Police were called to a hotel parking lot after a male was showing off his drug pipe and a tomahawk

| by Travis Uresk | March 29^th, 2026 |

Vernal, Utah—At 1:30 this morning, Vernal City Police were dispatched to the Quality Inn hotel because a male in the parking lot had a drug pipe and was showing it to people.

The male was described as being on crack or meth, wearing a multi-colored poncho, and having knives and machetes on him.

A second complainant called dispatch to report that the male was standing by a white car with a broken window. The complainant also informed dispatch that he was talking about his time in prison and that he was selling drugs, and then pulled out knives and an axe.

Officers arrived and saw a male matching the description kneeling next to a white car with a broken window. He was later identified as 41-year-old Joseph Dion Gomez.

The officers were trying to ask Joseph what was going on, but Joseph only made incoherent statements and then laid on the ground.

While Joseph was lying on the ground, he was placed into handcuffs and checked for weapons. While doing so, a meth pipe with burnt residue was found in the suspect's pocket. Joseph was asked if he had any weapons on him, and he told police he had his tomahawk.

A brown bag was also located on Joseph. The bag was looked through, and the police discovered three vape cartridges with a red THC label on them. Also in the brown bag was a clear baggie with a white crystalline substance consistent with methamphetamine.

Officers tried multiple times to get Joseph to sit up / stand up, but he would not comply and had to be assisted by other officers to stand. Once they got next to a patrol vehicle, the police instructed Joseph to get inside. Again, Joseph would not comply and refused to support his own body, and officers had to assist him in getting into the patrol vehicle. Joseph was later transported to Uintah County Jail.

Assisting officers searched the white vehicle next to which Joseph was standing and discovered that it was owned by a friend of Joseph who was asleep in the hotel. During the search, officers found more clear pipes with burnt residue. The friend's wallet had folded up tinfoil with loose marijuana. The friend stated that earlier Joseph had provided him with the marijuana.

Due to Joseph having a tomahawk while being under the influence and in possession of a controlled substance, he was booked into jail on possession of a weapon by a category II restricted person. For being in possession of methamphetamine, he is being booked into jail on possession of a controlled substance (Schedule II). Also, due to Joseph being in possession of the THC cartridges, he was booked into jail on possession of marijuana. For providing his friend with marijuana, Joseph was booked into jail on distribution of a controlled substance. For being under the influence of a controlled substance in a public space to the point that he endangered people, Joseph was booked into jail for public intoxication. For being in a public place and causing alarm to bystanders, he was booked on a disorderly conduct charge.