PICKWICK, Minn. — Failing to signal for a turn on U.S. Highway 61 had far more consequences for a Winona driver and his Wisconsin buddy than a mere traffic citation. The deputy who made the stop learned right away from records that the passenger, Reginald Michael Henry, 37, of Oshkosh, was wanted on a warrant from Wisconsin. Later, in custody 14 miles up the road in Winona, Henry was found with one gram of meth. So he was charged also with introducing contraband into the jail. Meanwhile, back at the traffic stop near the County Road 7 exit to Pickwick, the deputy had run a records check on the driver, Griffin Hall Foster, 33, of Winona. It turned out that that a judge had ordered an ignition cut-off device on Foster’s car because of an impaired-driving record. The deputy called a tow truck to take Foster’s car away. And Foster called a friend to please pick him up. Then, it being a cold night, the deputy and Foster sat waiting in the squad car. After the friend drove off with Foster, the deputy spotted a container on the floorboard under where Foster had been sitting. Inside was 1.5 ounces of cocaine. Rather than give chase to find Foster — who knows where he was by then — the deputy went back to the jailhouse and drafted a request for the county attorney to get Foster back before the judge to explain himself.
Henry. A deputy reported finding a small quantity of meth in a traffic stop. A companion, who was driving is being sought for cocaine.