Brown County

District Court

Austin J. Brandes, 20, 43424 553rd Lane, Courtland, was charged Thursday with two counts of felony 5th-degree drug possession-not small amount of marijuana, misdemeanor underage drinking and driving; and liquor possession by person under 21.

According to court documents, New Ulm Police were performing stationary radar on 7th St. North near the Front St. exits at 2:12 a.m., Dec. 5, 2015 when a small, silver/tan SUV was observed eastbound on 7th North traveling at 51 mph in a 45 mph zone. Police noticed the SUV had no working license plate light as it passed by.

Police stopped the SUV near the Highway 14/15 (Y) intersection, identified the driver as Brandes, who appeared lethargic with heavy eyelids, slow speech, bloodshot eyes and a mild odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from inside the vehicle. Police observed two open cases of beer cans in the back of the vehicle and 18 unopened cans in the vehicle.

Brandes admitted he was underage and had consumed beer earlier. A Preliminary Breath Test from Brandes rad .046. Police searched the vehicle and found a large wad of cash in a sandwich baggie inside the driver’s door and a brown tin with the word “drugs” scratched on it behind the money.

Also written on the box was “super power box” and “chop ’em up.” Inside the tin was a small container of razor blades, a small piece of a pen tube with a white, powdery residue, hotel card key, two loose razor blades, and a baggie with eight pills inside. The baggie had four blue tablets marked “b 972′ on one side and “10” on the other and four capsules marked “M. Amphet Salts 15 mg. Police used a squad car computer to determine that the tablets were 10 and 15 mg of amphetamine.

Brandes denied selling the pills after being questioned about the large amount of money. He later admitted the pills were his for personal use.