Missoula Nurse Caught Trying to Put Cocaine in His Mouth

On August 17th, 2022, Missoula Police Department officers responded to Missoula Health and Rehab on Rattlesnake Drive. Officers were acting on information from an identified source that a nurse from the facility, later identified as 63-year-old William Kendrick, had stolen medication from the facility belonging to a patient, and had given it to the informant. Police Public Information Officer Lydia Arnold picks up the story. 

“Information was also provided to officers that Kendrick is often high on cocaine at work and has firearms,” Arnold said. “Officers were given the pack of medication reported stolen and the medication had the name of the patient at Missoula Health and Rehab. It was confirmed by officers that the patient is a resident at the facility.”  

An officer asked for consent to search Kendrick’s person and his vehicle. Nothing was located on Kendricks’s person, but a Springfield XD 9mm semi-automatic handgun was located in the truck area. The gun was loaded with 12 full metal 9mm bullets. 

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“When officers made contact with Kendrick, he quickly questioned if officers had a search warrant,” Arnold said. “Kendrick was detained and when in the back of the patrol car, officers observed Kendrick moving around and twisting his body. Officers opened the patrol door and they observed a clear plastic baggie with a white powdery substance. Kendrick told officers, ‘This is what you’re looking for’ and told officers it was cocaine. The substance did show a presumptive positive in the initial testing and was submitted to the Montana State Crime Lab.”  

An officer later watched the Watch Guard footage from the patrol vehicle. The footage clearly shows Kendrick pulling the small baggie from his pocket and attempting to put it in his mouth. According to court documents, when Kendrick stuck out his tongue and attempted to place the small baggie in his mouth, he dropped it between his legs. 

Kendrick is currently being charged with felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs and felony tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. 

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