Meth Found on Man Linked to Missoula Assault Case

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On May 23, 2026, at around 1:00 a.m., a Missoula Police Department Officer was looking for an older blue Dodge Ram with possible windshield damage that was possibly involved in an Assault with a Weapon investigation. The officer located a vehicle matching the description at the intersection of Burns Street and Turner Street, occupied by a single male, later identified as 59-year-old Allen Baird.  

The officer initiated a stop and requested Baird step out of the vehicle. The officer asked for Baird’s name, which Baird provided. The officer noted that the first name the alleged victim in the assault investigation gave matched Baird’s first name. The officer explained the reasons for the stop, and Baird immediately identified the other party involved in the other investigation.  

Baird put his hands in his pockets, taking them out once requested by the officer. The officer observed Baird was wearing multiple jackets, making the officer unable to discern if Baird was in possession of any weapons. The officer inquired about doing a pat-down search for weapons, which Baird declined. When asked about weapons, Baird advised he had an “itty bitty pocketknife” in his front left pants pocket. 

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The officer decided to retrieve the knife for safety reasons. The officer reached into Baird’s front left pants pocket and felt a long object with a thick handle. Once the item was removed, the officer immediately recognized it as a glass pipe used for methamphetamine with a clear plastic baggie wrapped around the pipe containing suspected methamphetamine.  

The officer attempted to retrieve the knife a second time. The officer felt a small cylindrical object about one to two inches long. Once the item was removed, the officer observed it to be a small glass vial containing a crystalline substance of suspected methamphetamine. At this point, Baird was placed under arrest, and another officer arrived on the scene to assist.  

That officer conducted a search incident to arrest on Baird’s person and located additional items of narcotics and paraphernalia, including a red butane torch, two additional glass vials with suspected methamphetamine inside, a cigarette holder,  a foam pocket pouch containing what felt to be an additional glass pipe inside, and four knives. 

READ MORE: Missoula News - Crime Reports

Baird was given his Miranda and consented to the officer searching his cigarette holder. The officer located multiple pills in the cigarette container, including Alprazolam, Clonazepam, and a blue pill identified as Amphetamine and Dextroamphetamine. 

Baird confirmed under Miranda that the contents of the baggies and vials were methamphetamine. Baird advised he uses methamphetamine and cannabis, but is not a drug dealer. The officer field-tested the contents of the two baggies and three vials. All substances tested positive for methamphetamine. The total weight of the methamphetamine found on Baird’s person was 8.58 grams. 

Baird was arrested and transported to the Missoula County Detention Facility. Baird is currently being charged with four counts of felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia.  

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