Yari

A 28 year-old man was arrested late Monday night on Church Street in New Carlisle and charged with drug trafficking, possession of drugs, having weapons under disability, and improper handling of a firearm inside a vehicle. He was also charged with arson for trying to catch the deputy's cruiser on fire as he was being transported to the jail.

Deputy Lemen's report states that he was on patrol with K-9 Yari looking for drug activity in the city when he observed a black Dodge Charger sitting at the curb with its lights on in front of a residence in the 100 block of Jackson Street. Lemen reported that he could see two subjects inside the Charger through a partially-opened window, so he parked down the street and observed a female exit the vehicle and walk to the nearby home. The driver remained inside the vehicle as the female walked back and forth to the car several times before the driver pulled away from the curb without using a turn signal.

The deputy then went down Church Street in attempt to make a traffic stop, and noticed the Charger driving back around the block, and at one point, driving right past the deputy and making eye contact with him. Deputy Lemen recognized the driver as Nicholas Pizzo II and immediately remembered Pizzo's suspended driving status and recent involvement in a pursuit with Huber Heights Police less than a week ago. Lemen also noted that he has known Pizzo to be involved with drug activity in recent years.

A traffic stop was conducted on Church Street, and Lemen notified dispatch about who he had pulled over, as Pizzo has been known to flee from law enforcement. A crowd then began to form near the traffic stop, so Lemen radioed for backup. When backup arrived, Lemen then approached Pizzo's vehicle and asked him to step out. A pat-down showed that Pizzo's pockets were full of large sums of cash, and when asked if there was anything illegal inside the vehicle, Pizzo replied that the car did not belong to him, as it was registered to a Sierra Burnett. When asked for consent to search the car, Pizzo denied permission.

Deputy Rachel Allender then stood on the sidewalk with Pizzo while Lemen retrieved K-9 Yari from the cruiser and allowed the dog to scent the air around the Dodge. Yari displayed a change in behavior and pulled Lemen to the driver's side door and put his nose against it. Yari was placed back in the cruiser and Lemen notified Pizzo of the K-9's alert. Pizzo told Lemen that Yari didn't do anything, but Lemen told him they "were past this point," and opened the driver's door and found a small baggie on the ground containing what appeared to be crystal meth.

Lemen also located a Ruger LCP 380 firearm inside the car on the backseat floor inside a purse, within reach of the driver. Digital scales, baggies, and roughly 15 grams of crystal meth packaged and ready for sale, as well as four round blue pills wrapped in plastic. Three cell phones were also found inside the car, which Lemen reported to be common indicators of drug trafficking. Pizzo was found to have $1,348 on his person.

Deputy Jeffery Boswell then transported Pizzo to the Clark County Jail, and en route, Pizzo asked for the window to be rolled down because he didn't feel well and needed air. Boswell reported hearing a "clicking" noise in the backseat as Pizzo turned his face toward the window, but could not determine where the sound was coming from.

When they arrived at the jail, Boswell noticed that Pizzo had attempted to set the backseat of the cruiser on fire with a small lighter in his pocket.

Pizzo will remain in the Clark County Jail until his court date.

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