Published: October 27, 2009 10:10 am      

Couple arrested for drugs, theft at Walgreens

The Peach Corner was closed Saturday when owner Judy Hicks heard a noisy commotion that led her outside, where she saw a man being handcuffed and a woman run from police.

Hicks said she was making fried apple pies in the back kitchen of the business when a Corbin man and a Lily woman tried to flee Corbin police on foot.

Corbin police were called to the Walgreens Drug Store, 1802 S. Main St., about 7 p.m. after the couple aroused the suspicion of the store’s staff.

A policeman arrived at the store as the man, George K. Jones, 35, exited the store. Police said when Jones saw the officer, he ran toward the Peach Corner.

Hicks said she was in the store’s kitchen with her husband and nephew when they heard a sound she thought was a car alarm. Then each of their cell phones started ringing with reports from concerned family members who had heard the police call on their scanners.

The commotion drew the three outside where Hicks said she saw police handcuffing a man in her store’s parking lot.

After searching Jones, police said they found what is believed to be methamphetamine in his pocket as well as items he shoplifted from the store. Jones admitted to police he intended to make methamphetamine with Sudafed he purchased at the store, police said.

After police handcuffed Jones, the woman, Allison L. Asher, 31, exited the store and also fled on foot, police said. Police found her hiding in bushes behind the store.

Police said the truck the couple drove was stolen and that they found marijuana and drug paraphernalia inside the truck.

Both Jones and Asher were booked into the Whitley County Jail where Jones faces preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, receiving stolen property, fleeing or evading police, public intoxication, shoplifting, resisting arrest and trafficking, according to Whitley County Jail records.

Asher faces preliminary charges of public intoxication, receiving stolen property, possession of methamphetamine and fleeing or evading police as well as charges related to four outstanding warrants, according to police and jail records.

Police said they continue to investigate the truck theft.