Smoking While Driving & Passed Out Driver Led to Arrests

Buffalo, NY – Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard reports Deputies arrested two individuals over the weekend and charged them with DWI-Drug counts.

March 11, 2:23 P.M., Town of Boston – Deputy Grabar observed a driver operating a vehicle while using both hands to light a pipe and subsequently performed a traffic stop on Boston State Road.  As the Deputy approached the vehicle, he could detect a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.  During the interview, the operator, Ethan Stetler, 25, of Springville turned over a glass pipe and a bag of marijuana.  Following a drug recognition expert evaluation at a substation, Stetler was arrested and charged with DWI-Drug.  The defendant is also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, operating a vehicle without hands on the steering wheel, and an equipment violation.

Stetler was released to a sober third party.

March 12, P.M., Village of Springville – Deputy Coniglio responded to complaints of a driver passing out while behind the wheel of his vehicle on South Cascade Drive then the driver was seen traveling eastbound on West Main Street.  Deputy Coniglio located the vehicle and observed it cross over the double yellow line then over the fog line which prompted a traffic stop.  An investigation discovered the operator’s license was suspended and he was showing signs of impairment.

Levi Keller, 24, of Cuba NY failed field sobriety tests and was transported to a substation for further evaluation.  During a search of the vehicle and subject, a bag of heroin, numerous hypodermic needles, and various drug paraphernalia were discovered.  At the substation, a Sheriff’s office drug recognition Deputy concluded Keller was impaired by controlled substance and was arrested and charged with one count of DWI-Drugs, aggravated unlicensed operation, criminal possession of a controlled substance, possession a hypodermic instrument, criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, and multiple vehicle and traffic violations.

Keller is housed at the Erie County Holding Center pending his arraignment.