Joyriding with Friends Leads to Possession Charges

Joyriding with friends turned into a drug bust for a Sturtevant teenager on Tuesday.

Daniel Nelson, 18, was charged Tuesday in Racine County Circuit Court with one count of felony bail jumping, repeater and one misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana, repeater. If convicted, he faces up to 6-1/2 years in jail and /or up to $11,000 in fines. Because he is considered a repeat offender, Nelson could get additional time in jail.

According to the criminal complaint, Nelson was the passenger in a car pulled over Tuesday at the intersection of 6th and Jones Streets in the City of Racine because the license plate was not connected with a vehicle.

When officers approached, they noticed the window on the passenger side of the car was rolled half-way down. Reports indicate police could smell marijuana so they asked the four individuals in the car to exit and patted them down for weapons.

In Nelson's front pocket, officers say they found a baggie of marijuana and a small gram scale in his jacket pocket. A search of the vehicle also turned up four additional baggies with the corners cut off, which, police say, is how illicit drugs are packaged for sale.

Nelson was free on a bond modification stemming from a June 2011 incident with a specific condition that he not "consume or possess any alcohol or controlled substances and that he not commit any new crimes."

He will next be in court on Nov. 28 for a preliminary hearing. Nelson remains in the Racine County Jail on a $1,000 cash bond.