Woman With Warrant Gets Caught With Fentanyl in Missoula

On the evening of August 22, 2022, the Missoula Police Department received a call reporting drug use in a parking lot located at 111 South Avenue West. Missoula Police officers quickly responded. While en route, the officers were advised that the two involved individuals were in a green vehicle with no license plates. Police Public Information Officer Lydia Arnold picks up the story. 

“Missoula police officers responded to a call for service where the caller described and reported that two people were sitting in a vehicle and doing drugs,” Arnold said. “The caller provided a description of the vehicle that officers used when they arrived on the scene. The vehicle was the only vehicle in the parking lot and matched the descriptors the caller had provided.” 

The officers approached and observed numerous pieces of tin foil in the front area of the vehicle, some of which had burnt residue on them. The officer is aware from previous training and experience that foil is often used to ingest narcotics, and that this process involves heating the foil in a manner that causes lines of burnt residue consistent with those the officer observed. 

“Officers made contact with the parties in the vehicle,” Arnold said. “Officers observed items associated with drugs and a pill suspected to be fentanyl. Based on the initial observations, K9 Zip was deployed. K9 Zip showed behavior indicators of a narcotic he is certified in. Bridgette Taylor was transported to the Missoula County Detention Center on charges of possession of dangerous drugs and additional charges.” 

Taylor agreed to speak with the officer after being read Miranda warnings. When asked whether the pill on her lap was Fentanyl, Taylor responded, “I guess so.” The officer was advised by dispatch that Taylor had an active misdemeanor warrant and arrested her. During the search incident to arrest, the officer also located a white tooter straw in Taylor’s pocket. 

The driver consented to a search of the vehicle, and the officer deployed K9 Zip, who is certified to detect methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. K9 Zip did not alert while sniffing the driver’s side of the vehicle but did alert after sniffing the back passenger door.  

Court documents indicate the officer located numerous pieces of foil with burnt residue, hypodermic syringes, a metal spoon that was charred black on the bottom, a glass pipe, a tooter straw like the one found on Taylor’s person, and a piece of foil with a round, blue pill stamped with the number “30.” 

Taylor is currently being charged with one count of felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs. 

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