Passed Out Passengers Pinched For Pills

On September 4, 2014, Officers Sam Cameron and Ethan Shults, of the Dandridge Police Department, responded to a 911 call reporting a 1992 Toyota Sentry that appeared to have two unconscious passengers inside parked at the BP Gas Station in Dandridge. The car was occupied by driver Liesa Kanupp, 68, of Straw Plains and defendant Jared Field, 28, also of Straw Plains. Upon exiting the car, Liesa Kanupp was charged with a DUI, and gave consent to further search the vehicle. Marijuana “roaches,” a bag of marijuana weighing approximately one gram, rolling paper, and white powder residue was discovered. The defendant had gone to a pain clinic that same day and filled a prescription for oxymorphone, oxycodone, and alpralozam: all three bottles were missing large quantities of pills. Consent was given to search the suspects’ cellphones, and messages were discovered that indicated the suspects sold the drugs. Both officers reported back to Lieutenant Detective Kenneth Lodwick. Kanupp was charged with a DUI, possession of drug paraphernalia, simple possession of marijuana, and possession of schedule 2 and 4 drugs with the intent to distribute. Field was charged with the same charges, though he received a charge of public intoxication instead of a DUI. A small amount of cash and the vehicle were seized in the arrest.