Springdale Township man faces drug charges after traffic stop

A Springdale Township man faces charges after more than 4 ounces of marijuana was found in his car during a traffic stop in Westmoreland County, police say.

Demitri Lee Fritch, 20, of Springdale Township was charged with intent to distribute drugs, two counts of intentional possession of a controlled substance by a person not registered, drug paraphernalia and two traffic summary violations in connection with the traffic stop March 28.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 11 before District Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec.

An Allegheny Township police officer wrote in a criminal complaint that he was on patrol at 1:36 a.m. March 28 in the area of South Leechburg Hill at Route 356 when he saw a white Audi, driven by Fritch, with dark-tinted windows and a burned-out left brake light.

The officer followed Fritch, the complaint said, and a Westmoreland County 911 operator told the officer Fritch’s license plate was suspended because of canceled insurance.

Police said Fritch turned into the Honey Bear gas station, noticed police were behind him and exited Honey Bear traveling west on Route 56. Officers then conducted a traffic stop on Fritch on McCutcheon Shortcut, just off Route 56, police said.

Fritch “was showing nervous behavior” when contacted by police, the complaint said, and, when police asked for his license, registration and insurance, Fritch told police he had marijuana in the car and pointed to the marijuana on the passenger seat.

Fritch exited the car, and a glass bowl used for smoking marijuana was found in his front hoodie pocket, the complaint said. Police said Fritch told them he had most recently smoked marijuana 15 hours earlier.

Police said Fritch completed field sobriety tests and gave consent for officers to search the car. On the front seat passenger floor, police said, officers found a backpack with a bag inside containing 4.2 ounces of suspected marijuana.

As police searched the rest of the car, they found another bag with an undisclosed amount of money, authorities said, and Fritch told police the money was his savings from tips from work. The bag also had in it a white pill, marked with an “M,” which Fritch said was an oxycodone/oxycontin pill, police said. Police did not open the bag or count the money.