Man Tries to Stomp on a Fentanyl Pill in Front of Missoula Police

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On January 8th, 2024, at approximately 12:25 PM, a Missoula Police Department officer responded to a location on East Broadway after the U.S. Marshals advised they observed a pre-release absconder, 33-year-old William Theus. The officer immediately located Theus. As he approached him, Theus dropped a black backpack and a clear tube-like container. The officer escorted Theus to his patrol car. 

Theus put his hands in his pocket and declined to remove them. When the officer grabbed Theus's hand to place him in handcuffs, Theus turned away, threw an object, and attempted to stomp on it. The object was a round pink pill. The officer knows these commonly contain fentanyl and are referred to as “skittles”. 

The officer gained control of theus and placed him in handcuffs. As he searched Theus’s person incident to arrest, the officer located a white tube, multiple pieces of tinfoil with black residue, and a syringe. Theus admitted the tube was a “tooter”.

Probation and Parole authorized a search of Theus’s belongings. The officer located the tube-like container he observed Theus drop at the beginning of their interaction. Inside, he found two baggies containing a crystalline substance. He recognized it as methamphetamine. The TruNarc scanner showed the substance was presumptively positive for methamphetamine. 

Theus was placed under arrest and was transported to the Missoula County Detention Facility. He is currently being charged with felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia. On January 10, 2024, at around 3:42 p.m., Theus was released from jail. 

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.