Traffic stop turns up drugs prescribed to the deceased

A late-night traffic stop near Pottersville led to the arrests of a Bakersfield woman and a Mountain Home, Arkansas, man after deputies discovered both occupants of the vehicle allegedly had suspended or revoked driving privileges and one was reportedly in possession of a controlled substance prescribed to a deceased individual.

According to probable cause statements prepared by Ozark County Deputy Josh Sherman, the incident occurred about 10 minutes before 1 a.m. July 26 while Sherman and Deputy Jeff Lane were conducting routine patrol on County Road 349, just south of a bridge on KK Highway.

Deputies observed a green Honda Civic with Arkansas license plates traveling toward them on the narrow roadway. Sherman said he pulled partially off the road to allow the vehicle to pass and observed Travis Wood, 48, of Mountain Home, Arkansas, in the driver’s seat and Jaela Jacksonwood, 46, of Bakersfield, in the passenger seat.

Sherman reported that, based on his prior knowledge of both individuals’ criminal histories, including Wood’s recent Ozark County arrests for operating a vehicle without a valid license on March 18 and July 5, he turned around and initiated a traffic stop after also observing the vehicle had an expired registration dating back to 2003 and a cracked windshield.

When officers approached the vehicle, Wood reportedly immediately told them he did not have a valid driver’s license.

Sherman asked both Wood and Jacksonwood to exit the vehicle. A computer check reportedly showed that neither person had a valid driver’s license, and officers were unable to locate proof of insurance for the Civic. The vehicle’s registration had reportedly been expired for approximately 23 years.

Deputies received verbal consent from both occupants to search the vehicle. During the search, officers reportedly found a purse on the passenger-side floorboard where Jacksonwood had been sitting. The purse contained her identification and two prescription bottles of Lorazepam, a Schedule IV controlled substance.

According to the report, one bottle contained 19 tablets of 1-milligram Lorazepam and had a partially scratched label. The second bottle contained liquid Lorazepam prescribed to another male subject at a concentration of 2 milligrams per milliliter, with approximately 8 milliliters remaining.

Jacksonwood reportedly admitted possessing the medication and told officers it came from a friend who had received it through hospice care and died around July 17. The report states officers confirmed the individual’s death through an Arkansas obituary.

The liquid prescription had reportedly been filled July 15 with directions to take 1 milliliter by mouth every four hours as needed for 48 hours. Investigators noted the amount remaining did not match the expected usage through the date of the person’s death.

According to the report, Jacksonwood told officers she intended to drop the medication off at the sheriff’s office prescription drop box but was on her way to go fishing with Wood.

Jacksonwood has been charged with possession of a controlled substance related to the Lorazepam found during the vehicle search. She remained in the Ozark County Jail as of presstime Tuesday. A bond hearing was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Aug. 3.

Wood is facing two felony charges of driving with a revoked or suspended license, one stemming from the July 26 traffic stop and another from a previous March 18 incident.

The probable cause statement indicates Wood has at least eight prior convictions for driving with a revoked or suspended license in Mountain Home and Yellville, Arkansas.

He was being held in the Ozark County Jail on a $1,500 cash-only bond and was scheduled for arraignment Tuesday.

The vehicle was towed from the scene by Duke’s Towing.