What began as a routine traffic stop ended in a not-so-routine arrest in Tallulah Falls. Now, a man and woman are in jail in Habersham County on drug trafficking charges.
Jesus Melchor-Rodriguez, 23, of Jonesboro and Ruth Olvera-Mendoza, 26, of Doraville were traveling on US 441/GA 15 near Tallulah Gorge on Jan. 31 when a police officer stopped them. Dakota Foster with Tallulah Falls PD says he pulled them over because a headlight was out on their car.
During the traffic stop, Foster says he noticed a water bong in the back seat of the vehicle. He then observed the driver, Melchor-Rodriguez, reach back to retrieve it. Foster proceeded to investigate. During a pat-down search, he says he found a yellow plastic bag containing what appeared to be marijuana in Olvera-Mendoza’s coat pocket.
When the officer searched the vehicle, he says he found a tool bag containing digital scales and a rolled-up t-shirt. Inside the shirt, Foster found six plastic bags of suspected heroin, according to the police report. He also found a plastic bag of what appeared to be crystal meth in the battery compartment of a flashlight.
Both suspects denied knowing the drugs were in the vehicle.
Officer Foster arrested them and transported them to the Habersham County jail. He charged both with trafficking heroin, possession of meth, and possession of drug-related objects. He also charged Olvera-Mendoza with marijuana possession, and Melchor-Rodriguez with several traffic violations.
It’s rare for officers to make drug trafficking arrests in the small, northernmost town in Habersham County. Still, Tallulah Falls Police Chief Tonya Elrod says 441 – which connects Georgia and western North Carolina – is known as “a busy highway for many things.”
She says Foster, who also works as a deputy for the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, is “dedicated to getting drugs off of the highway” and ensuring the safety of Tallulah Falls residents and visitors. “I am very impressed with Officer Foster and the job he did,” says Chief Elrod.
