’s car and after searching, produced the insurance and registration. After the officer asked again for her license, Burdette reportedly explained she didn’t have a driver’s license. The officer noticed crumpled-up aluminum foil in the vehicle and asked what it was. Allegedly, Burdette explained her passenger, later identified as Brandon Smith, stopped to get food at Go-Mart and that the foil was from that. As Burdette was telling this, the criminal complaint states that she picked up the foil and dropped it in the cup holder. The officer could see burn marks on the foil. The officer then asked Burdette to step out of the vehicle and another piece of burned foil and a short piece of straw fell out from underneath her leg. The officer requested Burdette go stand at the back of his cruiser.

The officer then asked the passenger, eventually identified as Brandon Smith, 31, of Meadow Bridge, if he had a license or ID, which he allegedly didn’t. The officer then asked for the passenger to step to the back of the cruiser with Burdette. According to the criminal complaint, he observed the passenger placing items from his pockets into the floorboard of the car. The officer did a pat down of his person, during which he allegedly felt a pouch and lanyard around his neck and under the shirt. In the see-through pouch, syringes and plastic bags were visible. The officer removed the pouch and reportedly found a white powder inside the plastic bag. He then walked to the passenger side of the vehicle and found baggies. A baggie contained a crystal-like substance the officer believed to be methamphetamine. Reportedly, another baggie contained a white powder, and still another contained a green powder. A pack in the vehicle allegedly belonging to Smith contained digital scales, plastic baggies, and a crystal-like substance. Both of these substances were consistent with either heroine or a heroine/fentanyl mix according to the officer. He then asked Burdette what she had taken to which she reportedly replied “I licked the foil.”

According to the criminal complaint, Smith was “placed under arrest and taken to the Lewisburg Sheriff’s Department” where he reportedly refused to give a statement. Smith allegedly said the powders discovered by the officer were going to be a heroine/fentanyl mix and one was a sugar/fentanyl mix. The officer asked what he had given to Burdette and Smith reportedly pointed to the heroine/fentanyl combo.

Another officer had arrived to take Burdette to the ER for a blood draw and then to the Lewisburg office. During Burdette’s interview, she said she had gotten the substances she had taken from Smith that same evening. She also stated she knew about Smith selling drugs. She also reportedly stated Smith doesn’t have a job so she doesn’t know how he affords the drugs.

Brandon Smith is charged With three counts of intent to deliver, o ne count for methamphetamine a Schedule 2 controlled substance, o ne count for heroin a Schedule 1 controlled substance, and o ne count for fentanyl a Schedule 2 controlled substance.

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