Published: September 10, 2008 01:49 am      

Palestine couple jailed for drugs, warrants

PALESTINE — A Palestine couple was arrested on drug charges Sunday afternoon during the course of a routine traffic stop which resulted in the discovery of a small amount of methamphetamine.

Matthew Louis Denning, 29, and Gretchen Ann Denning, 24, both of Palestine, were arrested around 2 p.m. Sunday during a traffic stop on CR 2202 near the intersection of CR 425, according to Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor.

Matthew Denning was charged with possession of a controlled substance less than 1 gram after a small amount of methamphetamine was discovered in a baggy located in the suspect’s wallet, according to the sheriff.

Matthew Denning also had a bond forfeiture out of Leon County on the charge of possession of a controlled substance, in addition to outstanding warrants out of Freestone County for manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance and driving while license suspended, according to Taylor.

Gretchen Denning, meanwhile, was arrested on an outstanding warrant on a charge of possession of dangerous drugs out of Leon County, according to the sheriff. She was turned over to Leon County authorities Tuesday in relation to that charge, Taylor added.

As of Tuesday morning, Matthew Denning remained in the Anderson County Jail in lieu of bonds totaling $111,500, according to the sheriff.

Around 2 p.m. Sunday, Taylor said sheriff’s deputy John Wright was on routine patrol when he observed a “green 1995 GMC pickup pulling a trailer” on CR 2202, also known as Salt Works Road.

“It just caught his eye because it was loaded down with trash,” the sheriff stated. “We have a lot of people who like to dump (trash) on county roads.”

Wright then began following the truck, the sheriff continued.

“I guess they saw him and they turned around at the intersection of (CR) 425 and (CR) 2202,” Taylor said, “and he (Wright) noticed the trailer didn’t have a license plate so he initiated a traffic stop.”

During the stop, Matthew Denning, who was the driver, failed to provide proof of liability insurance and also did not produce a driver’s license, according to the sheriff.

A check on the two subjects revealed that both had outstanding warrants, according to Taylor.

“After placing him under arrest, he (Wright) did a search of the individual and found inside his wallet a small plastic baggy containing a white crystal substance which field-tested positive for methamphetamine,” the sheriff stated.

Both subjects were then transported to the Anderson County Jail, he added.

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Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com