UINTAH COUNTY, Utah, Oct. 1, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Officers found prohibited loaded guns as well as drugs and possibly stolen documents in a trailer following a high-speed vehicle pursuit that led to a traffic stop in Uintah County.
A probable cause statement from the 8th District Court of Uintah County said Tyson Richard Brown, 25, is facing charges of:
- Failure to stop or respond at the command of police, a third-degree felony
- Two counts of purchase, transfer, possession, use of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony
- Three counts of possession or use of a controlled substance, a class A misdemeanor
- Reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor
- Drive on a suspended or revoked license, a class C misdemeanor
His wife, Rachelle Nicole Murray, 29, is facing charges of:
- Two counts of possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a third-degree felony
- Two counts of possession or use of a controlled substance, a third-degree felony
- Possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor
The arresting officer from Uintah County Sheriff’s Office attempted a traffic stop for an equipment violation at approximately 3750 East U.S. Highway 40 in Uintah County on Thursday.
“When I activated my emergency equipment and attempted to stop this vehicle, the driver, Tyson Brown, failed to stop,” the statement said. “This vehicle pursuit continued at speeds ranging between 60 and 80 miles per hour in 35 mile per hour zones. As this vehicle exited the Pebble Acres subdivision, it slowed enough to where a rear passenger inside this vehicle was able to jump out. This male individual confirmed Tyson was the driver.”
Brown was wanted on several warrants, including one for an aggravated assault in Salt Lake County.
The officer continued to pursue the vehicle, at speeds of approximately 60 miles per hour, through a construction zone where flaggers and construction workers were standing in the roadway. “As this vehicle passed through the construction zone at approximately 60 miles per hour, a flagger had to take evasive action to prevent being struck by this vehicle,” the statement said.
The Ford SUV driven by Brown was pulling a flatbed trailer that was loaded with batteries and scrap metal. During the pursuit, a large piece of metal was found in the roadway, that had fallen from the trailer. The two individuals in the SUV, Brown and Murray, were apprehended after they exited the vehicle and ran on foot.
Brown was allegedly found to have methamphetamine in his possession when he was apprehended. When he was interviewed by officials, he “admitted he is a frequent user of illegal narcotics,” the statement said. “He also admitted to traveling 60 miles per hour through the construction zone and reached speeds of 80 miles an hour.”
Vernal dispatch advised Brown’s driver’s license was suspended. It was also found that Murray was on supervised felony probation with Adult Probation and Parole. Murray later allegedly told officials that she had used methamphetamine and heroin that day; police found items on her that she allegedly admitted were used to ingest heroin. She also said she was staying with her grandmother in Jensen, along with Brown, and said there was a methamphetamine pipe and a bong along with drug paraphernalia in her bedroom.
Because Murray was on supervised probation with AP&P and had been marked as a fugitive who had active felony no-bail warrants that had been issued for her arrest, officials went to the grandmother’s house in Jensen, where the items Murray described were found, along with a holster and a box of .22 ammunition.
Officials learned that Brown and Murray had also been staying inside a camper trailer on some property just south of U.S. Highway 40 in Jensen.
When officials looked through the window of the trailer, they could see what appeared to be an AR-15 rifle that was partially covered with items. Both Brown and Murray are prohibited from possessing firearms due to their criminal history, the statement said.
A search warrant was constructed and was authorized, and officials found a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle with a magazine that contained live rounds, a 20-gauge shotgun that had a live round in the chamber, heroin, suspected MDMA or Ecstasy, methamphetamine pipes with residue and drug paraphernalia. Inside a box located near the AR-15, several more magazines to the rifle were located, as well as 20-gauge ammunition and with .22-caliber ammunition.
“Also, located were several passports, a checkbook, and identifications to individuals in Mexico and the Wasatch Front,” the statement said. “Regarding both Brown and Murray being in possession of these documents is still under investigation.”
Brown and Murray were transported to Uintah County Jail, where they are being held without bail.
