Police: Report of suspicious activity leads to drug, other charges

Published 10:46 am Friday, February 10, 2017

By Shavonne Walker
shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Police officials say a call about suspicious people standing around vehicles in the Walmart parking lot led to a seizure of heroin, pills and other items and the arrest of a Salisbury man.

Someone called 911 about seeing two vehicles in the parking lot with two white males standing in front of them smoking, said Police Capt. Shelia Lingle.

A police officer checked the license plate on one of the vehicles and the name registered to it was Trent Earnhardt. The officer noted Earnhardt had been banned from the store. The officer stopped the men just before they went inside and searched them.

Earnhardt, 21, of the 600 block of Playground Lane, was charged with misdemeanor carry concealed weapons, felony possession of heroin, misdemeanor possession of schedule III controlled substance (buprenorphrine hydrochloride, a drug used to treat opioid addiction), misdemeanor possession of a controlled schedule IV (alprazolam or Xanax), misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor second-degree trespassing.

Lingle said Earnhardt had a pill container that had pills inside, a lighter, two syringes, a metal spoon, and metallic knuckles. Police said a hard brown substance believed to be heroin was found in a plastic bag.

She said Earnhardt told officials the heroin was marijuana, but officers didn’t believe him.

Earnhardt has since been released from the Rowan County Detention Center after posting a $3,000 secured bond.