On Sunday, January 26, Paris Police officers arrested Darcie Williams Higbee, 72, of Jacksonville, following a traffic stop in the 2300 block of N. Main Street. Officers initiated the stop for a moving violation and noted Higbee appeared nervous, twitching, and unable to remain still during the encounter.
For medical evaluation and officer safety, Higbee was removed from the vehicle. She denied using drugs or alcohol but was unable to complete field sobriety tests satisfactorily, leading to her arrest for Driving While Intoxicated.
A subsequent search of her vehicle uncovered marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and multiple firearms. Higbee initially consented to a blood draw but later withdrew her consent. While being transported to a medical facility, officers discovered narcotics in the prisoner area of the vehicle. A review of the patrol car's video footage revealed Higbee had removed the narcotics from her pants and discarded them on the floor.
After obtaining a search warrant for a blood draw, officers also uncovered Higbee’s prior felony conviction during a criminal history check. She now faces multiple charges, including Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tampering with Evidence, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Driving While Intoxicated, and Possession of Marijuana.
Higbee was processed without further incident.
