June 3, 2014

Sheriff’s office arrests four on drug charges, recovers stolen motorcycle

By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor

It was a bad day for drug users and a very good day for the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Department as deputies arrested four individuals on drug charges and recovered a stolen motorcycle in the parking lot of the Wild Bison Travel Center near Alexander on Thursday, May 29.
According to Travis Bateman of the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Dept., officers were alerted to suspicious activity at the Wild Bison Travel Center near Alexander. Deputies responded and stopped one of the vehicles for a traffic violation. The driver, Lawrence Casteel of Michigan, was detained after exiting the vehicle and becoming aggressive with the deputy. A passenger, Kristine Kinyon, was detained and admitted to having consumed methamphetamine the day prior and was showing signs of being under the drug’s influence. Kinyon was arrested on warrants for failing to appear on DUI and a suspended license from McKenzie County.
During the contact with the first vehicle, a second vehicle dropped off a passenger at a black motorcycle and then moved to another area of the parking lot before leaving the area.
The Sheriff’s Dept. K-9 team responded to the scene and deputies contacted a third male, Kenneth Weimer, of Idaho, near the motorcycle after observing him acting suspiciously in the parking lot. He consented to a search of his person and deputies located methamphetamine, a meth pipe, and hallucinogenic mushrooms on his person. Weimer was placed under arrest for the drug violations.
The K-9 team then observed the second car back in the area. The K-9 unit followed and conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle in Alexander and the driver, James Worden of Idaho, was detained. K-9 Canello was deployed on the exterior of the vehicle and indicated the presence of drugs. A subsequent search resulted in the discovery of marijuana. Worden was arrested for possession of marijuana.
The K-9 team returned to the travel center and deployed at the first stop. The drug dog indicated the presence of drugs and marijuana in that vehicle and Casteel was placed under arrest for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia-marijuana, and an outstanding warrant for burglary from Montana.
Further investigation into the motorcycle revealed it to have been stolen from Minot earlier in the day. Weimer was also charged with possession of a stolen vehicle.

WATFORD CITY WEATHER