COVINGTON, Ga. - After being spotted texting while driving, a local driver was transported to the Newton County Jail on drug charges when Covington Police Department Officer Kevin Thompson noticed an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle during the traffic stop. 

According to the incident report, Thompson was on patrol on Sterling Lakes Drive when he noticed a driver "holding a cell phone and appeared to be manipulating it."  He followed the vehicle onto Flat Shoals Road before conducting a traffic stop in the Affordable Tire parking lot. 

The driver, identified as Dimenyon Gotel, "admitted that he was texting on his cell phone," according to the report. 

Thompson reported noticing a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle while he was talking with Gotel. According to the report, "Gotel state that there may be a little amount of marijuana in the floorboard" and Thompson began searching the vehicle. 

"I told him that if there was anything in the vehicle he should let me know because I would find it anyways," Thompson reported. 

Gotel then told the officer of a jar containing marijuana in the car's center console and Thompson reported finding a mason jar containing suspected marijuana and a black scale. Also in the vehicle, Thompson reported locating a black bag containing a large plastic bag of suspected marijuana. 

Gotel was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and holding/supporting a telecommunication device. 

According to the report the combined weight of the marijuana totaled more than 2 ounces.