COLUMBUS, Ind. – A narcotics investigation that had been active for several months, ended early Friday morning after a Tippecanoe County man was pulled over in his car by officers from the Columbus Police Department (CPD) Intelligence-Led Policing Unit. Later, a CPD police dog alerted officers to the odor of narcotics in the vehicle.
Officers stopped the car driven by Phillip Rothbauer, 45, of Lafayette, and during a search, they allegedly located syringes, drug paraphernalia, a controlled substance, as well as four pounds of methamphetamine.
The suspect was arrested and transported to Bartholomew County Jail. Rothbauer was booked for dealing in meth, possession of meth, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a legend drug injection device, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Additional charges are possible.
