Hellertown Borough Garbageman Was Dealing Meth, Police Say

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A Hellertown borough employee is charged with one felony count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance after he allegedly was found with meth and other paraphernalia associated with dealing narcotics in his vehicle upon his arrival at work Thursday morning, Hellertown Police said.

Police said in a news release that Lance Remington Eure, 59, of the 1900 block of Oakhurst Drive, Upper Saucon Township, was arrested in the 100 block of Walnut Street in Hellertown at around 5 a.m.

According to an affidavit of probable cause filed in district court in Lower Saucon Township by arresting Hellertown officer Tim Piotrowski, Eure is an employee of the borough public works department’s “garbage crew.”

After Piotrowski received a tip that Eure was allegedly “in possession of methamphetamine, using methamphetamine and operating under the influence of Oxycodone medication,” he and two police officers identified as officers Connell and Szmodis “waited at the grist mill lot, near the borough gas pumps where the garbage trucks are located.”

The Hellertown borough gas pumps, which are in the area where the borough garbage trucks are parked.

According to the affidavit, shortly after 5 a.m. Eure entered the lot with a male passenger in a maroon 2014 GMC pickup truck.

Piotrowski said he then approached Eure as he got out of the truck to question him about the allegations of drug use.

“Eure stated…that he did take an Oxycontin before coming to work this date,” Piotrowski said, adding that he then administered A.R.I.D.E. field tests to Eure, who allegedly had “eye pupils that were stationary.”

Based on his training, Piotrowski wrote that to him this was an indication that Eure “was under the influence of a narcotic.”

Eure was then taken to Bethlehem Township Police headquarters for a D.R.E. evaluation, and then to St. Luke’s Hospital’s Anderson Campus for a legal blood draw, per the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, an impound inventory of Eure’s truck resulted in the confiscation of “numerous bottles of Oxycontin, a pill container in the passenger’s door containing marijuana, approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine and a digital scale under the driver’s seat and clear plastic baggies on the dashboard.”

Eure is also charged with one misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia, according to court papers.

Following a preliminary arraignment Thursday, Eure was committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $100,000 straight bail, according to police and court records.

A preliminary hearing for Eure is scheduled for Sept. 20 at 3:15 p.m. before District Judge Alan Mege.