Driver's appointment with police ends with his arrest

A 19-year-old Houston man who had arranged to meet a Katy police officer to retrieve his misplaced driver's license ended up under arrest after the officer smelled the odor of burning marijuana coming from his vehicle.

The two had arranged a rendezvous about 3:15 p.m. March 15 in the parking lot of Katy Mills mall. The marijuana smell led to a search of the man's vehicle, where the officer found a glass pipe and pot residue.

Matthew Milford, 19, of Houston, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and taken to the Katy Police Department. Asst. Police Chief Tim Tyler said the Katy officer had the driver's license in connection with a previous case.

Police also arrested a 20-year-old Katy man for Class A misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance about 10:30 p.m. March 14, after drug-sniffing dogs helped find cocaine in his vehicle.

According to the police report, a driver appeared nervous during a routine traffic stop at the corner of East Avenue and 5th Street. The K-9 unit was called in after a subsequent computer check revealed a "previous drug history," said Tyler.

The officer found a plastic baggie with a "white-colored substance" that tested positive for cocaine. Dimitrios Giannakopoulos, 20, of Katy, was taken to the Harris County jail.

A 23-year-old Katy man was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia about 3 p.m. March 15 after police observed what appeared to be marijuana residue in his vehicle during a traffic stop in the 5000 block of East 3rd Street.

During a search of the vehicle, the officer found a grinder and a glass pipe under the driver's seat.

David Byargeon was taken to the Katy Police Department.