Circleville, Ohio — A routine traffic stop on Logan Street ended in the arrest of a Williamsport man after a Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office K9 unit alerted to drugs inside his vehicle, according to a Circleville Police Department report.
Officers stopped Derrick A. Whited, 48, of 20995 Justus Road in Williamsport, on July 15, 2026, in the 200 block of Logan Street after observing him driving a Chevrolet truck. Whited was known to have a suspended driver’s license, which was confirmed through LEADS, prompting the stop.
During the encounter, a K9 unit conducted a free air sniff of the vehicle and gave a positive alert on the passenger side. Whited was detained, and officers performed a probable cause search.
Items recovered included a silver digital mini scale with white powder residue, a small glass container holding a white powdery substance and a wooden spoon, two glass pipes with burn marks, a metal spoon with burn marks and residue, a small plastic red baggie containing an unknown substance, fentanyl test strips, and Suboxone test strips.
Whited reportedly told officers the white substance was methamphetamine and commented that “everything’s got fentanyl in it nowadays.” He was arrested and charged with one count each of possession of drugs under Ohio Revised Code 2925.11 and drug paraphernalia under 2925.14.
Whited was transported to the Pickaway County Jail without incident. He was also issued a citation for driving under a non-compliance suspension with a mandatory court appearance scheduled for July 20, 2026, in Circleville Municipal Court. The vehicle was released to its registered owner.
The case remains closed by arrest. Evidence was documented and submitted for further testing, with some items sent to the BCI London laboratory.
Under Ohio law, possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia are serious offenses that can carry significant penalties depending on the circumstances and any prior record. This incident highlights the role of K9 units in traffic enforcement and drug interdiction efforts in Pickaway County.
Authorities urge anyone with information about drug activity to contact the Circleville Police Department.
