Man charged with drug possession after shooting involving South Bend officer

SOUTH BEND — A 38-year-old man with a criminal history in California faces three charges involving drug possession and intent to distribute after a shooting involving a South Bend Police officer occurred.

The St. Joseph County Prosecutor's office charged Antoine Marques Minor on Sept. 4 with three charges: possession of a narcotic drug-possession of 28 or more grams of narcotic drug (level 3 felony), possession of marijuana (class B misdemeanor) and dealing in marijuana (class A misdemeanor).

On Sunday, Sept. 1, around 4:20 a.m., South Bend Police were called to the area of Washington and Wellington streets on reports of a disturbance and a crowd. An officer on the scene reported shots being fired and fired his department-issued firearm in return, South Bend Police said in a press release.

St. Joseph County Police said ShotSpotter and body camera footage detected the shots. No officers were hurt.

A Mishawaka police investigator said Minor was hospitalized with at least one gunshot wound and is recovering in the hospital.

A 23-year-old woman on the scene had injuries unrelated to gunfire, county police said. Police have not yet determined the cause on her injuries, they said.

The St. Joseph County Police Department and the Mishawaka Police Department took over the case due to an inter-local agreement. The investigation regarding the discharge of the South Bend officer's firearm remains under investigation, county police said. South Bend Police continue to cooperate as investigators review body camera video, witness statements and other evidence.

All findings will be send to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor's office for review, county police said, and they will release information to the public following the investigation. St. Joseph County Police said they can't provide a timeline for in the investigation.

In the investigation regarding the suspect, Minor, a Mishawaka Police investigator said Minor's vehicle was found at the intersection of Washington and Iowa streets. The investigator met with a South Bend Police officer who was with the car and was in possession of a black backpack. The South Bend officer told the investigator that Minor told him there was $5,000 in the backpack, so the officer put the backpack in his patrol vehicle, the investigator's report said.

The investigator claimed that the backpack and the vehicle had an odor of marijuana. A judge granted a search warrant of the vehicle, the investigator said, and a second backpack with black and white stripes was found. Inside both backpacks, the investigator attested to the following findings:

● Minor's California driver's license

● A pill bottle with Minor's name. The investigator deduced the pills were a combination of oxycodone and acetaminophen, known as Percocet. This did not fit the description on the prescription's label, he said. Indiana Poison Control confirmed the investigator's findings. The drug weighed 45 grams.

● A bag containing 11 suspected marijuana of “Fanta Trix” premium cannabis flower. The bag was around 118.8 grams and the contents were confirmed to be marijuana.

● A bag containing 14 suspected marijuana of “Frozen Fruity Pebbles” premium cannabis flower. The bag was around 148.4 grams and the contents were confirmed to be marijuana.

● A digital scale with residual that tested positive for marijuana

● 50 "Double Hommie" empty mylar resealable bags

The investigator said the contents suggest marijuana was possessed with the intent to distribute. He reported that marijuana and oxycodone are being sent to the Indiana State Laboratory to confirm the testing.

In an interview, Minor admitted to one of the backpacks being his and renting the vehicle, the investigator said. Minor told the investigator he flew in from California and does not have ties to the South Bend community.

Minor has a substantial criminal history in the state of California, the St. Joseph County Prosecutor's office said, including convictions of weapons violations, possession of drugs, robbery and discharging a firearm. For this reason, the prosecution said Minor is not eligible for pre-trial release. If the court allows a pre-trial release, the prosecution lists the following considerations: that Minor remain in Indiana, wear a GPS monitoring device and post $50,000 in bail.

According to public court documents, an initial hearing has not yet been set.

Email Tribune staff writer Camille Sarabia at csarabia@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: California man faces drug charges after South Bend shooting