CRIME

Felony charges filed against Vernal man in connection with 60-lb meth seizure on I-15 in Utah County

Jan 13, 2025, 6:52 PM | Updated: Jan 14, 2025, 5:03 pm

SANTAQUIN, Utah – Following too closely and not signaling long enough ended up getting a driver pulled over and subsequently arrested when deputies found 60 pounds of meth, along with significant amounts of other drugs inside his truck, according to charging documents.

Prosecutors charged 42-year-old Ashley Atwood of Vernal with 10 different counts Monday stemming from the Jan. 8 traffic stop, including 6 felony charges related to alleged drug distribution, money laundering and possession of a firearm by a restricted person.

Charging documents stated that a Utah County Sheriff’s deputy was watching traffic on northbound Interstate 15 near Santaquin when he observed a dark blue 2023 Toyota Tundra pulling an enclosed trailer follow a car too closely and signal for less than two seconds before changing lanes.

The trailer also did not have a license plate, the documents stated.

According to the probable cause statement, Atwood was unable to provide proof of insurance for the truck and deputies began to search the vehicle after the results of a K-9 sniff.

“Prior to the search, Defendant stated there were 60 pounds and a gun in the truck,” prosecutors wrote.

After searching the truck and trailer — which contained a go-kart — deputies discovered and seized 60.7 lbs. of methamphetamine, 450 grams of THC products, 61 grams of cocaine, and 102.7 grams of heroin.

Prosecutors wrote that according to the deputy’s experience, that equaled approximately 275,300 individual doses of meth, 1,000 individual doses of heroin and 600 individual doses of cocaine.

Deputies also found nearly $62,000 in cash and a handgun, the documents stated.

“That’s almost like a career-level arrest,” Sgt. Ray Ormond, with the Utah County Sheriff’s office, told KSL TV on Monday. “That doesn’t happen in everyone’s career, and when it happens, that’s a substantial good job.”

Ormond said the sheriff’s office puts effort into drug interdiction, but in this case, it was simply a fortunate traffic stop.

“You’re taught to pay attention to everything when you’re out on a traffic stop,” Ormond said. “(It’s) just little, simple things that you’re able to pull somebody over for and it ends up being a bigger situation just like this one.”

According to the probable cause statement, Atwood stated post-Miranda that he “went to Phoenix to race his go kart and to pick up the drugs.”

“Defendant stated that he was running the drugs from Phoenix to Denver,” prosecutors wrote. “Defendant stated that he was paid the money in the backpack ($20,000) to transport the drugs. Defendant stated it was his second run, and he used the money from the first run to pay off his truck.”

Among the charges filed against Atwood were first-degree felony possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, first-degree felony possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, first-degree felony possession of heroin with intent to distribute, third-degree felony possession of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) with intent to distribute, second-degree felony money laundering and third-degree felony purchase, transfer, possession or use of a firearm by a category II restricted person.

Atwood was also charged with class B misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, class C misdemeanor operating motor vehicle without owner’s or operator’s security as well as infractions for failure to signal and following too close.

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Felony charges filed against Vernal man in connection with 60-lb meth seizure on I-15 in Utah County