A traffic stop on Interstate 80 in Shalersville Township ended with Portage County deputies pulling a backpack full of fentanyl out of a vehicle’s spare tire compartment, according to law enforcement. Two men from Michigan were taken to the sheriff’s office after the Wednesday stop, where deputies say they found a stash that included the drugs, a digital scale, and sandwich baggies. Authorities have referred the case to the Drug Enforcement Administration for possible federal prosecution.
The stop and what deputies say
Local reporting says deputies with the P.A.C.E. unit initiated the traffic stop on I-80 in Shalersville Township on Wednesday for misdemeanor violations and, with the driver’s consent, searched the vehicle. Investigators reported seeing indicators of criminal activity that prompted a deeper inspection and the discovery of a backpack hidden under the spare tire. The reporting notes that both individuals were transported to the Portage County Sheriff’s Office and that the investigation remains active, with federal partners set to be involved.
What deputies found
Officials say the backpack contained fentanyl, a digital scale, and sandwich baggies, items investigators commonly associate with packaging for distribution. An evidence log attached to the sheriff’s social post lists the fentanyl at 242.02 grams, roughly half a pound, and the office posted photos of the seizure alongside its update.
Suspects and next steps
Local coverage identifies the driver as Kevin Hawkins, 38, of Detroit, and the passenger as Luther Hunter, 33, of Southfield, Michigan. Both were transported to the sheriff’s office following the stop. Authorities say the case will be referred to federal partners for review, with the Drug Enforcement Administration expected to consider possible charges.
Turnpike interdiction is part of a pattern
Portage County’s P.A.C.E. unit has increasingly focused on east-west corridors like the Turnpike and I-80 to intercept large shipments. A separate traffic stop earlier this month in Shalersville also turned up multiple bags of fentanyl and led to a federal referral. Deputies and the sheriff’s office have repeatedly pointed to those interdictions as a reason for heightened patrols on the interstate system.
Why it matters
Fentanyl is extremely potent and has driven much of the recent rise in overdose deaths nationwide, a reality public-health and law-enforcement officials cite when describing the stakes of such seizures. Seizures remove dangerous products from circulation, but experts say interdiction must sit alongside treatment, harm-reduction, and other public-health measures to blunt the broader crisis.
The sheriff’s post included a brief line, “I knew better than to be in Portage County,” underscoring the office’s public messaging about interdiction along major highways. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Portage County Sheriff’s Office.
