A Tamaqua man and Coaldale woman who had met each other only the night before are in trouble after Nesquehoning police stopped their vehicle that had two flat tires.

According to the affidavit, at 8:07 a.m. July 4, two people came to the police station to report that a man in a green GMC Jimmy along Route 209 heading south was driving with two flat tires. His last known position was at the intersection of Catawissa Street and Mermon Avenue.Chief Sean Smith left the station and traveled to the vehicle's last known position. While on Allen Street, Smith observed the vehicle in question.A traffic stop was conducted near the post office along Route 209 and when Smith made contact with the driver, later identified as John Patrick Garrett, 48, of 635 Arlington St., Tamaqua, he smelled a strong odor of alcohol.Smith asked Garrett if he knew both rear tires were flat, to which Garrett said he did and that he was trying to get the vehicle to Kovatch's to have it repaired.Smith then asked Garrett how the flats happened, but Garrett did not reply.He also asked if Garrett was drinking and Garrett said that he had two beers.Smith observed fresh damage on the front, side and rear of the vehicle and asked Garrett to step out of the vehicle. Garrett could not open the door so he had to climb to the back seat and exit through the rear driver's side door. Through further questioning, Smith learned that the vehicle damage was caused after Garrett lost control along Route 93 and hit a guardrail.Smith also observed multiple cans of beer inside the car.Smith then asked Garrett who the passenger was, to which Garrett responded, someone he met in a bar the night before and had asked to go to a casino. He said the woman, later identified as Carolina Robles, 24, of 113 W. Phillips St., Coaldale, agreed and that he had won $2,500. When asked her name, Garrett said he didn't know but he was taking her back to his house.Smith asked Garrett to submit to field sobriety tests, which he refused.Smith then approached Robles and asked how she knew the driver. Robles said she met Garrett at a Tamaqua bar the night before and went to a casino with him and was now on her way back to his house.Smith asked her to step out of the vehicle and if he could search her purse, to which she agreed.During the search, Smith found a glass pipe and burnt resin that appeared to be marijuana. Robles said she has been homeless and was given the bag by another person and the contraband in it was not hers. She then changed her story and said someone must have slipped it into her purse at the casino.Smith again asked Garrett to complete field sobriety tests, to which he refused.Marouchoc's Auto towed the vehicle from the scene.Garrett is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, causing an accident, not reporting the accident, reckless driving and operating a vehicle without proper tires.Robles is charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.