Cocaine found on I-75 near Williamsburg

For the second time in two days, police discovered cocaine during traffic stops along I-75 near Williamsburg.

On June 1, Williamsburg Police K-9 Officer Brandon Prewitt charged Berreto Josue Negron, 24, and Yazmin C. Perez, 26, both of Lexington, with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The incident began after Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer Landry Collett stopped to assist what appeared to be a motorist broken down at the six-mile marker on I-75.

"Upon Officer Collett arriving, the driver quickly exited the vehicle in a very nervous manner having a strong smell of alcoholic beverage about his person," Williamsburg Police Public Affairs Officer Shawn Jackson said in a press release.

Collett quickly called for assistance from Prewitt and Kentucky State Police K-9 Officer Jason McCowan.

"Through the investigation, it was determined that the two suspects were on their way back to Lexington from an unknown location," Jackson wrote.

After getting permission to search the vehicle, police recovered a baggie of green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, and another baggie of a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine, Jackson wrote in the release.

The half an ounce of cocaine has an estimated street value of $3,000.

Both were lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.

Prewitt is continuing the investigation, and will present the case to the Whitley County Grand Jury, Jackson wrote.

On Memorial Day, state police and vehicle enforcement also discovered suspected cocaine during a traffic stop along I-75.

KSP Trooper Les Moses charged Kevin C. Roeder, 47, of Lima, Ohio, with third-degree assault, reckless driving, disregarding a traffic control device, failure to yield right of way, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol/drugs, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, tampering with physical evidence, and use/possession of drug paraphernalia.

The incident stems from a traffic stop about 1:55 a.m. on May 31 on the northbound on ramp at Exit 11 in Williamsburg.

Roeder allegedly ran a stop light at the intersection of Highway 92 and I-75, stopped in the middle of an intersection while traffic was approaching, then pulled in front of them and stopped on the on ramp, Moses wrote on the arrest citation.

Roeder allegedly admitted to snorting cocaine and smoking marijuana prior to being stopped, Moses wrote.

While outside the vehicle, Collett was questioning Roeder about a folded paper with white residue believed to be cocaine, and Roeder struck Collett and knocked most of the cocaine off his hands, according to the arrest citation.

Police found two baggies of marijuana in the driver’s door along with a marijuana pipe, and a short straw with white residue in the center console, Moses wrote.

Roeder was lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.