An Iowa police officer, on duty and in his patrol car, was busted for drug
possession after a late-night hit-and-run crash, authorities said.
Officer Brandon Singleton, 28, of the Des Moines police, had marijuana,
methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia inside his cruiser shortly after the
accident, The Des Moines Register reported.
Singleton was involved
in a 1 a.m. wreck Tuesday while driving his police car, smashing into another
vehicle on the east side of Des Moines, the newspaper reported. But he didn’t
contact police dispatchers until 5 hours later, when he called for help in
changing a tire.
When cops arrived,
Singleton’s car had two flat tires and body damage, drawing immediate attention
from a police supervisor.
Another officer noticed
the pot inside the car, and a subsequent search located the methamphetamine.
Police Sgt. Chris Scott said there was no indication that Singleton was under
the influence when cops found him, but acknowledged the lengthy time lapse
between the crash and his call.
Singleton, a five-year
police veteran, was released without any bond on drug possession charges and
place on paid leave.
The amount of drugs
found inside the police car led officials to believe it was intended for
personal consumption rather than distribution.