Deputies recover gun, suspected drugs during traffic stop, Sheriff Sanders says Thursday
Thurston County deputies arrested three people after a minor traffic stop allegedly led to the recovery of suspected drugs and a gun.
The arrests occurred after midnight Thursday on Reservation Road Southeast in east Thurston County, according to jail booking records.
It all started when a deputy in field training stopped a vehicle for a turn signal violation, Sheriff Derek Sanders shared on his Facebook page early Thursday morning. The driver pulled over but allegedly refused to cooperate with the deputy. The driver then called 911 and told dispatch they did not feel safe.
The deputy noted signs of impairment and arrested them on suspicion of driving under the influence and obstructing law enforcement, Sanders said.
Two passengers exited the vehicle as deputies prepared to tow the vehicle. Deputies allegedly observed drugs and drug paraphernalia in the car, and obtained a search warrant to seize the items.
The search yielded what appeared to be methamphetamine, fentanyl and “possibly crack cocaine,” Sanders said.
Sanders alleged deputies also found a handgun with a scratched off serial number. The deputies obtained an addendum to the warrant and seized the gun as well.
The driver was reportedly sent to a local hospital after they began to hyperventilate. They were eventually cleared and booked into the county jail later that morning.
Sanders said deputies obtained an additional warrant to seize two vials of the driver’s blood to test for the presence of drugs or alcohol.
One of the passengers reportedly had a spontaneous seizure after learning there were warrants for their arrest. As a result, deputies also had this person cleared at a local hospital before booking them into the county jail.
Deputies arrested the second passenger at the scene for unlawful possession of a firearm. Sanders said all three occupants were previously convicted of felony crimes so they were not allowed to possess guns.
“Nice work getting another gun and impaired driver off the street,” Sanders said in his post.
