STARKE COUNTY, Ind. --  Officers with the Starke County Sheriff's Department on patrol in the Grovertown area received an Automatic License Plate Reader through Flock on Monday at approximately 10:28 p.m.  A gray 2004 Harley-Davidson was traveling westbound on US 30; the registered owner's driving status was suspended.

Deputies initiated a traffic stop and spoke to the occupant, identified as 38-year-old Nicholas Hagen of Knox, Indiana.  Officers observed his pupils to be constricted and gave vague answers to general questions posed by officers. 

Nicholas consented to officers searching his backpack and located five glass smoking devices. Due to the type of smoking device, officers suspected he was using methamphetamine.  He confirmed that he used methamphetamine earlier in the morning and admitted to having contraband on his person. 

Officers discovered a clear plastic bag containing 51.93 grams of suspected methamphetamine. There was also a blue colored grinder; inside the grinder was approximately 5.85 grams of suspected methamphetamine, two bags containing approximately 4.05 grams of suspected fentanyl paraphernalia, and another controlled substance. Officers also located THC gummies and approximately 2.34 grams of marijuana. 

Nicholas Hagen was taken into custody and preliminarily charged with 

• Dealing in Methamphetamine a Level 2 Felony
• Possession of Methamphetamine a Level 3 Felony
• Dealing in a Narcotic Drug a Level 5 Felony
• Possession of a Narcotic Drug a Level 6 Felony
• Possession of a Schedule II, III, IV Controlled Substance A Misdemeanor
• Possession of Marijuana a B Misdemeanor
• Possession of Paraphernalia a C Misdemeanor