By Travis Uresk
4/26/24
| Vernal, Ut. | April 24th, 2024 |
Officers received a call of a suspicious vehicle near the Recreation Center on 500 South Vernal Ave.
Officer McGaha was close to the area and took the call. When he arrived, he saw a vehicle in the parking lot at the back of the building. The driver had let her dog out of the vehicle, and it started chasing his patrol vehicle.
The female put her dog back into her vehicle and pulled onto the roadway. Officer McGaha stopped the vehicle at 860 South Vernal Ave.
Officer McGaha stated while speaking with the driver that her actions were almost uncontrollable, and her mouth movements were the same. Her movements did not match the ongoing conversation and remained erratic throughout the contact.
Officer McGaha called out the traffic stop and asked for a K9 to respond to his location.
Her Utah State driver's license identified the driver of the vehicle as 58-year-old Larice Ann Hathcock. Larice was asked when the last time she smoked any illegal narcotics. She stated she didn't smoke anything, nor had she drank anything.
The officer was getting ready to issue Larice a written warning for the nonworking headlight when Cpl Randall arrived with his K9. Cpl Randall and his K9 performed a free air sniff around the vehicle and showed a positive indication at the driver's door for illegal narcotics.
Larice was asked about any illegal drugs since the dog indicated on the vehicle. She stated she had given a friend a ride, and they may have had something on them. After Officer McGaha provided her with a leash for her dog, she stated there was Vodka in the McDonald's cup, and she had a few sips.
While performing a probable cause search of the vehicle, a soft multicolored glasses case was in the front seat next to her purse. Inside the case was a glass bulb methamphetamine pipe filled with a white residue and burn marks on the bulb end. Larice told Cpl Randall that she had meth in her purse.
In her purse in a sandwich bag was a crystal-like substance recognized as methamphetamine. Also in the purse were 2.5 pills of Trazadone. Cpl Randall located a half gallon of Vodka near the passenger seat.
Larice was asked to perform voluntary SFST's, and she agreed.
HGN: I observed 4/6 clues. I observed lack of smooth pursuit and nystagmus at maximum deviation. I observed this in both eyes. I detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from Hathcock's breath. She had a dry or cotton mouth. She had a hard time focusing on the stimulus.
WAT- I observed 6/8 clues. I observed her unable to maintain the instructional position and stand normally. I observed her use her arms for balance, step off the line, and miss heel to toe; she stopped walking and had to be prompted to finish the test. She verbally stated the next steps of the test as if she was appearing to remind herself of the steps. She turned around, not as instructed. She missed heel to toe and stepped off line on the return steps.
OLS- I observed 4/4 clues. She was unable to perform this test. She did not have any statements about illnesses or inability to walk prior to this. She mentioned a back surgery.
Modified Romberg, she estimated the passing to be 26 seconds. During this test, she swayed in a circular motion, and her eyes fluttered rapidly.
After the Standard Field Sobriety Test, Larice Hathcock was placed under arrest for DUI, possession of a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia, and open container in the vehicle.
Officer McGaha had her call someone to come and get her dog. She was handcuffed and placed into the patrol vehicle.
Larice was transported to the Ashley Regional Medical Center for a blood draw and medical clearance. Hathcock was then taken to the Uintah County Jail.
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