On December 4th, 2023, at approximately 12:00am, a Village of Lake Hallie Police Officer was on routine patrol when he observed an older model black pickup around E. Melby St/109th Street stopping momentarily in the roadway. The officer did not recognize the truck as being associated to any of the closed businesses in that area. The officer learned the registered owner had a warrant for their arrest. The officer stopped the truck at 18th Ave/ S. Prairie View Rd. The officer observed between 10-20 vehicle brake rotors and a large commercial type truck’s catalytic converter in the open cargo box of the pickup truck. The occupants of the vehicle gave conflicting statements to the officer.
The driver was identified as Jerry Lee Van Cannon (57 YOA Janesville). Throughout the vehicle contact, the officer observed signs that Van Cannon was under the influence of controlled substances. Van Cannon voluntarily submitted to field sobriety tests which he failed and was arrested for OWI -4th Offense. The front seat passenger was identified as Scott A. Erickson (56 YOA Eau Claire). The registered owner, Jodie Hoover (57 YOA Eau Claire), and James Thomas Brown (41 YOA Eau Claire) were seated in the backseat of the vehicle. A search of Brown’s person revealed a can of OC spray, vial with residue, blue rubber band tourniquets and Visa debit card in another individual’s name.
A search of the vehicle revealed a black bag with identification belonging to Erickson with a baggie with suspected methamphetamine inside and a glass, multicolored pipe with suspected marijuana residue and a pill container with a bud of suspected marijuana. Additionally, an orange glass straw with suspected methamphetamine residue, a blue drill bit case was located with three cut straws with suspected methamphetamine residue and three glass pipes with suspected methamphetamine residue and a bubble type methamphetamine pipe with burnt residue was located. In the rear seat, a purse with identification belonging to Hoover inside was located with a red, metal straw with suspected methamphetamine residue and a loaded syringe.
Erickson, Hoover, and Brown were placed under arrest for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia while Van Cannon was arrested for OWI-4th and Possession of Methamphetamine. Van Cannon was transported to the hospital for a legal blood draw. All four subjects were taken to the Chippewa County Jail for processing.
