Local Man Busted With ‘Safe’ Of Drugs

Robert Moore
Herald Staff
rmoore@harrodsburgherald.com

A Harrodsburg man is under arrest after police say several items were found in his vehicle, including a loaded handgun and a safe containing approximately 12 grams of a substance suspected to be methamphetamine.

The story begins on Monday, Aug. 7, at approximately 1:15 a.m., according to a Facebook post by the Harrodsburg Police Department. Patrolman Hunter Kelly stopped a gray 2002 Dodge Dakota traveling north on South College Street. According to the uniform citation, Kelly observed the Dodge strike the fog line in the right lane, swap lines and cross the median on the left side of the road.

The driver, subsequently identified as Phillip Ward Chumley, 61, of Harrodsburg, consented to a search of his vehicle, according to the citation. Kelly first located a “marijuana roach” in the Dodge before finding a safe. Inside the safe police found “approximately 12 grams of methamphetamine, several THC Carts and a large amount of distribution baggies and a digital scale.” They also found a loaded handgun near the driver’s seat “with a bullet in the chamber” as well as ammunition in the safe, according to the uniform citation. A large amount of US currency was also discovered inside the vehicle, according to the Facebook post.

Chumley was arrested and lodged in the Boyle County Detention Center, where he is being held on a $10,000 bond. The charges against him include careless driving, 1st degree trafficking in methamphetamine, trafficking in synthetic drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to court documents, Chumley was arraigned Monday, Aug. 7, in Mercer District Court, where he pleaded not guilty. Counsel was appointed for his defense. Chumley returns to court for a pretrial hearing on Tuesday, Aug. 17, at 1:30 p.m.

Patrolman Hunter Kelly (HPD) is the arresting officer, with assistance from Cpl. Ridge Yeast and Patrolwoman Erin Rice.