On Wednesday, July 17th, 2024 at approximately 1805 hours Sr. Trooper J.D Richards was conducting mobile road patrol while approaching the Town of Grantsville from the south headed northbound on South Calhoun Highway when he observed a silver in color, SUV approach the traffic light intersection in the center of town from East Little Kanawha Highway and go straight through the flashing red light without slowing or stopping.
Sr. Trooper Richards got behind the vehicle, now headed west bound on Little Kanawha Highway and initiated the overhead light to performa a traffic stop on the vehicle. The vehicle stopped in front of Walgreens in Grantsville.
The trooper made contact with the driver about why he had made the traffic stop. The driver, identified has Jody Alan Bartram stated that he did not have a driver’s license. When Sr. Trooper Richards asked him if there was anything illegal in the vehicle Mr. Bartram handed the trooper his smoking apparatus with whit residue on the inside of it, referring to it as a “Meth Pipe”. Mr. Bartram handed the apparatus to this Trooper by reaching inside of the glove box and pulling it out.
The officer ran Mr. Bartram’s information through WV DMV record and found that his license to operate amotor vehicle was Revoked for DUI with a previous conviction of Driving Revoked for DUI on 01/20/2024. Mr. Bartram was most recently Revoked for Driving under the influence with an effective date of 05/10/2011.
Following this Trooper Richards asked Mr. Bartram to step out of the vehicle where he was placed under arrest for Driving while revoked for DUI (Second Offense) and Failure to obey a traffic control device. After Bartram was place into the cruiser, Richards searched the glovebox in the vehicle which Mr. Bartram had puled the “Meth Pipe” from. Upon searching, this Trooper found a plastic baggie with a white crystal and powder substance inside. This Trooper, through training and experience, identified the substance to likely be Methamphetamine. Mr. Bartram was mirandized and asked about the substance. Mr. Bartram stated that it was his.
Later the baggie of white crystalline substance was weighed and found it to be 1.78 grams.
Jody Alan Bartram was charged with:
- 17C-03-04 – Failure to obey traffic control device
- 60A-04-401(c) – Possession o f Controiled Substance to-wit: Methamphetamine
- 17B-04-03(b) – Driving while Revoked for DUl (2ND OFFENSE)
He was taken the West Virginia Central Regional Jail where he is currently being held to await trial. Bond was set at $10,000 cash or surety.
