Police Dog Nabs Heroin Stash After Vernon Traffic Stop

VERNON, CT — A search refusal by an Ellington man after a Vernon traffic stop led to a meeting with a police dog and the discovery of a heroin stash, a report indicates.

At 7:25 p.m. Tuesday, a Vernon patrol officer pulled over a Volvo sedan at the Days Inn parking lot after a traffic stop on Route 30, according to a report.

The driver, identified as 28-year-old James Roche of Ellington, refused to give a search consent while showing signs of being "nervous," so a state police canine unit was called in, a report indicates.

The police dog alerted officers to the possible presence of drugs and, after a probable cause search, 30 bags of heroin, "dozens" of used needles and "numerous" crack pipes were located in the car, according to a report.

Roche was charged with possession of a controlled substance, a lane violation and the use of drug parsaphernalia, according to a report.

He is due in court on June 11, police said.