September 30, 2015
By Paul Joseph, Paragon News Director –
Two Elk City men are in the Beckham County Detention Center awaiting court dates on drug possession charges.
29-year-old Darrell Duane Whitt, Junior and 25-year-old Andrew Ernest Gillihan, Junior were picked up recently by Elk City police after a witness warned police of a possible drug transaction.
According to a police report, Whitt and Gillihan matched the description of the caller and were found walking in the area of 2nd and Randall. When they were approached by police, they ignored officer’s commands to stop. One was trying to get something out of his pocket while the other began to run away from officers, but officers were able to detain both men.
Whitt and Gillihan were both found to have hypodermic syringes in their possession. Gillihan additionally was found with a scale and a lighter and the bottom of a soda can that had been cut. He told police he’d found the items.
Whitt had been arrested and told to lie on the ground. Also found near Whitt was a small cloth bag laying on the grass only a few feet away. Inside, it contained a white crystal substance. Whitt told the officers that he didn’t know what it was, but that he was trying to “buy.” He also said he “didn’t get any, yet.”
A search of a nearby building provided officers with a white piece of paper laying on the ground where Gillihan had ran. It contained a white crystal substance.
After police arrived at the police department, they found a plastic bag contining more crystal substance located in the seat where Whitt had been sitting. The substances and the syringes tested positive for Methamphetamine.
Gillihan is charged with obstruction, unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. Whitt’s charged with possession of a CDS and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Both men have preliminary hearings on Tuesday, October 27 in district court.
