Former Chowan official charged

Gardner arrested on three drug charges

A former Chowan County commissioner has been arrested on drug charges.

William Badham Gardner Jr., 43, of 141 Paris Trail, Edenton, was arrested Oct. 8 and charged with felony possession of cocaine and misdemeanor possession of marijuana, according to an arrest report.

Chowan County Sheriff Dwayne Goodwin said Friday that a sheriff’s deputy pulled Gardner’s car over after the deputy suspected the driver of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

According to the arrest report, Deputy Larry Ambrose stopped Gardner’s car on Country Club Drive just before 11 p.m.

Goodwin said Ambrose found a white, powdery substance in Gardner’s car. The deputy also found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.

Gardner was charged with felony possession of schedule II of a controlled substance (cocaine), misdemeanor possession of schedule I of a controlled substance (marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the report.

Gardner also was apparently in possession of a handgun when his car was stopped, according to the report. He was not charged for having the weapon, however.

The white substance found in Gardner’s car has been turned over to the State Bureau of Investigation for analysis, Goodwin said.

Gardner was released on a $1,000 unsecured bond.

A probable cause hearing will be held in Chowan District Court on Oct. 27, according to Chowan County Clerk of Court Mike McArthur.

A spokeswoman at Gardner’s place of employment, the Farm Bureau of Chowan County, said on Friday that Gardner was no longer employed there. Calls to Gardner’s residence went unanswered Friday.

Gardner served on the Chowan Board of Commissioners from 2004 to 2008, holding the board’s Seat 1 in District 2. He was defeated in his bid for re-election during the May 2008 Republican primary by current Board of Commissioners Chairman Eddie Goodwin.

Commissioner C. Louis Belfield, who served with Gardner on the board, said he had no comment when reached Friday afternoon.

Other commissioners who served with Gardner couldn’t be reached.