Suspicious vehicle tip leads to recovered firearm

Phillip Cochran
Phillip Cochran

Tips about a suspicious vehicle parked in Columbus led to the arrest of two people and the recovery of a stolen gun.

Officers were called after a resident reported a suspicious vehicle stopped in the 3700 block of Arapahoe Drive Friday evening. When officers talked to the driver, he allegedly tried to hide an eyeglasses case between the vehicle’s seats, says Lt. Matt Harris, spokesman for the police department.

Christina Ramey
Christina Ramey

When police searched the eyeglasses case, they allegedly found wax marijuana. The driver, 38-year old Phillip M. Cochran of North Vernon was also allegedly carrying a suboxone strip, which is a controlled substance. He was arrested and  officers searched the car and passengers. 42-year-old Christina A. Ramey of Columbus was allegedly carrying a syringe.

And when officers finished searching the car, they found more drugs, drug paraphernalia and two guns, one of which had been reported stolen in Bartholomew County, Harris said.

Cochran was arrested on preliminary charges of Two Counts of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Cocaine, Three Counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Legend Drug Smoking Device,  Two Counts of Possession of a Legend Drug, Theft/Receiving Stolen Firearm, Two Counts of Carrying a Handgun without a License, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Ramey was arrested on a preliminary charge of Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device.