Falls Man to Brookfield Cop: 'I'm Not a Bad Person, I Just Smoke a Lot of Pot'

A Menomonee Falls man is facing charges after he allegedly was caught driving under the influence in Brookfield with seven bags of marijuana in his vehicle trunk.

James H. Eckels III, 21, was charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court Wednesday with one count of second offense possession of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

According to the criminal complaint:

Eckels was pulled over by a Brookfield police officer near Sunnyslope Road and Eastmoor Drive at 12:40 a.m. Jan. 25, after he was driving too close to the center line. When he rolled down his window the officer immediately smelled marijuana, but Eckels told the officer he was “crazy” because he doesn’t smoke the drug.

Eckels failed a field sobriety test and was placed under arrest for OWI. The officer searched his car, finding seven bags of marijuana in the truck, weighing a total of 10.53 grams.

Eckels told the officer he purchased the marijuana for personal consumption at a hotel party slated to take place at Days Inn. The officer said Eckels explained that “he’s not a bad person, he just smokes a lot of pot.”

Eckels will make his first court appearance April 2.