Crime & Safety

Man Busted for Driving High Had Heroin, Needles in Car, Cops Say

Russell Harden of Washington Township was lodged in jail in lieu of $7,500.

A Washington Township man stopped for driving erratically ended up being charged with a slew of drug offenses after a search of his car revealed bags of heroin, Hackettstown police said.

At 8:29 p.m. on July 9, police responded to the area of Willow Grove Street for a report of an erratic drive, Sgt. Darren Tynan said. The patrol officer then stopped Russell Harden, 38, in the Quick Chek parking lot.

Harden was given field sobriety tests and determined to be under the influence of a narcotic, Tynan said. At the time, Harden was charged with having a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, driving under the influence in a school zone, no valid insurance, failure to maintain lane, reckless driving, driving under the influence and being under the influence of a narcotic. He was then released from police custody.

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Five days later, police obtained a search warrant for Harden’s vehicle, Tynan said. Inside police found eight empty glassine baggies with suspected heroin residue, a hypodermic syringe, and two bags containing heroin, Tynan said.

Russell was charged with possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a hypodermic needle. He was then lodged in Warren County Correctional Facility in lieu of $7,500 bail.

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