Alleged Car Crash Leads to Drug Deal Bust

There’s something to be said for the creativity of doing a drug deal that’s totally misconstrued by a passersby as a car crash. Unfortunately, the objective is usually to draw less attention to yourself when making such a deal.

On Thursday of last week, the SAPD dispatched officers Pruit and Soto to the 2400 block of N. Chadbourne to check on a possible car accident, where they observed 24-year-old Kelly Lopez and 27-year-old Luis Serrano in the parking lot with the vehicles involved in the alleged crash.

Lopez was inside one of the trucks, Serrano stood beside it, and two small baggies lay underneath the vehicle; the suspicious small kind that most drug dealers use for methamphetamine. It was the baggies that gave the two away. Officer Pruit recognized the suspicious baggies and field tested the contents, which came out positive for methamphetamine. The press release did not mention whether Lopez and Kelly had done the 'inconspicuous' handshake to exchange money.

A further search of the suspects and their vehicles revealed more. First, Serrano had a pistol in his boot. Then, Lopez’s truck had marijuana and some drug paraphernalia inside.

Serrano was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 (less than 1g) and Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon. Lopez was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 (less than 1g), Possession of Marijuana (less than 2oz), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

A further investigation revealed no accident had occurred.