Wrong-way driving leads to felony charge

The suspect told the police officer he was “lost” and was trying to find his way to Highway 15 to pick up a friend.

The officer noted Burns’ constricted pupils, the fact that he was sweating profusely and noticed that his head twitched constantly, all indicators that a person may be under the influence of methamphetamine. After Burns gave permission for the officer to search him, the officer found a cigarette package in Burns’ right front pants pocket that contained methamphetamine, the arrest report said.

The report also said that Burns conceded that the material was methamphetamine and admitted smoking meth an hour and a half before the traffic stop.

Burns faces charges of possession of methamphetamine, driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs, driving on the wrong side of the road, failure to dim his headlights, and two equipment violations relating to a broken windshield and a bald front tire.

For all of the arrests and incidents investigated by the Commerce Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff's Office, see the Nov. 16 edition of The Commerce News.