Police: Woman busted for pot had 2 missing kids in back seat of her car

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    YORK, PA (WPMT) — A 43-year-old York woman is facing multiple drug- and traffic-related charges, as well as two counts of endangering the welfare of children, after an arrest Saturday in the vicinity of a Fairview Township motel, police say.

Opal Shay Smeltzer, of the 1500 block of West Philadelphia Street, is charged with fleeing or attempting to elude police, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license is suspended or revoked, careless driving, and interference of custody of children, according to Fairview Township Police.

Police say two officers on foot patrol in the vicinity of a Motel 6 on the 200 block of Commerce Drive at about 10:15 a.m. Saturday noted that one of the motel’s doors was open, and a woman, later identified as Smeltzer, was walking away from it. The officers noticed the strong smell of marijuana coming from the room, which was otherwise empty, according to the criminal complaint affidavit.

Smeltzer quickly got into her car and accelerated rapidly through the parking lot, police say. One officer entered a police vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Smeltzer ignored police lights and sirens and continued driving, according to police.

The officer followed the vehicle until it stopped at Steigerwalt Hollow Road and Lewisberry road, where police initiated a traffic stop. They discovered the two children, who were listed as missing and endangered out of York, in Smeltzer’s back seat.

Police did not say how Smeltzer was associated with the children in the complaint affidavit.

The officer then returned to the motel, where police learned Smeltzer had just checked out prior to the incident. A search of the room revealed two marijuana blunts in plain view, along with additional pieces of marijuana, police say.

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