Missing girl found in 35-year-old man’s car during traffic stop, NC sheriff says

A 35-year-old driver displaying “extreme nervousness” during a traffic stop was traveling with a girl reported as missing and endangered, according to investigators in North Carolina.

Narcotics were also found in the vehicle, including meth and heroin, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office said in a Dec. 26 news release.

The traffic stop happened on Christmas Eve in Asheboro, and the 16-year-old girl was a passenger, the sheriff’s office reported in court documents.

“During the stop, the driver was identified as Toni Charles Koontz, who did not have a valid driver’s license and displayed signs of extreme nervousness. A K-9 unit responded to assist and alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics,” the sheriff’s office said.

“A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of methamphetamine, heroin, and multiple items of drug paraphernalia. A juvenile female passenger initially provided false identification information. Further investigation revealed she was a reported missing and endangered juvenile.”

The teen was turned over to the Randolph County Department of Social Services, officials said. Details of how long she had been missing were not released.

Investigators report Koontz was arrested and charged with:

• Felony possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine
• Felony possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin
• Felony maintaining a vehicle for controlled substances
• Misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia
• Misdemeanor driving while license revoked
• Misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor

Asheboro is about a 70-mile drive west from downtown Raleigh.

This story was originally published December 29, 2025 at 12:18 PM with the headline "Missing girl found in 35-year-old man’s car during traffic stop, NC sheriff says."