Suspect's air freshener plan goes up in smoke

A traffic stop by a Clay County deputy lands a Worthington, Minn., man in the Clay County Jail on traffic and drug charges.

At approximately 11:57 p.m. Sunday, a Clay County deputy initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 3000th block of Highway 18 for a traffic violation. Upon approaching the vehicle, the deputy noticed a lot of movement by the occupants and that it looked like they were spraying something in the air.

When the deputy arrived at the rear driver side window, he noticed that both rear windows were down and also noticed an odor of burned marijuana.

Upon investigation, it was found that the occupants had smoked marijuana in the vehicle earlier and were trying to eliminate the odor. A search of the vehicle turned up a small amount of marijuana and a marijuana grinder. The driver, Travaris Pickens, 22, Worthington, Minn., was placed under arrest and was transported to the Clay County Jail without incident.

Upon arrival to the jail, Pickens was charged with possession of a controlled substance-marijuana, a serious misdemeanor, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to have a valid drivers license, no proof of insurance, and excessive speeding, all simple misdemeanors. The investigation is continuing and more charges are anticipated. Pickens was later released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.