A traffic stop and the smell of marijuana led Darien police to search the Volvo of a 58-year-old man who was driving Monday afternoon, Nov. 13 on Hollow Tree Ridge Road, police said.
Police also said: When the officer asked the man where the smell came from, he said he didn’t know. Asked whether there was contraband in the vehicle, he said, “Probably not.”
His statement proved inaccurate, according to police.
Photo from Darien P.D.
Nov. 13, 2018 Darien arrest photo of Michael ODwyer of 33 Split Rock Road, Norwalk. ODwyer is charged with various crimes related to drug possession and sales.
Darien police described what else happened with this account, including accusations not proven in court:
A police officer with a radar gun was on patrol on Hollow Tree Ridge Road when he saw a red Volvo being driven fast. The Volvo’s speed was clocked at 45 mph as it headed south in a 25 mph zone.
The police officer pulled over the car and spoke with the driver, Michael ODwyer, 58, of Split Rock Road, Norwalk. While speaking to the driver, the officer could smell the odor of burnt marijuana coming from the car.
Based on the smell, police searched the car and found:
—a Ziploc bag holding marijuana
—several large Ziploc bags (7.6 ounces) holding cocaine and $400 in cash;
—126 glass vials with cocaine residue in them, packaged in varying numbers inside plastic baggies
—15 Dilaudid pills
—a Ziploc baggie containing cocaine
—five glass vials containing cocaine
—90 oxycodone pills
—19 Imitation OxyContin pills
—three marijuana-laced chocolate edible items;
—three cartridges containing THC oil (THC is the active ingredient in marijuana)
—a notebook containing a ledger of narcotics transactions
—a scale
A total of 11.05 ounces of cocaine and 51 grams of marijuana were found in ODwyer’s car.
He was arrested on charges of possession of narcotics, sale of narcotics, possession of more than four ounces of marijuana, sale of marijuana, illegal storage of narcotics, transporting illegal drugs with intent to sell them and operating a drug factory.
After his arrest, ODwyer gave consent to Darien police detectives to search his home, where police found 12 more ounces of marijuana.
ODwyer wasn’t able to post a $50,000 bond, so he was taken to state Superior Court in Stamford the next day. A judge reduced his bond to $15,000, and he was released. He is next due to appear in court on Dec. 18.