OREM, Utah, April 23, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — An Orem man has been arrested for allegedly selling meth and fleeing from police.
A probable cause statement from Utah County said Tylor Edward Paul, 33, is facing charges of:
- Receive or transfer stolen vehicle, a second-degree felony
- Distribute/offer/arrange distribution of a controlled substance, a second-degree felony
- Failure to stop or respond at command of police, a third-degree felony
- False evidence of title and registration, a third-degree felony
- Possession of a controlled substance, schedule I/II/analog, a class A misdemeanor
- Obstruction of justice, a class A misdemeanor
- Use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor
On Tuesday, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force received information that Paul was allegedly selling drugs, was a fugitive from Adult Probation and Parole and had multiple warrants for his arrest. After receiving this information, detectives responded to the area of Paul’s last known address in Orem.
Officials found Paul at that address sitting in the driver seat of a white Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, the statement said.
“Shortly after parking, I observed the white Toyota Tacoma exit the residence,” the arresting officer wrote. “As the vehicle drove past me I observed positively identified the driver of the vehicle as the suspect, Tylor Paul.”
As Paul approached the intersection of University Parkway and 800 East, the officer activated his emergency lights and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle. Paul accelerated and turned right onto University Parkway, at which point he began driving south into Provo. Because the suspect was fleeing and the officer had already identified him, he terminated the pursuit, the statement said.
“I continued driving down University Parkway,” the statement said. “While driving, detectives observed what appeared to be the suspect vehicle in the parking lot of the Walmart, a short distance from the initial traffic stop.”
Paul then walked out of the Walmart towards the suspect vehicle, then went back towards the Walmart.
“Upon seeing me, Tylor began running away from me, back toward Walmart,” the arresting officer wrote. “When Tylor began running, I immediately exited my vehicle, began running after Tylor and yelled at him to stop. Upon reaching the front door area of the Walmart, Tylor stopped running, turned towards me and held his hands up. I took Tylor into custody without incident and handcuffed him.”
Two small bags and a balloon that contained a white crystal substance were located on Paul’s person. The white crystal substance in the bags and the balloon was field tested and resulted in a positive test for methamphetamine. A glass pipe that had burn residue in it and other miscellaneous paraphernalia items were also located on his person. The methamphetamine located on Paul’s person weighed approximately 43.6 grams.
Paul allegedly said he initially had six ounces of methamphetamine that he had bought in Las Vegas but had just sold approximately four ounces of the methamphetamine to another man, just before being taken into custody.
The vehicle Paul was traveling in was found to be stolen from Orem; the date on temporary registration tag displayed on the rear of the vehicle had been altered.
Paul has multiple prior convictions for drug possession, theft, and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, the statement said. He is currently on probation with Adult Probation and Parole.
He was transported to Utah County Jail, where he is being held without bail.
