PROSPERITY — A Prosperity man was charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin after he became combative with Newberry County deputies at a public safety checkpoint Friday night, according to the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office.
David George Hopkins, 22, of 127 McFall Drive, was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. He had more than 1.5 grams of heroin in his possession.
Hopkins was a passenger in a vehicle being driven by Ruby Nicole Ward, 21, of 127 McFall Drive in Prosperity. She was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office:
The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office was conducting a public safety checkpoint around 12:30 a.m. Friday in Prosperity. A vehicle that approached the checkpoint had a strong odor of marijuana coming from it.
The occupants — Hopkins and Ward — were asked to step out of the vehicle. Hopkins became combative with the deputies. He refused to remove his hand from his pocket and became physically combative with deputies. After a brief struggle, he was taken into custody.
After he was in custody, deputies located more than 1.5 grams of heroin in the pocket from which he had refused to remove his hand. The deputies also located used syringes and other drug paraphernalia in the vehicle after he was arrested.
“There is a serious opioid epidemic plaguing our country,” said Sheriff Lee Foster. “The use of opioids is creating a substantial risk to the public and to law enforcement not just because of the actions of those who use these drugs, but also because of how easily small amounts of this could make an innocent person seriously ill or be fatal. This must be addressed for the safety of our citizens and our law enforcement.”