Snowy Trail Leads Detroit Police to Suspected Gun and Drug Stash, Man Charged

The marks led them directly to a man, a stashed gun, and a sizable stash of drugs. Around 8:08 p.m. on Jan. 15, cops spotted 28-year-old Alonta Jerome Howell zigzagging a gray Nissan Murano into oncoming traffic on Russell Avenue while yakking away on his cell, according to ClickOnDetroit.

The chase was brief but intense, ending when Howell hit a fire hydrant. Abandoning his ride, he left behind a path in the powder that officers were quick to follow, authorities said. A witness reported seeing Howell dash behind a car in a driveway, and a set of fresh tracks subsequently led to a doghouse on Greeley Street, where police would find a Ziploc containing a king's ransom in crystal meth—a whopping 928.6 grams—and a Glock 20 handgun equipped with a "Glock Switch," a device to turn ordinaries into veritables machine guns, as per MLive.

Howell, found lounging on a nearby porch allegedly under the guise of a cigarette break, sported Timberland boots covered in snow. The tread matched the footprints exactly, police remarked. A quick rummage confirmed he had the Nissan's key on him, tying the knot on the day's events. Howell has been charged with a trio of serious offenses: illegal possession of a gun, possession of a machine gun, and the intent to distribute a controlled substance, BNN Breaking News states.