Suspicious vehicle call leads to marijuana charge for Spencer teen

Published 6:39 pm Monday, August 12, 2019

SALISBURY — A Spencer teenager faces a felony charge of marijuana possession after police were called to a Salisbury apartment complex to investigate a suspicious vehicle.

The Salisbury Police Department charged Anna Chau Nguyen, 18, of the 700 block of Fourth Street, Spencer, with felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a controlled substance.

Police received a call just before 6:30 p.m. Saturday by someone reporting that a 2006 Black Acura was parked at Fleming Heights Apartments, 430 Lash Drive. An officer approached the vehicle and saw tobacco from a cigar on the ground. The driver, identified as Nguyen, rolled the window down halfway.

The officer noted in his report that she seemed nervous and that he could smell marijuana coming from the vehicle. He asked Nguyen if she had any substances in the car and she handed him a blunt.

According to a report, Nguyen said she had nothing else in the vehicle, but the officer asked for permission to search it. The officer found 34 grams of marijuana and a digital scale in the trunk of the vehicle.

Nguyen said she was at the complex to pick up a friend. Her vehicle was released to the friend so it didn’t have to be towed, a report said.

Nguyen was issued a $140,000 secured bond and was released from the Rowan County Detention Center.

Nguyen has four pending cases in Rowan County and one in Davie County, two of which are traffic infractions. Nguyen also faces charges of felony maintaining a vehicle or dwelling to traffic in a controlled substance, misdemeanor marijuana possession, and felony possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana.