A passerby called Allen Park police at about 7:30 a.m. May 24 to report having witnessed two people smoking marijuana inside a blue pickup truck while their young children were in the backseat.
Two officers went to the Shell gas station at 15700 Southfield Road and found a vehicle matching that description.
As one of the officers approached the truck, a strong odor of marijuana was detected from inside the vehicle.
When asked if there was any marijuana in the vehicle, the driver replied: “Maybe a few roaches.”
The officer then asked the man if he had smoked marijuana that day, but the man said he hadn’t, since his boss was picking him up for work.
Police asked the man to step out of the vehicle and to stand in front of the patrol vehicle, with the second officer.
The officer went to the other side of the truck and asked the passenger to step out. Because two children were in the backseat, the woman was allowed to stand next to the vehicle while officers continued their investigation.
Police asked the woman why she was smoking marijuana in the vehicle with her children in the backseat.
“I was not inside the vehicle; I was outside smoking next to the truck,” she replied to the officer.
When asked if she had any marijuana, she told police she had some in her backpack. Police found an old pill bottle with four partially smoked joints, as well as one fully rolled joint, inside the bottle. A small baggie of marijuana also was found in the backpack.
Police asked if there was any more marijuana in the truck. The man said there might be another joint, which police found in a cigarette carton in the center console.
Officers ticketed the two Detroit residents for possession of marijuana.