Shortly after 7:45 a.m. on Feb. 26 a Colorado State Patrol trooper initiated a traffic stop near Parachute on a red sedan for following too closely, according to an affidavit with Garfield District Court in support of warrantless arrest.

According to the affidavit, as the 31-year-old female driver searched for her license, registration, and insurance, the trooper observed a bottle of laundry detergent “odor defense.”

“It appeared a small amount was spilled or scattered in the back seat. My training and experience shows that this can be used as a masking agent for the odor of drugs,” the trooper stated in the affidavit.

After questioning the female, she purportedly told the trooper she was traveling from California to Nebraska, “where her boyfriend was currently living, because she believed he was cheating on her.”

According to the affidavit, the trooper asked if any copious amounts of money, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine were in the vehicle.

“[The female] became nervous, her body froze, [and] she said, ‘methamphetamine?’” according to the affidavit.

Because of the female driver’s answers and body language, in addition to observations the trooper made of the spilled laundry detergent, a deputy and K9 with the Garfield County Sheriff’s Department were called.

The deputy later informed the trooper that the K9 alerted to more than one part of the vehicle and a probable cause search subsequently followed.

According to the arrest affidavit, as a result of the search, 21.9 pounds of methamphetamine were seized from recovered Ziploc bags.

The female driver later told a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) special agent that she was transporting the methamphetamine to Minneapolis, Minnesota and that it was her fifth trip doing so, according to the affidavit.

“[The female driver] stated she receives between five and ten thousand dollars for each trip she makes transporting drugs. [The female driver] states she receives a phone call from a person in Mexico on when to pick up the drugs,” the affidavit stated.

The woman was transported to the Garfield County Jail and booked on the following charges: Unlawful distribution/possession with intent more than 225g Scheduled I or II Controlled substance; following too closely

‘One beer’

At approximately 6:50 p.m. on Feb. 25, an officer with the Carbondale Police Department approached a driver at a convenience store for driving erratically, according to an affidavit filed with the court.

According to the affidavit, “the reporting party stated that the white car was swerving and hit a center island as it pulled into [the convenient store].”

Additionally, the white Mercedes sedan “was parked in between two pumps and was not close enough to either pump to pump gas or let other cars through,” the affidavit stated.

When the officer approached the 59-year-old male, according to the affidavit, he appeared “extremely intoxicated,” and told the officer he did not have a license because, “it was too expensive.”

Although the officer could see an open bottle of vodka in the male’s coat pocket, the male stated that he had “one beer.” Additionally, the officer asked the man to hand over the vodka bottle, which he did. It also was empty, according to the affidavit.

“Because of [the male’s] level of intoxication and inability to focus on simple instructions,” the officer no longer attempted to perform sobriety tests.

After being placed under arrest, officers found a passport and ID. Dispatch subsequently found the male subject had three previous DUIs in addition to a protection order prohibiting him from possessing or consuming alcohol.

The subject was transported to the Garfield County Jail and booked on the following charges: drove vehicle while under the influence of alcohol; drove vehicle while revoked HTO; violation of a restraining order.

mabennett@postindependent.com