A pair of women were arrested on drug charges after officers found glass pipes in both of their backpacks.
An officer stopped 43-year-old Ashley Marie Flanders of Clearwater and 40-year-old Heather Nicole Hersh of Wildwood in a silver Audi 3 on Missouri Avenue around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, according to an arrest report from the Wildwood Police Department. Not only was the vehicle’s registration tag expired as of June 2025, but Flanders had not come to a complete stop at the intersection of Georgia Street and Old Wire Road.
A K-9 unit was then asked to come to the traffic stop and positively alerted to the odor of narcotics. A search of the vehicle followed, revealing a blue and white backpack in the center console. Inside was a blue floral-print bag containing a clear glass pipe with burnt residue on the end, the report said.
The officers also found a green backpack on the passenger’s side floorboard. It contained a white and maroon bag with another burnt clear glass pipe. A cellophane bag of 0.09 grams of methamphetamine was discovered, as well, the report said.
Flanders later claimed that she had been told by a friend that Hersh was homeless and in need of a warm place to stay. She picked up Hersh from a residence on Lake Street and proceeded to drive to the nearest smoke shop to buy a vape. This was the only time she did not have her blue and white backpack with her, and she denied ownership of the pipe later found inside, the report said.
Hersh made claims of her own, stating the green backpack did not belong to her despite a rainbow print wallet with her ID being inside it. She believed her ID card had been stolen by Flanders, the report said.
Flanders was still charged with possession of drug equipment and failure to register a motor vehicle. She was transported to the Sumter County Detention Center and released after posting $1,250 bond.
Hersh was arrested on charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug equipment. The Pennsylvania native was taken to the detention center with bond set at $3,500.