Motorist arrested on meth charge after traffic stop

BONNERS FERRY — On March 18, an arrest was made for delivery of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, after 2.1 ounces of methamphetamine were found.

At 12:30 a.m., Bonners Ferry Police Sergeant Willie Cowell pulled over a black Dodge Durango with Montana plates that was weaving within its lane. After turning on the lights, the vehicle proceeded for another half of a mile before pulling over on Highway 2. Sheriff’s dispatch informed Cowell that the plates did not match the vehicle.

According to the police report, Cowell believed he smelled burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle, but he was not certain at that time. Police Officer Travis Slolley arrived on scene to assist.

The driver was Caldwell McMullen and he had one passenger in the vehicle. After completing the citation, Cowell approached the vehicle again and smelled burnt marijuana again. Both driver and passenger denied possessing any marijuana.

According to the police report, McMullen stated that he would let Cowell search the vehicle, to which Cowell replied, “Let me have a quick look in here and we’ll be golden.”

McMullen then allegedly stepped willingly from the vehicle and Cowell told him that he would need to pat him down for possible weapons. During the pat down, Cowell felt a large bulge that recognized as being consistent with concealed contraband.

According to the police report, Cowell then placed McMullen in handcuffs and asked him if he would wish to speak to him about the suspected contraband, to which McMullen replied, “no.”

“At this point, I explained to McMullen the ‘Plain Feel’ doctrine, which allows an officer to seize illegal contraband discovered while performing a Terry frisk for weapons,” Cowell wrote in his police report.

According to the police report, Cowell removed a ziploc bag from inside McMullen’s clothing, that contained a white substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed 2.1 ounces. Stolley located 12 small empty ziploc baggies in the passenger’s jacket pocket, the type commonly used for packaging drugs.

Inside the vehicle were other drug paraphernalia, which field tested positive for marijuana. McMullen was arrested and is scheduled to appear in court for his preliminary hearing on March 30, at 1:30 p.m. His bond has been set at $19,000.