Target employee leads to drug trafficking arrests of California couple

By Hal Scheurich

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    DAPHNE, Alabama (WALA) — A couple from California was arrested in Daphne over the weekend and charged with drug trafficking. After searching a converted school bus, police said they found an assortment of illegal drugs. Investigators say the couple claims they were in route to Florida and stopped off in Daphne on the way.

According to police, the couple wasn’t being very discrete, from the vehicle they were driving to where they stopped to allegedly get high.

There was a very distinguished aroma coming from a customized and tie-dye-painted school bus which could only be described as loud and flamboyant that police said drew the attention of a Target employee Saturday morning, November 5, 2022.

“We got a phone call from an employee who walked by the bus and actually smelled what she knew as the burning odor of marijuana coming from it,” said Sgt. Jason Vannoy with Daphne Police.

When police arrived, they questioned two suspects who they said only admitted to having a couple rolled marijuana cigarettes. During a probable cause search of the bus, investigators said multiple bags, jars and boxes of illegal drugs were discovered.

“There was I think thirteen pounds of marijuana, a large amount of what’s called, “shatter,” which is kind of a marijuana derivative and then there was a psylocibin…a pack of psylocibin mushrooms,” Vannoy said.

Daphne Police have charged both 28-year-old Holden Chandler and 23-year-old Brielle Healey with drug trafficking, possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. Investigators said they were on their way to Florida from California when they decided to pull off in Daphne.

“I guess, just being close off the interstate. They did want to use the dog park in Daphne to let their dogs run around,” said Vannoy. “I’m not sure if they went there first or if that was their plan or not.”

Both suspects were booked into the Baldwin County Jail on no bond pending a bond hearing. In addition to the drug charges, Healey is also charged with violating a domestic protection order filed against her by Chandler.

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