City man arrested for drugs, obstructing

VW independent/submitted information

A man found wandering in the city was arrested police on drug and obstructing charges on Tuesday night.

Van Wert city police responded to a report of a suspicious person in the 600 block of Gordon Avenue and found Donald E. Oday, 41, walking east on the street, near the intersection with South Shannon Street.

Officers approached the man and, smelling a strong odor of marijuana on him, searched the man and found a baggie of green, leafy substance constant with marijuana in his sweatshirt pocket.

Probable cause was then established for a further search, but Oday pulled away and, at one time, swatted an officer’s hand away from his pocket, resulting in a charge of obstructing official business.

After Oday was handcuffed, officers checked all of the man’s pockets, finding a baggie of a white crystal substance suspected to be methamphetamine. The substance will be sent to a lab for further testing, and the case will be turned over to the Van Wert County Prosecutor’s Office when test results come back for the filing of any additional charges.

In addition to the obstructing charge, Oday was charged with possession of marijuana after the green, leafy substance tested positive for that drug.

Those who see any suspected drug activity are asked to call the police department at 419.238.2462 or Crime Stoppers at 419.238.7867.