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A Patchfork woman was recently indicted on drug charges, including possession of methamphetamine, after allegedly being found in possession of the drug when police found her passed out at the wheel of a running car.

According to the three-count indictment handed down by the grand jury on Jan. 18, Joann Howard, 44, was allegedly operating a motor vehicle under the influence on or about July 21, 2018. She was also allegedly in possession of methamphetamine and was arrested by a Kentucky State Police (KSP) trooper.

The citation issued by the KSP at the time of Howard’s arrest states police were dispatched to Jerry’s Branch for a welfare check on a woman in a vehicle. Once on the scene, police found Howard inside the running vehicle, passed out behind the wheel. The vehicle was in drive. Howard was not wearing a seat belt. The vehicle had gone off an access road into some bushes, which were keeping the vehicle from moving forward. After Howard exited the vehicle, police say they noticed her speech was slurred, her pupils were constricted and she could not maintain her balance – further investigation of the vehicle located two small plastic baggies containing a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine.

Howard was indicted on three counts, including operating a motor vehicle under the influence, first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and failure to wear a seat belt. She was lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center.

In other police activity:

• Charles Dozier, 46, of Baxter, was served an indictment warrant on Feb. 13. According to the four-count indictment handed down by the grand jury on Dec. 21, 2022 on or about Aug. 20, 2022, Dozier knowingly and unlawfully possessed methamphetamine, Fluorofentanyl (a schedule I narcotic) and Fentanyl (a schedule II narcotic).

• Dozier was indicted for first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), first-degree possession of a controlled substance (drug unspecified), possession of drug paraphernalia, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence. He was lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center,

• Amanda Troxell, 34, of Harlan, was arrested by a Harlan County Sheriff’s deputy on Feb. 9. Troxell was charged with first-degree trafficking a controlled substance (methamphetamine), first-degree trafficking a controlled substance (heroin), second-degree trafficking a controlled substance, criminal possession of a forged instrument and probation violation. She was lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center.

• Rachel Brock, 37, of Evarts, was arrested on Feb. 11 by a Harlan County Sheriff’s deputy. She was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), third-degree possession of a controlled substance, operating a motor vehicle under the influence, failure to comply with a helmet law, operating on a suspended or revoked operator’s license, instructional permit violations, and failure of non-owner operator to maintain required insurance. Brock was lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center.