Man on probation arrested for drug trafficking after trying to skateboard away from officers

IDAHO FALLS — A 41-year-old man connected probation was arrested Sunday aft officers caught him allegedly trying to waste drugs.

Justin Roy Richards is charged pinch felony trafficking methamphetamine aliases amphetamine, felony fentanyl trafficking, felony possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor usage aliases possession of supplier paraphernalia, and misdemeanor resisting aliases obstructing officers.

According to tribunal documents, connected Sunday, astir 3:35 a.m., an Idaho Falls Police serviceman reportedly saw a man connected a skateboard walking northbound connected Saturn Avenue successful nan mediate of nan road.

The man was holding a flashlight but did not person a reflector aliases ray down him, which is against Idaho code.

The serviceman watched nan man move westbound onto West Broadway Street and skate into nan parking batch of nan Motel West astatine 1540 West Broadway Street.

The man reportedly made a “quick diversion,” starring nan serviceman to deliberation it was successful guidance to being followed by a constabulary car.

The serviceman followed nan man to nan backmost of nan motel and watched him “jump disconnected his skateboard conscionable leaving it level astatine nan bottommost of nan stairwell and ran up nan first group of stairs, ducking his caput and look down to effort to debar maine seeing him.”

According to constabulary reports, nan serviceman recognized nan man arsenic Richards from erstwhile interactions.

The serviceman exited nan car and yelled, “Hey, Justin, travel talk to me.” Richards returned down nan stairs but quickly placed “something connected nan precocious landing.”

The serviceman told him he was not visible from down successful nan roadway and suggested a reflector aliases ray if he was not going to skate connected nan sidewalk.

Richards reportedly became “immediately agitated” and started fidgeting, trying to spell backmost up nan stairs, saying he “wanted to get a lighter truthful he could fume a cigarette.”

The serviceman told him to travel backmost to nan parking lot. Richards past picked up his skateboard and began to “edge away” from nan serviceman “like he was going to thrust it away.”

He past told nan serviceman he was astatine nan motel to spot his ex-girlfriend but did not cognize which room she was in. The serviceman later confirmed that nan ex-girlfriend was staying astatine nan hotel, but Richards was successful nan incorrect building.

The serviceman asked Richards if he was connected probation. He confirmed he was earlier becoming much upset and accusing nan serviceman of harassment.

Police reports opportunity Richards was fidgeting and “adjusting his clothing arsenic if preparing to run.” He reportedly told nan serviceman he did not person a curfew connected probation and had been fixing a car astatine a friend’s location each night.

The serviceman asked to hunt Richard’s belongings, and Richard denied consent, again claiming nan serviceman was harassing him.

According to tribunal documents, nan serviceman explained that it was portion of her occupation to thief probation officers guarantee that group were abiding by nan position of their probation.

Richards attempted to locomotion distant from nan serviceman doubly during nan conversation, truthful nan serviceman detained him and said she would telephone his probation officer.

Another serviceman arrived, and Richards grabbed his skateboard and tried to thrust distant connected it. Richards was past handcuffed, and an serviceman retrieved nan backpack from nan stairs.

Richards reportedly claimed nan backpack did not beryllium to him, past ran “across Broadway towards nan U.Haul Storage Facility successful handcuffs pinch (an officer) chasing aft him connected foot.”

Officers yet caught up to Richards, and placed him nether arrest.

In his pockets, officers reportedly recovered a marijuana grinder and $1,580 successful cash. Inside nan backpack, constabulary reports opportunity nan officers recovered a “plastic container pinch a crystal-like constituent wrong that later weighed 337.85 grams” and tested presumptive affirmative for methamphetamine.

They besides reportedly recovered 150 counterfeit fentanyl pills, a “tooter,” 4 Tramadol pills, 3 Vyvanse pills, dab containers, marijuana, THC dispensary packaging containers, integrative tubing tooters, 3 partial solid pipes pinch information bulbous ends, and burnt reside.

Richards was past transported to nan Bonneville County Jail and booked connected a enslaved of $75,000. He is expected to look for a preliminary proceeding connected Aug. 30.

If convicted, he could look up to life successful prison.

Though Richards has been charged pinch these crimes, it does not needfully mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed guiltless until they are proven guilty.