During A Traffic Stop, A UHP Trooper Finds Alcohol, Drugs, And The Driver Has A Warrant
- Travis Uresk
- Jul 21, 2024
- 2 min read
By Travis Uresk
7/21/24
| Uintah County | July 18th, 2024 |
A UHP Trooper was traveling East on SR-40 when a vehicle traveling the speed limit slowed down approximately 10 mph under the speed limit when the trooper pulled onto the highway behind the vehicle.
Trooper Carson ran a records check on the vehicle's registered owner, which returned that the owner's license was invalid. There was also a violation of obstructed visibility. A large bundle of jewelry was hanging from the rearview mirror, and there was a crack in the windshield. Suspecting it might be in violation.
The trooper pulled behind the vehicle and performed a traffic stop. The vehicle came to a stop near milepost 135 on SR-40. While approaching the vehicle, the driver and passenger were holding their seat belts in a position that appeared to be buckled.
The trooper greeted the two and asked them for their identification. The driver was identified as 50-year-old Eugenia Fae Taveapont.
While talking with the occupants, Trooper Carson observed an open container of Jack Daniels at the feet of the front male passenger. The contraband was removed from the vehicle, and dispatch was asked to check Taveapont's records. Dispatch returned the information that her license was suspended and that she had a no-bail warrant for her arrest.
The two occupants were asked to exit the vehicle. While talking with Taveapont, her speech was slow, quiet, slurred, and unusually calm. The trooper asked her if there was anything in the vehicle he should know about. She informed him there was some marijuana in her bag. Trooper Carson had her wait with another officer while he searched the vehicle.
While waiting with the other officer, she excitedly uttered to the officer there was meth in her bag as well.
During the search, marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, and a large amount of suspected methamphetamine were located. In another bag was a baggie of cocaine. Along with the contraband, Trooper Carson located multiple baggies (50-100), scraper tools, inspection tools, butane torches, and multiple unused glass pipes, indicating Taveapont was distributing the illicit contraband.
The trooper learned that Taveapont was convicted for distribution back in 2017.
Also found in the search were more open alcoholic containers, which were poured out on camera. Taveapont informed the trooper she had been drinking heavily and using marijuana the day before.
Trooper Carson performed what field tests he could with her due to her poor health condition. He did see two clues on HGN. The trooper also noticed impairment in the lack of convergence, romberg, and finger-to-nose tests. Additionally, Taveapont blew a positive amount for alcohol on the PBT. I did not feel she was safe to operate a motor vehicle.
Eugenia Taveapont was arrested and requested a blood sample. She was taken to the hospital, where a blood draw was performed. Taveapont was then transported and booked into the Uintah County Jail.
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