Police find drugs in car, apartment after traffic stop

VALPARAISO | Three people were arrested Monday night on drug charges after a traffic stop conducted by Valparaiso police.

About 10:30 p.m., police stopped a car on Evans Avenue at Surben Drive. An officer said the driver had rolled through a stop sign on Roosevelt Road at Beech Street.

Police found marijuana and a glass smoking device inside the car. The driver, Nicholas Caniglia, 22, of Valparaiso, was placed under arrest and charged with possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.

In the trunk of the car, police found a rifle and a shotgun.

Also in the car were three other adults and a baby.

The mother of the baby, Becky Malkowski, 21, of Valparaiso, told police she had used marijuana "a few days ago" and said another man in the car, Sunrise Hill, 21, of Valparaiso, had brought marijuana to her apartment just prior to the traffic stop.

Police said because Malkowski admitted to recently using marijuana, they went to her apartment in the 1100 block of Evans Avenue to check the living conditions for her baby.

When police arrived, the baby was lying on the living room floor. They asked if the baby had a place to sleep. As Malkowski took officers to a bedroom, they passed the kitchen where police found the kitchen garbage can overflowing with garbage and the counter and sink area were dirty.

In the bedroom, police found the baby's bassinet was full of clothing, leaving no room for the baby to sleep in it.

In a nearby bathroom, police found a marijuana "grinder" on the floor. Malkowski said it belonged to Hill. Police asked for permission to search the rest of the apartment, and Malkowski agreed.

Police found in a safe an Enfamil baby formula container with 10 grams of marijuana stems inside, a glass jar with 11 grams of marijuana, two glass smoking devices, a digital scale, one Aderall pill and rolling papers.

Both Hill and Malkowski were arrested. The baby's grandmother was called and she took custody of the baby.

Hill was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia. Malkowski was charged with possession of marijuana and maintaining a common nuisance.