It was just after five o'clock in the morning on Thursday when 57-year-old Christian Nielsen arrived at the JFK Highway Barrack in Cecil County to help out a friend in need---a friend who Maryland State Police had arrested on a charge of driving while impaired by a controlled, dangerous substance a few hours earlier.
Even though police were releasing the suspect, policy dictates you can't just walk out of the barrack on your own.
"You can't Uber yourself home,” said Ron Snyder of the Maryland State Police, “You can't take a taxi home. You can't take an MVA home. You have to be released to a friend or a family member with a valid driver’s license."
That proved to be the first problem.
Nielsen had a suspended license and there was a bench warrant for his arrest for failing to appear in court in Baltimore County.
Troopers then arrested him, and there was more.
"After that, a subsequent search of him found drugs and drug paraphernalia on his person," added Snyder.
According to charging documents, during the search, a brown glass smoking device fell from Nielsen's pocket and then troopers discovered a black, plastic case in his pocket that contained five small plastic vials containing a white, powdery substance believed to be crack cocaine.
If you're wondering why a friend would drive with drugs to pick up a suspected drugged driver, state police say he didn't.
It appears he was smart enough to get an Uber to drive him to the barrack, just not wise enough to leave his illegal stash behind.
