March 4,  2024 - Illegal Window Tint Leads to Drug Arrest

By Bo Gill

On March 1, 2024, Bedford County Sheriff Deputy Tylar Prosser was sitting stationary on Evans Street. Deputy Prosser observed a black Ford Fusion pass his location that had illegal window tint on the rear of the vehicle.

At this point, Deputy Prosser got behind the vehicle, and after following the car for a short period of time, made a traffic stop on Fairmont Drive. Before approaching the vehicle, Deputy Prosser noted that the driver did roll the window down. When this was done, the deputy could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car.

Deputy Prosser approached the vehicle from the passenger side and made contact with the driver, Daniel McKenzie Holman, 23, Lucas Road. The odor of marijuana was present inside the vehicle. The deputy advised Mr. Holman for the reason of the traffic stop and stated that he had been stopped for window tint in the past. The deputy then applied the window tint card from the Department of Transportation to check the windows, and the rear windows were confirmed to have a darker tint than the legal limit.

It was at this time that the deputy asked Mr. Holman to step out of the vehicle and wrote him a warning citation for the window tint violation, and he agreed.

While speaking with Mr. Holman, Deputy Prosser asked him if there was any marijuana inside the vehicle, and Mr. Holman quickly stated no and got closer to the deputy. Mr. Holman stated that what the deputy was smelling was from him smoking just before he had left the house. The deputy advised Mr. Holman that he could smell marijuana coming from inside the vehicle, and Mr. Holeman did admit to smoking marijuana, so that gave the deputy probable cause to search the vehicle.

At this point, Mr. Holman got extremely nervous and insisted to the deputy not to search the vehicle. Deputy Prosser asked Mr. Holman how much weed was inside the car, and he stated an ounce. The deputy then asked if anything else was in the vehicle, and Mr. Holeman stated that a pistol was under the seat, but that was all.

Deputy Prosser conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle, and approximately 30.5 g of green marijuana and a loaded Glock 36 handgun were located under the driver's seat.

Mr. Holman was transported to the Bedford County Jail and charged with possession of schedule VI (Intent) and possession of a firearm in association with a dangerous felony. Mr. Holman is being held at the Bedford County Jail on a $30,000 bond.