Dale Braithwaite charged with forgery after cops smell pot in his vehicle, police say

An Elmont man was stopped and questioned after police said they smelled “a strong odor of marijuana” coming from his car.

He was then arrested because Nassau County police said a subsequent search of that 2010 Mercedes-Benz recovered eight fraudulent Chase bank checks and four credit cards — none of which, police said, belonged to the driver, Dale E. Braithwaite, 36.

Braithwaite, of Leighton Road, was arrested and charged with eight counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument, unlawful possession of marijuana and several violations of state vehicle and traffic law.

Police said Braithwaite was sitting in the parked Mercedes on Dutch Broadway, the interior dome lights on, when patrolling Fifth Precinct officers smelled the marijuana at 10:25 p.m. Thursday. An investigation determined Braithwaite had been smoking the pot — and the search uncovered the fraudulent checks and credit cards, which did not belong to Braithwaite, police said.

Braithwaite faces arraignment Friday in First District Court in Hempstead, police said.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”