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CRAB ORCHARD – It was about 4:40 a.m. on Feb. 8 when a green Toyota parked across from Crab Orchard Elementary caught the eye of Lincoln County Sheriff’s K9 Deputy Michael Mullins.

Given the time of day and fact that the school was closed, Mullins made contact with the driver. Dispatch advised Mullins that the license plate came back as “no record,” according to the arrest citation.

The front passenger, identified as Dannie D. Byrd, 49, of Lancaster, told the deputy he and the female driver, identified as Cassie French, 36, of Lancaster, were “just lost” and looking for directions.

When Mullins asked for proof of insurance and title, he said he observed baggies in plain view inside the glove box and a tourniquet in the center console.

According to the arrest citation, the deputy asked if there was anything illegal in the vehicle and a back passenger, unidentified, produced a “weed pipe” and Byrd allegedly stated he “thought he had some weed somewhere.”

Empty baggies and digital scales were located on Byrd’s person and a search of the vehicle allegedly turned up a box under the stereo in the dash compartment which had four bundles of brown substance inside of it.

French told Mullins the brown substance was heroin. It weighed approximately 2.7 grams, according to the citation. The box also had a clear baggy with a white crystal substance, which French stated was meth.

After all the occupants were detained, French allegedly handed over a brown pouch inside of which were hypodermic syringes, a Xanax bar and a baggy with two white pills. French also produced a glass smoking pipe and a silver pill holder.

“French stated that she sells to support her habit, that the drugs were hers,” the citation states.

Byrd had the digital scales on his person, baggies in the glove box in front of him and the key box was within reach of both French and Byrd, according to the citation.

They were both arrested and lodged in the Lincoln County Regional Jail.

Byrd was charged with two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance (heroin and methamphetamine); possession of drug paraphernalia; and trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school.

French was charged with two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance (heroin and methamphetamine); possession of drug paraphernalia; second-degree possession of a controlled substance (drug unspecified); trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school; and multiple traffic violations.

Mullins was assisted in the arrest by Deputy Daniel Napier.