Police: DUI driver arrested after crashing into a telephone pole with toddler in car

SPANISH FORK, Utah –– A man is suspected of distributing drugs after crashing into a telephone pole with his 2-year-old child on Saturday.

Clayton Wade Ames, 39, was booked into the Utah County Jail for a felony charge of possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute and misdemeanor charges of driving on a denied license, driving under the influence with a passenger under the age of 16, possessing of a controlled substance, tampering with evidence, and possessing drug paraphernalia, according to the affidavit.

At approximately 9:20 a.m., Utah County Sherrif deputies arrived at a car accident near 4500 S. 3200 W. where witnesses heard a loud crash and noticed a truck that crashed into a telephone pole.

Deputies found Ames outside of the truck while holding his 2-year-old child, according to the affidavit. He told deputies that his child was in a child seat when the accident happened,

“While speaking with (Ames), I observed physical characteristics of drug use including poor balance, glossy eyes, dry mouth, teeth grinding, and slurred speech,” reads the affidavit.

The deputies performed field sobriety tests on Ames and determined he was under the influence. After a background check, police discovered that Ames drivers license was denied.

According to the affidavit, deputies searched Ames and found seven Suboxone strips in his pants pocket. He told police he did not have a prescription for the schedule 3 drug.

A witness talked to a deputy and told him that they saw Ames drop something about 50 yards from the accident before police arrived. After reading Ames’s Miranda rights, the deputy asked him about this claim, and he stated he only dropped a piece of licorice.

The deputy went to the area and found a piece of red licorice, according to the affidavit. The deputy also found a small plastic bag concealed under some weeds.

“Inside the bag was a methamphetamine pipe, syringes, digital scale, new baggies for packaging narcotics, and eight baggies which contained various amounts of a white crystal substance consistent with methamphetamine,” reads the affidavit.

Police performed a field test and confirmed the white crystal substance was methamphetamine. According to the deputy, they found 47.3 grams of the substance worth about $4,730.

The deputy asked Ames if the bag belonged to him, which he denied, according to the affidavit. The deputy then asked if he would find Ames’s fingerprints on it, which he said they would.

Police took Ames to a local hospital for a blood and urine analysis. The urine test showed amphetamines and methamphetamines in Ames’s system.