Nervousness leads police to cocaine possession charge

Crystal Lanning
Crystal Lanning

A busted tail light and nervous behavior led to the arrest of two women with charges of cocaine possession. The Salisbury Police charged Crystal Dawn Lanning, 32, of the 1800 block of Shue Road, China Grove, with felony possession of a controlled schedule II substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Her passenger, Marie White Carlos, 53, of the 700 block of Williams Road, Salisbury, was charged with felony possession of a controlled schedule II substance. The officer spotted the Ford Escort Friday night just before 8 p.m. in the area of Partee and Old Plank roads because the rear light was broken. The officer asked Lanning, who was driving the vehicle, about the light. She told the officer she knew it was broken but thought since the light still worked, it was not illegal. The officer noted the two women appeared nervous, a report said.

The officer asked if the two had any illegal substances on them and told the two a police drug dog would be called in to search around the vehicle.

Lanning told the officer she had “some powder in her purse,” said Capt. Shelia Lingle.

Lanning also had a straw in her purse with some white powder residue on it.

Carlos did not reply to the officer. Carlos was asked to step out of the vehicle and was eventually searched. Offices found a rag containing cocaine stuffed inside her bra.

Carlos received a $5,000 secured bond and Lanning received a $1,500 secured bond. Both women have since been released from the Rowan County jail.


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