At approximately 2 p.m. on August 14, 2023, a Cumby Police Department Officer conducted a routine traffic stop on a vehicle exceeding the speed limit on West Main St in Cumby. The vehicle was clocked at 51 mph in a 30 mph zone, prompting the officer's intervention.
Upon further investigation, the driver was identified as Christopher Martin, a 41-year-old resident of Cumby, Texas. A standard driver license check revealed Martin to have two active warrants issued by Hopkins County, Texas, for Possession and Tampering with Evidence. Additionally, a separate warrant was discovered from the US Marshals Service, citing a Probation Violation.
Subsequently, Martin was taken into custody without incident for the outstanding warrants. While processing the scene, the officer requested consent from Martin to search his vehicle before releasing it to his mother. After initially granting consent, Martin later withdrew his permission.
During the interaction, the officer observed behavior that aroused reasonable suspicion, leading to the deployment of K9 Ace to assist in the search. K9 Ace provided a positive alert on the vehicle, prompting a probable cause search. Within the course of the search, law enforcement officials discovered a bottle of pills stashed in the console.
The bottle contained pills later identified as clonezapam, a controlled substance. However, the label on the pill bottle had been peeled off, making it impossible for officers to ascertain the rightful recipient of the medication.
As a result of the discovery, Christopher Martin was transported to the Hopkins County Jail to face a series of charges. He was booked on the following counts:
- Tamper/Fabricate Physical Evidence with Intent to Impair (Warrant)
- Possession of Controlled Substance 1/1-B <1G (Warrant)
- Probation Violation (Federal) (Warrant)
- Possession of Dangerous Drug (New Charge)
