A Fairfield man is facing multiple felony drug charges following a single-vehicle accident on Highway 34 and a subsequent search of his vehicle.
Derek Lankford, 30, has been charged with a controlled substance violation, a Class B felony; failure to affix a drug tax stamp, a Class D felony; driving while barred, an aggravated misdemeanor; and possession of drug paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor.
According to court records, the incident occurred on Sunday, December 28th, in the 1400 block of Highway 34 in Jefferson County, where Lankford allegedly lost control of the vehicle he was operating. Lankford told authorities he had picked up a passenger in Fairfield and was traveling back toward Ottumwa at the time of the crash.
Court documents indicate Lankford’s driving privileges have been barred since December 17th, 2021, and were not scheduled to be reinstated until December 15th, 2026.
Following the crash, officers obtained and executed a search warrant on the vehicle. During the search, authorities reportedly located two separate baggies containing a clear crystalline substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine, with a combined weight of approximately 16.57 grams. Court records state the substances did not have the required drug tax stamps under Iowa law.
Officers also allegedly discovered multiple digital scales containing a white residue and several glass smoking devices with suspected drug residue.
The state of their injuries were not mentioned in the court documents.
Lankford is being held on a $25,000 cash or surety bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 8th, 2026.
