Woman pulled over for talking on cell phone jailed for felony weapon, drug charges

A Washoe Valley woman faces felony drug and weapons charges after being stopped by Carson City patrol officers Wednesday for driving while talking on a cell phone and not wearing a seat belt.

Tina Marie Scott, 46, was arrested at Industrial Park and Hawaii Circle 5:17 p.m. after patrol officers observed the violations and then, doing a subsequent check, found drugs, money and a handgun.

According to the Carson City Sheriff's Office arrest report, the arresting deputy asked Scott, after he had pulled her over, for consent to search her vehicle. During the search, as the officer moved toward the glove compartment, the woman yelled at him saying she had a gun in the glove compartment, the arrest report states.

The officer found a .22 revolver handgun. He also searched the woman's purse, which was located on the passenger seat. The officer found a black cell phone, which was later seized as evidence, and a Wells Fargo bank bag, the report states. Inside the bank bag, officers found the following items:

— A black hide-a-key with a compartment inside
— Two baggies of methamphetamine that weighed 4 grams (inside the hide-a-key)
— Aluminum foil (inside the hide-a-key)
— A cut "tooter" straw, commonly used to inhale drug fumes (inside the hide-a-key)
— $1,378 cash in assorted denominations, inside the Wells Fargo bag, next to the hide-a-key with the drugs.

The woman was arrested and taken to jail. The cash was seized, as was the woman's vehicle, a 1991 Mazda 4-door sedan, and her firearm as it was associated with drug trafficking, the arrest report states.

A records check revealed the woman was convicted of domestic battery with a deadly weapon in August 2007 in Washoe County. She faces felony charges of possessing a firearm as an ex-felon, possession of a controlled substance and drug trafficking level 1 (4 to 14 grams) and three misdemeanor charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, using a cell phone while driving and not wearing a seatbelt. Bail: $43,811.

In other non-felony related arrests:

— A 64-year-old Reno woman turned herself into Carson City Jail for a December 2012 warrant and a charge of having unauthorized communication with a prisoner. Bail: $500.

— A 35-year-old Gardnerville man faces three misdemeanor charges, including driving under the influence, after he was arrested early Thursday morning in the 2100 block of East William Street.

According to the arrest report, a patrol officer at 1:48 a.m. tracked a white SUV following too close behind a minivan westbound on Highway 50. The officer pulled the SUV over, approached the vehicle and smelled marijuana coming from inside. The officer asked the driver to step out of the vehicle and talk. As the officer spoke with the man, he smelled an odor of alcohol coming from his breath. The officer asked the man to open his mouth and show him his tongue, which the man did and it had a green tint to it, consistent with someone who had recently smoked marijuana, the arrest report states.

The man took four field sobriety tests and showed impairment on all four. He was arrested and a blood test taken. The Kentucky driver's license the man gave to the arresting officer had been suspended since June 2012. Bail: $1,471.

— A 19-year-old Dayton man was arrested Wednesday and faces a contempt of court charge for failure to provide proof of petit larceny diversion class completion. A warrant was issued Dec. 17, 2012. Bail: $500.

— A 42-year-old Carson City man was arrested Wednesday and faces a contempt of court charge after a warrant for his arrest was issued for failure to pay fines and or restitution as ordered by the court. Bail: $751.

Those facing charges are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.