ST. GEORGE, Utah, Dec. 19, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — Two women from Washington County were arrested Thursday after a traffic stop turned into much more.
The women, 21-year-old Mackenzie Lee Clark, of St. George, and 30-year-old Ashley Marie Harmer, of Washington City, were targeted after an officer detected an equipment violation. The two ultimately were jailed for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
After the St. George Police officer turned on his light and siren, Clark, the driver, continued to travel for several miles, and the officer reported seeing Harmer move between the front and back seats of the Subaru Forrester, according to a probable cause statement.
The officer then pulled up next to Clark and yelled for her to stop, the statement says. After she did, the officer approached the vehicle and smelled meth. A drug-sniffing dog was brought in, and the K-9 signaled that it had detected meth.
A search revealed at least three ounces of meth, according to police documents. In addition, officials located a small scale in Harmer’s purse, according to documents.
When questioned, Clark told the officer the reason she didn’t stop was she had never been stopped before on the interstate, ” … and didn’t know if she could,” the statement says. Clark allegedly also admitted the two had traveled to Nevada to buy drugs.
Clark was charged with two counts of drug possession with the intent to distribute, a third-degree felony, and failure to stop at the command of a police officer.
Harmer was charged with drug possession with the intent to distribute, a first-degree felony; two counts of drug possession, a third-degree felony; and failure to stop at the command of police. Harmer’s charges were more serious than those of Clark due to felony drug convictions in 2012 and 2013.
