John Mangalonzo, The Hawk Eye, Burlington, Iowa –
A simple call about a pickup blocking a driveway has resulted in an enhanced drug charge being filed against a Burlington man.
Des Moines County prosecutors have charged Darren Duane Dugan, 44, with third-offense possession of a controlled substance.
They cited Dugan’s past convictions for possession of a controlled substance in 1999, possession of marijuana and meth in 2007 and possession of meth in 2009, as basis for the enhanced charge.
It all started with the parking call in the 300 block of South Third Street in January.
Officers went to an apartment on the same block in an effort to locate the driver and reportedly saw Dugan walking out of one of the units.
When they inquired about the pickup, police said Dugan “was acting very nervous,” and kept asking authorities what they wanted.
Dugan said he knew the driver, and led police to an apartment unit where the driver was found and asked to move the vehicle.
Dugan allowed officers to pat him down and told them he had bath salts in his pocket.
Police found the substance in the man’s jeans pocket. It was field tested and was determined to be meth, authorities said.
