Davis police arrested a father of three Monday after he allegedly smoked marijuana while driving with his children inside the vehicle.
Lt. Ton Phan said a witness called police at about 10:30 a.m. to report what appeared to be a man smoking a marijuana pipe inside a minivan in the area of Third and F streets, then driving away. Officers who were in the area spotted the van nearby and made a traffic stop, discovering three children — ages 6, 5 and 2 — inside the vehicle.
Joseph William Slichter, 32, of Davis, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, driving on a suspended license and willful cruelty to a child, Phan said. The children’s mother also was inside the vehicle, but a relative reportedly arrived on scene and retrieved them.
“This arrest might have not occurred if the citizen had not called in their observation of suspicious/criminal behavior,” Phan said. “In order to reduce crime in our community, it requires a partnership between the Police Department and citizens. We are thankful for this citizen’s report to the police department.”