St. Louis man charged with possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine in Dora

A warrant with a $7,500 cash-only bond has been issued for the arrest of Justin L. Akridge of St. Louis in connection with a case in which he’s charged with possession of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia. Online records indicate he has not yet been arrested. 

According to the probable cause statement prepared by Ozark County Sheriff Cass Martin, at 9:11 p.m. Aug. 24, the sheriff received information that there were suspicious people at the Dora Dollar General Store. The reporting party told the sheriff that the three people in question left the store, but they were not sure which way they went. 

“I canvassed the area and requested the assistance of Douglas County Deputy G. R. Martin to be on the lookout. Deputy Martin located the vehicle traveling south on 181 Highway that matched the description of the vehicle,” the sheriff’s report says. “Deputy Martin initiated a traffic stop on the red Monte Carlo in the Roy’s Store parking lot and made contact with the occupants of the vehicle...”

During the traffic stop, Deputy Martin radioed Sheriff Martin and told him that one of the individuals, the female in the backseat of the car was complaining of having heat stroke and was in distress in the midst of a medical emergency. 

“When K9 handler Douglas County’s Deputy Box arrived on scene, the ambulance was making ready and leaving the parking lot of Roy’s Store. K9 unit arrived on scene and commenced a free air sniff around the vehicle. Deputy Box advised the K9 indicated on the passenger side of the vehicle of possible drug narcotics in the cabin of the vehicle,” the report says. 

The sheriff, Deputy G. Martin and the K9 officer left the scene and rallied the ambulance on CC  Highway near Hammond access and brought it to the location to treat the woman. 

“I went to he back of the ambulance while ambulance crew was attempting to insert an IV on [the woman]. I made contact with [her] in the back of the ambulance and advised the K9 unit indicated on the vehicle, and I had probable cause to search her purse. Inside her purse I located a glass smoking device that field-tested positive for methamphetamine,” the sheriff wrote. 

“I was advised by Deputy Box that he had located methamphetamine from the vehicle... Deputy Martin was placing wrist restraints on [the other two passengers]. While Deputy Box was patting down [the first man] for any weapons, a small baggie of methamphetamine and two syringes were found in [his] right shorts pocket,” the report says. The pair were read their Miranda rights and placed on the sidewalk of Roy’s Store. 

“Deputy Box and Deputy Martin assisted in searching the vehicle, In a black bag located in the back seat of the Monte Carlo were two red straws that had been cut with a white residue. A pill bottle with [the first man’s] name on the bottle with 15 pills and FTP methamphetamine was found inside. A citation from St. Louis County for [the woman], a tin with two unidentified pills with digital scales was located in the center console that FTP for methamphetamine.”