Highlands NJ Traffic Stop Drug Arrest — It started with a simple traffic violation on a rainy afternoon, but it ended with handcuffs and a trip to the county jail. A routine patrol on Route 36 in Highlands, New Jersey, quickly escalated when an officer recognized a passenger in the front seat.
What looked like a standard warning for a failure to signal turned into a tense roadside investigation involving known narcotics associates, a denied consent search, and a hidden warrant.
This Evidence Decode investigation breaks down exactly how one wrong turn exposed a fugitive passenger.
Table of Contents
Watch: Highlands NJ Traffic Stop Drug Arrest Caught on Camera
Note: Pay close attention to the timestamp at 00:08:41 in the transcript. This is the moment the situation shifts from a traffic ticket to a criminal investigation as the officer confronts the passenger about the “crack pipe” found during the arrest.
Full Story: How the Incident Unfolded
The incident began on May 11, 2023, at approximately 3:39 PM. Officer Kevin O’Donnell of the Highlands Police Department was patrolling North Ocean Blvd when he spotted a gold Toyota Camry.
The driver, identified as Michelle Markowitz, made a left turn into the Quick Chek parking lot without using her signal. She then exited onto State Route 36, again failing to signal properly.
Officer O’Donnell activated his lights and pulled the vehicle over at the CVS on Route 36.
The Initial Confrontation
Officer O’Donnell approached the vehicle and requested documents. He immediately identified the passengers: Gregory Decher in the back seat and Valerie Papalia in the front passenger seat.
The police report notes that Officer O’Donnell was already familiar with Papalia, recognizing her as a “narcotic user”.
He asked Markowitz to step out of the vehicle. When asked where they were coming from, Markowitz claimed they were visiting a friend named “Dennis Plaia”. The officer noted in his report that Plaia is a “known narcotics dealer and user”.
The Denied Search
Suspicious of the situation, Officer O’Donnell asked Markowitz for consent to search her vehicle. She denied the request.
In the transcript, the tension is palpable. The officer asks, “Would you give me consent to search your vehicle for narcotics?” Markowitz refuses, saying, “I don’t want to give up”.
However, the officer’s flashlight caught something else. He observed a pill on the rear floorboard. Markowitz retrieved it, and the officer placed it on the trunk for inspection.
The Warrant Drop
While the pill investigation was underway, dispatch returned with critical information. Valerie Papalia, the front passenger, had active warrants.
She had an outstanding NCIC warrant from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and an ACS warrant from Atlantic Highlands for $503.00.
Officer O’Donnell returned to the car. He advised Papalia she was under arrest. “You wanted by the county,” he told her.
The Discovery
Papalia was removed from the car and handcuffed. During the search incident to arrest, officers checked her pockets.
In her right pant pocket, Officer O’Donnell found a “clear burnt glass pipe with chore boy in it”. The police report states this type of pipe is “commonly used to ingest crack cocaine”.
Papalia became emotional, realizing she was going to jail. “I love you babe,” she told her companions, worried about bail money. The officer assured them, “I ain’t going to talk to this on the line,” referring to additional scrutiny, and focused only on the warrant and the pipe.
The Arrest: Charges Against Valerie Papalia
While the driver was released with a traffic summons, the passenger faced serious consequences. Below is the breakdown of the charges filed against Valerie Papalia.
| Charge | Simple Explanation | Potential Penalty (US) |
| Possession of Drug Paraphernalia | Caught with a pipe used for smoking illegal substances (Crack Cocaine). | Up to 6 months jail / $1,000 fine (NJ). |
| Contempt of Court (Warrant) | Failure to appear or pay fines for previous crimes (NCIC & ACS warrants). | Immediate detention until bail/court. |
Note: The driver, Michelle Markowitz, was issued a summons for “Failure to Signal Turn” and released from the scene.
Legal Analysis: Was the Highlands NJ Traffic Stop Drug Arrest Justified?
1. The Traffic Stop (Fourth Amendment)
The initial stop was legally sound. Under the Fourth Amendment, police only need “reasonable suspicion” of a traffic violation to pull a car over.
Here, Officer O’Donnell observed the Toyota Camry fail to use a turn signal twice—once entering Quick Chek and once entering Route 36. This gave him the legal authority to stop the car and check the driver’s documents.
2. The Request to Search
Officers are allowed to ask for consent to search a vehicle, even without a warrant. Markowitz exercised her rights and said “No”.
Normally, the stop would end there unless the officer had “probable cause.” In this Highlands NJ Traffic Stop Drug Arrest, the officer spotted a pill in “plain view” on the floorboard. The Plain View Doctrine allows officers to seize evidence of a crime they can see from a legal vantage point.
3. Search Incident to Arrest
The most critical legal element here is the warrant. Once the radio dispatch confirmed Papalia had an active arrest warrant, the officer had the authority to arrest her.
When a suspect is lawfully arrested, police are permitted to perform a “Search Incident to Arrest” of the person’s body to ensure officer safety and preserve evidence. This legal protocol is what led to the discovery of the glass pipe in her pocket.
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5 FAQs connected to the charges and legal situations in this case
Is failing to use a turn signal a valid reason for a police stop?
Yes. In the US, a “failure to signal” is a moving violation that gives police the legal authority (probable cause) to pull a vehicle over. In this case, the officer observed the driver fail to signal twice—once turning into a parking lot and again when merging onto Route 36. Even minor traffic infractions allow officers to detain the vehicle and check the driver’s documents.
What happens if a passenger has an active warrant during a traffic stop?
If an officer runs a check on a passenger and discovers an active warrant (like an NCIC or ACS warrant), they are legally required to arrest that individual. In this incident, the passenger had two outstanding warrants: one from the County Prosecutor and one for unpaid fines ($503.00). The existence of the warrant automatically leads to an arrest, regardless of whether the passenger committed a new crime during the stop.
Can police search your pockets without a search warrant?
Yes, but only under specific circumstances. This is called a “Search Incident to Arrest”. Once the officer placed the passenger under arrest for her active warrants, he had the legal right to search her person (including her pockets) for weapons or contraband without needing a separate search warrant. This search is how the officer discovered the glass pipe.
What constitutes “Drug Paraphernalia” in this case?
Under the law applied here, everyday items can be charged as paraphernalia if they are modified or used for drugs. The officer found a “clear burnt glass pipe with chore boy in it”. The police report explicitly notes that a glass pipe in this condition is “commonly used to ingest crack cocaine,” which justified the charge of “Use/Possess w/Intent to Use Drug Paraphernalia”.
Can a driver refuse a vehicle search during a traffic stop?
Yes. A driver has the right to deny consent to search their vehicle, as the driver did in this case. When the officer asked for consent, the driver said “No”. Because she refused, the officer could not search the entire car immediately; however, he was still allowed to investigate items he could see in “plain view,” such as the pill on the floorboard.
Conclusion & Current Status
The Highlands NJ Traffic Stop Drug Arrest concluded with the separation of the group. Michelle Markowitz was released at the scene with her traffic ticket.
Valerie Papalia was transported to Highlands Police Headquarters for processing. She was subsequently transferred to the Monmouth County Correctional Institute by the Sheriff’s Office to await a hearing on her warrants and the new paraphernalia charge.
The “burnt glass pipe” was logged into evidence as Property Number 23HLP0155. The suspected pill found on the floorboard was inspected but did not result in additional narcotics charges at the scene.
Download Police Report click here.
Disclaimer: All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This report is based on official police records.
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