The Union County Sheriff’s Office uses every law enforcement tool available to safeguard the public, demonstrated most recently with four arrests across two cases, one involving a routine traffic stop and the other an active drug investigation.
Around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 23, Night Shift Sgt. Michael Kearns was patrolling Murphy Highway when he noticed a vehicle with defective taillights. So, he conducted a traffic stop in the vicinity of Hughes General Store, Narcotics Lt. Tyler Miller said.
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“Upon making contact with the driver, (Sgt. Kearns) could smell the odor of marijuana,” Miller said. “Once he smelled the marijuana, he requested additional units to meet with him and assist him.
“During the search of the vehicle, he located methamphetamine, marijuana, two pistols – one loaded under the driver’s seat – and multiple drug-related objects.”
The driver, Justin Ward Clark, 31, was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance (crushed Percocet) and two counts possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime – all felonies.
He has also been charged with the following misdemeanors: possession of marijuana, less than an ounce; two counts possession of drug-related objects; and a brake light/turn signal violation.
Clark’s address is listed on his driver’s license as Aquone, North Carolina, just east of Andrews, but he told the Sheriff’s Office he has been staying in Murphy, North Carolina. He was still in custody at the Union County Jail at press time.
In a separate case, the Narcotics Division acted on information obtained during a drug investigation to stake out an area in western Union County around 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 26.
“Narcotics Inv. Jay McCarter was working a case on Dustin Dwayne Townson,” Miller said. “The investigation led us to the area of Loving Road coming out of Fannin County, where we tried conducting a traffic stop on Mr. Townson coming back into Union County.
“Upon doing so, Mr. Townson failed to stop for law enforcement, which led into a vehicle pursuit. When he failed to stop, techniques were used to try to box him in to discontinue the pursuit quickly, which he maneuvered his way out of.”
With Lt. Miller in the lead, the chase continued down Loving Road before turning onto Mull Road. The driver of the vehicle, Townson, then made his way to Cook Henry Road, where he turned again and continued fleeing at a high rate of speed, Miller said.
“At this time, other deputies we had set up on Loving Road were coming into Cook Henry Road from the other end and had the road shut down,” Miller said. “When he saw the road was shut down, he turned into a driveway, threw his car in park, and bush bonded – took off on foot.
“I exited my vehicle, pursued him off foot and caught him after about 200 yards. Upon being caught, he was handcuffed and placed into custody. In his pocket was located an amount of methamphetamine.”
Back at the car, deputies took into custody two passengers who did not run when Townson did: Tosha Savannah Eller, 32, and Robert Charles Weichbrodt, 41, both of the same address in Murphy, North Carolina.
“A search of the vehicle was done,” Miller said. “In the driver’s area was a loaded pistol and over $1,500 worth of counterfeit money in $20 bills. After interviews, we learned they did buy a quantity of fentanyl south of Union County, but it is believed to have been thrown out the window during the pursuit.”
Deputies searched but did not find any illicit packages that may have been discarded along the roughly three to four-mile chase route, Miller said, and no drugs were discovered on the suspects during a search as they entered the jail.
Townson, 31, of Union County, was charged with possession of meth and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon – both felonies – plus misdemeanor fleeing or attempting to elude police officers, obstruction of law enforcement and reckless driving.
Weichbrodt has been charged with felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Eller has been charged with felony possession of a firearm by a convicted felon as well as misdemeanor giving a false name, address or date of birth to an officer and failure to appear.
Additional charges could be forthcoming if the allegedly discarded fentanyl is found and can be linked back to these individuals, and charges could also be brought for the counterfeit money pending further investigation.
The suspects in this case were all released from the Union County Jail last week.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
