Contributed Photo/Courtesy SPD: Two women were arrested for possession of a dangerous drug (methamphetamine) after being pulled over for speeding.
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – An old, wise Tucson criminal defense attorney once advised her clients to never commit two crimes at the same time, such as traveling above the posted speed limit while carrying illicit substances. It looks like a woman who was bringing a fellow drug-using friend from Tucson for a visit never got that memo.
Karen Sue Donahue, 51, of Clifton, was arrested May 2 after an officer located a syringe containing methamphetamine in her vehicle. Donahue was pulled over for traveling 45 mph in a 35-mph zone of Solomon Road. A quick check also informed the officer that Donahue’s driver’s license was suspended and the vehicle’s license plates were also suspended for not having any mandatory insurance.
Donahue’s passenger, Candy Lynn De’Jolie, 56, of Tucson, was also arrested.
After learning of the license suspensions, the officer informed Donahue that he was going to impound the car and perform an inventory search. After saying that, when De’Jolie got out of the car she took a green backpack with her that had been at her feet.
De’Jolie allegedly admitted that there was a syringe with meth inside the backpack and retrieved it for the officer. While doing so, she began to expel the liquid and another officer had to grab the syringe before all the liquid was forced out from it.
A subsequent search of the car turned up a black handbag that had a smaller bag inside that held an apparent meth pipe with drug residue, another loaded syringe, and a small baggie with apparent meth residue. Donahue later allegedly admitted the bag and its contents belonged to her.
A couple of digital scales with apparent meth residue were also found inside a brown purse that was on top of the vehicle’s center console.
During interrogation at the Safford Police Department, Donahue and De’Jolie allegedly admitted to using meth for many years (Donahue’s record shows an arrest for meth as far back as 2003) and that they both were intravenous drug users. The officer then took photographs of the women’s arms, which showed numerous track marks.
The women were then released with from custody with pending charges including possession of a dangerous drug (meth), and possession of drug paraphernalia for both suspects, along with an additional charge of driving on a suspended license for Donahue.
While the suspects may have been released, the vehicle was impounded for 30 days.
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