Cops: Driver on Seaford-Oyster Bay had knife, pot on him

The window and sunroof were open. But, Nassau County police said, there was still "a strong odor of marijuana" emanating from the vehicle when they stopped a Long Beach man for a traffic violation Thursday on the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway.

The driver also had a knife, police said.

Police said they arrested Brian Early, 27, of Roosevelt Boulevard, after the 5 p.m. traffic stop and charged him with third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, reckless driving, unlawful possession of marijuana and imprudent speed.

He is scheduled for arraignment Friday in First District Court in Hempstead.

Police said Bureau of Special Operations officers made the stop after seeing Early driving recklessly on the northbound Seaford-Oyster Bay.

He was stopped just south of the entrance ramp to the Northern State Parkway in Plainview - and that was when police said they detected the strong odor of marijuana. A subsequent search found a grinder, a food storage container containing pot and a Smith & Wesson dagger with a 3 1/2-inch blade.