Staff Report

Drew Justin Phares

SYRACUSE — A Syracuse man was arrested for possessing drugs and illegally operating a vehicle.

Drew Justin Phares, 44, 4496 E. Fox Run Drive, Syracuse, is charged with operating a vehicle as a habitual traffic violator, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of a narcotic drug, all level 6 felonies; resisting law enforcement, providing a false identity statement, and possession of marijuana with a prior conviction enhancement, all class A misdemeanors; possession of marijuana, a class B misdemeanor; and possession of paraphernalia, a class C misdemeanor.

On Jan. 28, an Indiana State Police trooper was in Syracuse when he noticed a vehicle cross the center line of the roadway several times. The trooper pulled the vehicle over and discovered its driver, later identified as Phares, had a suspended driver’s license. Phares provided the trooper with a false name when he was pulled over.

According to court documents, the trooper asked Phares to exit the vehicle several times and Phares would not comply. When he finally started to exit the vehicle, Phares allegedly removed items from his pocket and threw something back into the vehicle.

Prior to his vehicle being searched, Phares admitted to throwing an item containing heroin inside his vehicle.

Upon searching the vehicle, the trooper found heroin, 0.5 grams of marijuana, a marijuana cigarette, and drug paraphernalia. A pipe found in the vehicle contained a substance later identified as meth. The trooper then let Phares call a relative, who addressed him as ‘Drew’ and not the name Phares initially provided the trooper with.

After learning this information, the trooper discovered Phares had an active warrant from Elkhart County for resisting arrest and also is registered as a habitual traffic violator, with an expiration date of May 2028.

Phares has prior convictions for narcotic drug possession, resisting law enforcement, operating a vehicle after being a habitual offender, and providing a false identity statement.

Phares has already been arrested and released on his own recognizance. He has an initial hearing at 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, in Kosciusko Superior Court Three.