Two Teenagers Charged With Drug Possession, Underage Drinking

The Bernards Township Police Department arrested 19-year-olds Marc Burns and Andrew Madden on charges of drug possession earlier this month.

Officer William Seiple observed a 2003 Ford Wagon on Brookside Avenue the evening of July 6, and noticed that the rear driver-side blinker was not operational on the vehicle, according to a statement from police.

A New Jersey DMV license plate look up indicated that the vehicle's registration had expired on June 30, 2010. Seiple conducted a motor vehicle stop on Rt.202. He approached the vehicle and observed two cases of beer in the cargo area of the vehicle, police said.

 Seiple made contact with the driver, Andrew Madden, and determined that no one in the vehicle was old enough to possess alcohol, police said. Seiple spoke to a rear seat passenger who told him that just prior to being pulled over, Madden placed a jar containing marijuana in a gym bag that was on the seat, police said. The passenger was the owner of the bag and agreed to allow Seiple to search the bag, in Seiple  he found the marijuana, according to the police statement.

Also recovered from the vehicle was a scale with marijuana residue on it, a marijuana grinder with marijuana residue, a pack of rolling papers, and a partially consumed bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey, police said.

The driver, Madden, was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, possession of drug paraphernalia, underage possession of alcohol, having an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, and maintenance of lamps.

The passenger, Marc Burns, was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and underage consumption of alcohol.

Two other passengers were not charged in the incident.