Original Blog Entry: Man eats pot to avoid charges

truesee — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:37:49 GMT

Updated May 18. 2009 12:56PM

Cedar Rapids man eats pot hoping to avoid charges

By Carla Keppler

The Gazette

University Heights Police in Iowa City charged a Cedar Rapids man with preventing apprehension and obstructing prosecution and third-offense drug possession after he ate marijuana to avoid criminal charges.

David I. Pledge, 25, of 1624 D Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids was pulled over at 12:52 a.m. Sunday for a traffic violation at Melrose Avenue and Emerald Street in Iowa City. Officers noticed a strong marijuana-like odor coming from Pledge's breath when they approached the vehicle, they said. A green, leafy substance was also found scattered down his shirt.

It was all over, University Heights Police Chief Ron Fort said.

Police soon discovered Pledge had a partially eaten plastic bag of marijuana in his mouth.

He threw the whole bag, plastic and all, in his mouth and tried swallowing, Fort said.

Pledge eventually gagged and the medium sized bag came out of his mouth, Fort said.

In his 40 years with the department, Fort has seen this only once or twice.

Throw it out the window, hide it under the seat or drop it out the door, yes, he said, But it's not common to have someone eat drugs.

Officers could not determine how much marijuana Pledge ingested or the effect the act had.

Preventing apprehension and obstructing prosecution and third- or subsequent-offense possession of marijuana are aggravated misdemeanors and are punishable by up to two years in prison and a maximum $5,000 fine.

Link to Photo:

http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090518/NEWS/705199998

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