Traffic stop leads to child endangerment, drug arrest
Staff writer
A traffic stop Friday morning west of Peabody resulted in the arrests of two people from Elmdale and Emporia on suspicion of drug violations and child endangerment.
At 12:24 a.m., deputy Aaron Slater pulled over a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu on US-50. Deputies Matt Regier and Presley Mabe almost immediately joined him.
Slater had Blue, a department drug dog, sniff the car, and the dog indicated the presence of drugs.
Deputies found 29 grams (enough for five medicinal doses) of methamphetamine, 15 assorted pills containing fentanyl, syringes, and a small amount of marijuana.
Clifford J. Vanderzanden, 45, Elmdale, was booked into jail on suspicion of aggravated child endangerment and possession of methamphetamine.
Kimberly F. Vanderzanden, 22, Emporia, was booked into jail on suspicion of distribution of methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl, paraphernalia, and marijuana, and aggravated child endangerment.
She previously was arrested March 3, 2022, for solicitation to possess a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
On June 10, 2022, she entered a diversion agreement on a charge of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Undersheriff Larry Starkey said the child endangerment charges stemmed from the Vanderzandens having an 11-year-old child in the car. The child was in the company of a 50-year-old adult with the same last name as the child, he said.
The car was released to the occupant not arrested.