Man apprehended with marijuana and meth after catching a ride with a speedy driver

Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: Troy Louis Partin, 29, was booked into the jail on a warrant and drug charges.

By Jon Johnson

jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com

SAFFORD – Troy Louis Partin, 29, was arrested and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility on Monday, April 22, on a warrant and charges of possession of a dangerous drug (methamphetamine), possession of marijuana, and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

The charges stem from a traffic stop along U.S. Highway 70 at about 5:30 p.m. when a vehicle Partin was a rear-seat passenger in was pulled over for traveling 44 mph in a 35-mph zone. 

Upon contact, an officer noticed a white plastic container with marijuana inside shoved in the map pocket in front of the rear passenger, Partin. As the officer asked Partin to retrieve the container, the driver yelled at Partin for hiding something in his car. 

A further search located a socket tool with burnt marijuana residue on Partin and a gram of meth wrapped in plastic that was inside the container with two baggies of marijuana.

The driver and front-seat passenger denied knowledge of the container with drugs and said they had just picked up Partin and the other rear-seat passenger at Circle K to give them a ride because they knew them from school. They also offered to provide urine samples to show they haven’t used meth. 

Conversely, Partin, who showed signs of methamphetamine intoxication, allegedly admitted to using meth pithing the last week or two, and the other rear-seat passenger also admitted to meth use in the last week. However, Partin denied the container with meth and marijuana was his.

At that time, officers learned Partin also had a warrant for his arrest from an underlying charge of tampering with a utility meter and was on probation. He was then arrested and booked into the jail on his warrant and above-listed charges. On Wednesday, April 29, a petition to revoke his probation was filed in Graham County Superior Court. 

The rest of the occupants of the vehicle were released at the scene.