Cops Say Defendant Left Coke in Squad Car

East Hampton Village police said a defendant left drugs in the police unit he was being transported in on lesser charges on Sunday.

An officer first approached Darius Z. Petty, 21, of East Hampton, for drinking a bottle of beer outside of at about 12:45 a.m., police said in his arrest report. "When asked what he was doing he stated he just got out of the vehicle and was going to the ," police said.

Police said that when they stopped the vehicle to ask the female driver if she had dropped Petty off, there was a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car. Petty said he had smoked earlier that night, according to police.

The woman agreed to let police search the car when asked. Police said they found a plastic bag of marijuana and a black bag with a small baggy of marijuana along with two small digital scales and two Ziploc bags filled with small baggies in the back left seat of the car.

Petty told officers the marijuana was his and he was arrested. They transported him in a squad car to headquarters.

He was released on $25 station-house bail and given an appearance ticket to report to on Aug. 15. He was released at 1:55 a.m.

At 2:30 a.m., police conducted a search of the squad car and discovered two small red baggies of cocaine. They said the bags were not there before Petty was placed in the vehicle or at the beginning of the shift when it was checked.

Petty faces charges of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor, and unlawful possession of marijuana and possession of an open alcoholic beverage, both violations, police said.

The driver was not charged.