Many things can lead to a driver being pulled over for a traffic stop. However, expired car tags are one of the biggest reasons. This happened recently in Tennessee, and the police on the scene found much more than they had anticipated. Now, the driver and two passengers are facing severe penalties. 

This recent traffic stop will have a drastic impact on the lives of 3 people 

According to WKRN, police officers in Nashville, Tennessee, spotted a gray H3 Hummer with expired car tags and window tint that went against guidelines. Of course, this led the officers to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle. Apparently, a “large cloud of marijuana smoke” escaped from the car once the driver rolled down the window.

During the traffic stop, the police officer asked the three people inside the vehicle how much marijuana they had. The driver, Erik Martinez-Valdez, 20, and the front seat passenger, Lisa Nguyen, 22, both said there was a gram of weed in the Hummer. The person in the backseat, Pedro Leon-Ramires, 20, failed to provide an answer. 

The traffic stop intensified when the officer noticed a gun near the front seat passenger. This led to the detainment of the three people and a search of the vehicle. They found cash, with $520 belonging to the driver and $1,490 belonging to the person in the backseat. The search also uncovered the following items: 

• 440 grams of weed inside 26 individual bags
• 10 grams of THC vape liquid
• 20 grams of powder that tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl 
• A loaded pistol with 30 rounds of ammo

Of course, they were charged after the traffic stop. First, the driver did not have a license. He is also facing various drug charges and has a $125,000 bond. The front seat passenger has drug and gun charges. Her bond is $41,000. The backseat passenger has drug charges, and his bond is $66,500. All three were taken to the Metro jail.