For Immediate Release
March 1, 2017
DeFuniak Springs, Fla— A child is found unresponsive by members of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office VICE/Narcotics Unit following a traffic stop on State Highway 83.
On February 28th at around 1:30pm WCSO VICE/Narcotics Unit Investigators noticed a vehicle traveling east on 83 with a broken windshield. The investigators pulled over the vehicle near the intersection of 83 and Morris Drive and made contact with the driver later identified as 27-year-old Joshua Daniel Huckaba. A 23-month-old child appeared to be asleep in the back seat.
Huckaba admitted to the two investigators he was smoking marijuana in the vehicle after they noticed the smell of marijuana in the car. Investigators ran Huckaba’s license, which came back suspended. Huckaba was directed to exit the vehicle for a search and before he got out of the car he handed the investigators a small, plastic jeweler’s bag with methamphetamine. A glass smoking pipe was also found in his pants pocket and another was located in a Styrofoam cup in Huckaba’s hand.
While searching the car, investigators attempted to wake up the child by opening the rear door. The child immediately vomited all over himself. One investigator cleaned the vomit with wet wipes and attempted to talk to the child. The baby was unresponsive to both the sound of his voice and to touch. EMS was called to the scene to check the welfare of the child. The baby was transported by EMS to an area hospital. Huckaba admitted to leaving the child inside the vehicle unattended while he went inside a nearby residence.
Huckaba was arrested and transported to the Walton County Jail. He is charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. This incident is still under investigation.
