Stopping a motorist for erratic driving on Interstate 180 in Montoursville ended with borough police capturing a fugitive, recovering of a stolen handgun and the seizing of three bags of heroin.
Patrolman Kurt Hockman stopped a car driven by Damian Matthew Walker, 23, of Mansfield, about 2:40 a.m. Saturday after seeing it being operated in an erratic manner.
Walker told the officer that the reason for the quick motions on the highway was that he dropped his cellphone.
When Walker opened the glove compartment to obtain vehicle information for the officer, Hockman spotted "numerous syringes" in the glove box.
A backup officer arrived on the scene; and both Walker and his passenger, Darron M. Giles, were ordered out of the vehicle.
It turned out there was a bench warrant for the 26-year-old Giles in Lycoming County, as well as separate warrants in Colorado and Wyoming.
Two loaded handguns were discovered inside the center console and three bags of heroin were found around the driver's seat, Hockman said.
One of the handguns was stolen from Leesport, Berks County, police said.
While Giles, also of Mansfield, automatically was placed in the Lycoming County Prison, Walker was arraigned before District Judge James G. Carn on drug and weapon charges, and committed to the jail in lieu of $18,500 bail.
Giles was taken from the jail on Tuesday and arraigned before District Judge Gary A. Whiteman on similar charges.
He was recommitted in lieu of $50,000 bail.
