A man was taken into custody after allegedly fleeing a Washington State Patrol trooper and being found with large quantities of drugs and a modified shotgun in Jefferson County, authorities said.
The incident began around 6 p.m. Friday, April 10, near the intersection of State Route 104 and Rocktogo Road, where a trooper made contact with a man parked along the roadway, according to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
The man, identified as 43-year-old Joshua Wilson of Sequim, was seen with what the trooper recognized as drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle, officials said. After initially denying there were drugs in the car, Wilson admitted there was methamphetamine inside, according to authorities.
Wilson then ran from the scene, entering the roadway despite commands to stop. The trooper caught up with him and took him into custody after what officials described as active physical resistance.
A records check showed Wilson’s license was suspended and required an ignition interlock device, which was not installed in the vehicle, authorities said.
A search of the vehicle uncovered approximately 70 grams of suspected fentanyl, 49.3 grams of suspected methamphetamine, about 1 gram of suspected cocaine, and roughly 1.3 grams of another suspected controlled substance, according to officials.
Investigators also recovered two digital scales, nearly $1,800 in cash, and a 12-gauge shotgun with its serial number removed, the sheriff’s office said. Additional items in the vehicle were later determined to be stolen.
Detectives with the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Enforcement Team (OPNET) responded to assist, and the investigation remains ongoing for possible additional charges or suspects.
Wilson was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on allegations including unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, and altering identifying marks of a firearm.
He is also charged with possession of stolen property, obstructing a law enforcement officer, operating a motor vehicle without an ignition interlock device, and driving while license suspended.
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