(La Porte, IN) - A quick thinking police officer at a LaPorte shopping center wound up arresting a driver for allegedly having narcotics along with his female passenger wanted in another state.

 

Charles Gross, 44, of Argos is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 6 felony possession of methamphetamine.

 

 

Lisa Miller, 56, of South Bend is being held in the La Porte County Jail without bond for authorities in Arkansas where she has a warrant for her arrest on an undisclosed offense.

 

According to court documents, a La Porte Police officer early on September 5 spotted the driver of a car parked at Maple Lane Mall speaking with a known female homeless drug user next to his vehicle.

 

The driver later identified as Gross pulled away while Miller returned to where she appeared to be staying underneath the canopy outside an empty section of the mall.

 

Police said the officer went after Gross and during a traffic stop located on the floorboard a tin container with .17 grams of methamphetamine in it.

 

The warrant for Miller turned up during a computer check.

 

According to court records, police received conflicting stories ranging from Gross receiving money for gas and cigarettes from the homeless woman to him offering her work.

 

He denied selling any of the illegal drugs to her, police said.

 

According to court records, Gross used to live in Rolling Prairie and has a past theft conviction in La Porte County.

 

Other previous cases like possession of methamphetamine and burglary in local courts were dismissed because of issues over his mental competency, according to court records.