Three people arrested in a traffic stop earlier this year are facing felony charges for various offenses, authorities said. The charges stem from the traffic stop April 25, when a Truesdale police …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, or you are a print subscriber who had access to our previous wesbite, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you have not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
If you are a current print subscriber and did not have a user account on our previous website, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
Three people arrested in a traffic stop earlier this year are facing felony charges for various offenses, authorities said. The charges stem from the traffic stop April 25, when a Truesdale police officer pulled a car over after the driver failed to make the proper turn signal, according to a report. The vehicle also had expired plates, police said.After a search and based on evidence seized, the driver, Joshua E. Rook, 39, Jonesburg, was charged with drug trafficking, two felony counts of possession of a controlled substances, felony unlawful possession of a firearm and misdemeanor counts of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.Currently, Rook is back in the Missouri Department of Corrections serving a 10-year sentence for prior felony convictions.Two passengers also were arrested and are facing charges as a result of the traffic stop.Tonya Lynn Coombs, 39, Warrenton, is charged with distributing a controlled substance, and possession of a controlled substance. Her bond was set at $25,000.Another passenger, April Dawn Birkholz, 33, St. Peters, is charged with felony possession of controlled substance (methamphetamine), and misdemeanor possession of marijuana and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia. Bond for Birkholz was set at $10,000.Felony warrants in the case were issued Aug. 12 against Coombs and Birkholz.Rook first gave police a false name, the officer said. Police allege Rook was in possession of a loaded handgun, two bags containing suspected marijuana, a book listing names and dollar amounts, and more than $1,000 in cash. Police said they found an assortment of pills in the car, and during a search of Rook at the Warren County Jail, they seized 43 grams of methamphetamine. The officer said Coombs was in possession of a black leather bag that contained a digital scale with a white crystal residue on it, a clear plastic bag containing mushrooms and 300 clear plastic bags, items that are consistent with drug trafficking. The officer found two more bags with a residue that field tested positive for methamphetamine.The arresting officer also found a pipe with marijuana in it and a black capsule that tested positive for methamphetamine. Both items were in Birkholz’s purse, officers allege. Birkholtz said the pipe belonged to her, police said.Crime