High School Teacher Caught With Meth, Ecstacy and THC: Report

RACINE COUNTY, WI — A Cudahy High School Gym teacher and former basketball and golf coach at Indian Trail High School in Kenosha was arrested after authorities found multiple drugs in his car.

According to court documents, 32-year-old Craig Mertes was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of THC and possession of a controlled substance.

According to a Journal Times report, school officials in Cudahy confirmed that Mertes was an instructor in the district and that they would be meeting with him to talk about the incident and his employment status.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Racine County, a Sturtevant Police officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Mertes in the area of Renaissance Blvd. and Enterprise Drive in the Renaissance Business Park on Aug. 5 for a traffic violation.

Police say that Mertes admitted to drinking alcohol at the Kenosha Country Club earlier that day, and that he appeared to be very nervous when the officer asked him to step out of his car to perform standard field sobriety tests.

According to the criminal complaint, Mertes did not pass the tests. While that was happening, a second officer arrived at the scene of the traffic stop with a drug-sniffing dog, to conduct an open-air sniff around the car. Police say the K9 officer alerted that there may be narcotics in the car, prompting a search by police.

Police say they found a black duffel bag in the car that contained 10.4 grams of THC gummies, 0.3 grams of powdered ecstacy and 1.3 grams of crystallized methamphetamines.

Mertes is currently out of the Racine County Jail on a $5,000 signature bond. He's due back in court on Aug. 22 for his preliminary hearing.