FRANKLIN COUNTY – January 1 at approximately 9 PM, a Franklin County Sheriff’s Office deputy was on patrol in the Wirtz community when he stopped a pickup truck for an equipment violation. The truck was stopped in the100 block of Burnt Chimney Road. The deputy utilized his canine partner to conduct a search of the 1999 beige, gray Chevy S10 pickup truck. The canine alerted on the vehicle which led to the deputy locating a small plastic bag containing a white crystalline powder, digital scales and hypodermic needles.
31-year-old Brian Allen Smith of Wirtz was the front seat passenger in the vehicle. He admitted to being the owner of the found drugs and paraphernalia. Smith was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance. Smith is currently being held in the Western Virginia Regional Jail without bond.