Traffic Stops Lead to Drug, Weapon Arrests

Fayette County Sheriff Keith Korenek reports that on Friday, July 23 around 9:30 p.m. Deptuty Dustin Kieschnick conducted a traffic stop on State Hwy. 71 near FM 955 on a 2019 Chevrolet Impala for traffic violations. Upon contact with the male driver the odor of marijuana was detected coming from the vehicle.

The driver advised of marijuana in the console of the vehicle. The female passenger was asked to step out of the vehicle as a search was conducted on the vehicle. A backpack was located in the back seat of the vehicle that contained a loaded pistol, five Xanax pills, and two small baggies with a white powdery substance. The female admitted to it being cocaine and belonging to her.

Arrested was 39-year-old Veronica Ann Lopez of Pasadena who was transported to the Dan R. Beck Justice Center and charged with possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance, and unlawfully carrying a weapon. The male driver was released with the vehicle.

Deputy Dustin Kieschnick also conducted a traffic stop on a Hyundai passenger car on State Highway 71 westbound near Zapalac Rd. for a traffic violation on July 23. The vehicle was occupied by two male passengers and a female driver who admitted to having drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.

After identifying the subjects one of the male subjects had an active warrant out of Pflugerville for possession of a controlled substance. A search of the vehicle by Kieschnick located a container with what is believed to be heroin and a white substance identified as THC crumble by one of the passengers. A handgun was located in a bag that one of the male passengers said he found.

Arrested was 27-year-old Ian Michael Gastauer-Hinton and 30-year-old Thomas Elliott Keyser, both of Austin, who were transported to the Dan R. Beck Justice Center and charged with possession of a controlled substance and one was charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon.