Media PSP investigate two-car crash and recover drugs, firearm on 476

When the Media-based Pennsylvania State Police responded to the report of a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 476, they discovered a Buick Lacrosse had struck a tractor trailer. However, the incident panned out to involve a whole lot more.

According to police, on Nov. 8 around 11 p.m., units were dispatched to the area of Interstate 476, to the southbound lanes near mile marker 3.3 in Nether Providence Township, Delaware County for the call of a two vehicle crash. Upon arriving at the scene, PSP said they encountered a Buick vehicle crashed into the trailer of a tractor. The two vehicles were blocking lanes of travel, police said.

As police spoke to the driver of the Buick, they were able to identify the man as Malik Stephon Bell. Bell, 33, of 4600 block of Fairmount Avenue in Philadelphia was found to be driving under a suspended license, police said. Police said that, while Bell said he had dropped his phone while traveling in the right-most lane of Interstate 476 onto the vehicle’s floor. While attempting to search for the phone, Bell said he lost control of his vehicle and it crossed the white-dotted line into the left lane of travel, striking the tractor trailer, police said.

The tractor trailer driver also relayed that the Buick had left its lane of travel, striking his vehicle, according to police.

Police said that Bell said he had not had any alcoholic beverages, but did admit to smoking a “marijuana blunt” three hours prior. He also told police he did have a firearm in the trunk of his vehicle, said police. Police, however, did not find any weapons in the cab nor in the trunk of the vehicle.

Police asked, and Bell consented, for him to conduct field sobriety tests. Police said Bell “displayed signs of impairment during the tests.” A preliminary breath test indicated negative results for alcohol, police said. However, PSP said that Bell had displayed “multiple clues of impairment.” Believing he was under the influence of a controlled substance, police said they took Bell into custody as he could not operate a motor vehicle safely.

Bell was placed under arrest for DUI. While placing him under arrest, police said that an extended magazine fell out of his left sleeve. As bell began to pull his arms away from Troopers, he was later placed in handcuffs, said police.

A search of Bell’s person was conducted, and a trooper noticed “the outline of a firearm in Bell’s pants near his shin,” according to an affidavit by police. Police said that Bell was brought to the ground, while kicking at Troopers, but that they were able to cut his pants to retrieve the firearm.

PSP were able to retrieve and secure the weapon which was a black, Tarus 9mm which was fully loaded with one round in its chamber, police said. In Bell’s back pocket, troopers also reported finding a graphic foil bag labeled “Gelato” that contained suspected marijuana. Police also said they found 13 buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual 8mg/2mg pills. These medications, according to the Kaiser Permanente website, are commonly used for opioid use disorders.

Police said that a review of Bell’s criminal history revealed prior guilty pleas to felony charges including receiving stolen property and carrying a firearm without a license. Police said that these crimes made Bell a person not to possess a firearm.

While police requested that Bell submit to a chemical blood test around 11:48 p.m. at Riddle Hospital, Bell requested to first call a lawyer, which police did not permit. After it was explained, Bell refused to complete the test. He was instead cleared by medical staff and transported back to the PSP Media Barracks for processing.

Bell is facing three felony charges related to the possession of a prohibited firearm, as well as misdemeanor offenses including DUI, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting arrest, among other summary offenses. 

Bell is held in Delaware County Prison’s county jail unable to post a $100,000 bail. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 28 at 8 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Andrew Goldberg.

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.