Man on Felony Probation Gets Caught With Meth in Missoula
Just before midnight on Friday, a Missoula Police Department officer was patrolling the area near Reserve Street and South Avenue. At one point, the officer observed a vehicle driving approximately 30 miles per hour in the 45 mile per hour zone.
As the vehicle approached Central Avenue, it drifted to the right, and crossed the solid white line. More than two thirds of the vehicle was in the bike lane. The vehicle continued to cross solid white lines and the officer decided to initiate a traffic stop. Police Public Information Officer Lydia Arnold explains.
“An officer conducted a traffic stop after observing a vehicle driving well below the posted speed limit and drifting in and out of the lane,” Arnold said. “The officer activated their overhead emergency lights and sirens and the vehicle came to a stop. When the vehicle came to the stop, the officer made contact with the driver. The officer recognized the driver and the passenger from prior law enforcement contacts.”
The passenger was identified as 26-year-old Jamarrious Anderson. In at least one of the prior investigations with Anderson, dangerous drugs were located in his vehicle. Additionally, the officer believed there was a warrant for Anderson’s arrest.
“Both the driver and the passenger were on felony probation,” Arnold said. “Probation and Parole became involved. During the probation search of Anderson, a substance consistent of methamphetamine was located on Anderson. The preliminary tests indicate the substance to be methamphetamine. This case is still under investigation by Missoula Police Department Detectives.”
The officer located a small Ziploc bag contained methamphetamine in Anderson’s front left pants pocket. The officer conducted a search of the vehicle as well and he found an opened bar-b-que chips bag located on the front passenger seat where Anderson had been sitting. The officer looked inside the bag and discovered what appeared to be a used syringe. Court documents indicate the syringe contained a small amount of clear liquid and appeared as though it had been recently used.
The officer could hear Anderson yelling the in the backseat of his patrol car. The officer spoke with Anderson who requested that all his items go with the driver instead of the jail. The officer examined Anderson’s belongings and observed a small container with a screw top clipped to Anderson’s key chain. He opened the container and discovered more methamphetamine.
As he opened the container, the officer could hear Anderson yelling inside his patrol vehicle again. Anderson claimed the substance inside the container was his uncle’s ashes, but the substance did in fact test positive for methamphetamine.
Anderson was transported to the Missoula County Jail where he is currently being charged with criminal possession of dangerous drugs and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia.