Monday, June 30, 2014
Lawrenceburg Resident Charged With Texting While Driving
A Lawrenceburg man was issued charges late last week after a police officer noticed that he was texting while driving.
The incident occurred around 9:00 p.m. Friday in the 2000 block of North Locust Avenue. A Lawrenceburg Police officer reports that he was traveling north along the roadway when he noticed that the driver of the car beside him had his cell phone in front of him and appeared to be texting while operating his vehicle.
The officer stopped the driver and confronted him. He reportedly admitted that he had been texting and said that he had been caught doing so on a prior occasion, as well.
The officer reports that he noticed an odor of burnt marijuana emanating from within the vehicle. He said he asked the driver whether he had any contraband inside the car and that he told him he had a “one hitter and possibly a loaded handgun under the seat.” The officer found that the handgun was loaded with four rounds.
As a result of the incident driver Mason Tate Ballard, 22, of 1144 Bridge Waterway, Lawrenceburg was issued citations and allowed to leave the scene. He was charged with texting while driving, possession of drug paraphernalia, and illegal possession of a weapon.
Ballard is scheduled to answer the charges through Lawrence County General Sessions Court on September 4, 2014.
