Felon stopped in texting while driving case found with gun

EAST CHICAGO | An Indiana Harbor man stopped after driving into oncoming traffic admitted to officers that he was texting while driving, but he also was on felony probation and carrying a loaded, stolen handgun and drugs, police said.

Traffic officers reported curbing a black Chevrolet Monte Carlo late Friday after it was observed repeatedly crossing the yellow line in the 5100 block of Indianapolis Boulevard, causing southbound traffic to swerve to avoid a collision.

Mardell Morgan, 20, of the 3800 block of Butternut Street, said he had been sending text messages on his cellphone, but a reported strong odor of marijuana in the vehicle led to a search by officers, and eight bags of suspected cannabis and a .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun were discovered, police said.

At the time, Morgan was on probation for 2009 convictions in Lake Superior Court on robbery and possession of cocaine charges, both felonies, after a more serious count of dealing cocaine was dismissed at the request of the Lake County prosecutor's office.

That probation was revoked on Monday, according to court records.

The Ruger handgun found in his car, loaded with six hollow-point and six full-metal-jacketed rounds, was reported stolen out of Noblesville, Ind., in 2001, police said.

Bond for Morgan, who is in custody at the Lake County Jail, was set at $40,000 through a sealed indictment, labeled "confidential information," for unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. The paperwork was filed by prosecutors on Saturday.

Morgan also faces city charges of unsafe lane movement and disregarding an automatic traffic signal.