Man waiting to take driver’s test arrested after instructor smells weed coming from car

A Maryland man was arrested after state police said drugs and a gun were found in the car he was going to use to take his driver’s test. Officials said Reginald Wooding Jr., 22, was next in line to take his driver’s test at a state Department of Transportation facility when an examiner told a trooper she thought she smelled marijuana coming from the car. Maryland State Police spokesman Greg Shipley said Wooding was using his mother’s car for the test and that he voluntarily handed over a small bag of marijuana. "That led to a further search of the vehicle. The trooper recovered almost a pound of marijuana, more than $15,000 in suspected drug-related money, a loaded handgun with a 30-round magazine that was in the glove box," Shipley said. Wooding was arrested on multiple charges, including engaging in a drug-trafficking crime while transporting a firearm, possessing a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. He was arrested before taking the exam. Shipley thanked the driver’s test examiner for taking action. "An alert state employee who did the right thing," Shipley said. Wooding was released on a $7,500 unsecured bond. It has not been determined if his mother will face any charges. According to online court records, Wooding has been in the criminal justice system since 2015 for burglary, assault and other drug-related charges.