Child Was in Car With Marijuana Smoke and Other Drugs: Police

A child was found in a car filled with marijuana smoke, as well as crack cocaine, 15 bags of heroin, PCP and additional drugs, according to Watertown, Connecticut, police.

Police said they were conducting surveillance on Eustis Street around 10 p.m. on Wednesday after receiving drug complaints and police found Jerimiah Palmer, 38, and Joseph Aitchison, 36, in the front yard. They were believed to be living out of a vehicle on the property and involved in the activity, police said.

Police said Michael Mendez, 28, of Waterbury, was behind the wheel of a blue Honda Accord and refused to obey officers’ commands, so they removed him from the vehicle.

Mendez’s young child, who is between 5 and 10 years old, was in the front seat with him and the odor of marijuana was emitting from the vehicle, police said.

When police searched the car, they found around five grams of gold-ball size crack cocaine, 15 bags of heroin, a small bag of suspected PCP, a marijuana cigarette, synthetic marijuana and a Suboxone sublingual strip – an opioid -- within reach of the child.

Mendez was charged with two counts of sale of illegal drugs, two counts of possession of narcotics, possession of PCP, possession and sale of drugs in a school zone, interfering with an officer and risk of injury.

Bond for Mendez was set at $75,000 and he is due court today.

Police notified the state Department of Children and Families and the mother, who was not involved, took custody of the child.

Police said Palmer had a glass pipe or stem and was charged with the possession of drug paraphernalia. He was later released on $500.00 non-surety bond.

Police said Aitchison had failed to appear on a warrant issued out of the Waterbury Police Department. He was arrested and was issued a court set $2,500 bond.
 

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