Another High Speed Car Chase Leads to Rollover, Drug Arrest

Mineral County Sheriff’s Department was involved in their second high speed chase in less than a week when a deputy made a traffic stop on Feb. 4 on U.S. Highway 95, mile marker 52 (southbound) for speeding.

The silver Toyota Camry with Oregon plates fled the traffic stop after initially stopping for deputies. The driver, Wesley Morris, as identified by his Arizona driver’s license, was wanted for an outstanding felony arrest warrant out of Arizona for burglary. Dispatchers for Mineral County advised their deputies of the fact and law enforcement then used high-risk techniques and ordered Morris out of the vehicle.

Morris then chose to flee the traffic stop in the Camry. An attempt to spike the vehicle was made before entering the Hawthorne town limits with no success. The pursuit continued southbound through Hawthorne and entered State Route 359.

Morris became aggressive during the pursuit and it was decided by the sheriff’s office to use a PIT 9Pursuit Intervention Technique) in an attempt to stop the vehicle. The PIT maneuver performed by the sheriff’s office was successful and the vehicle left the east side of the roadway, furrowing in and rolling over.

Morris who attempted to climb out of the Camry after it rolled, tried climbing out of the driver’s side window and was helped out by deputies and taken into custody.

While the vehicle rolled several times, items were thrown from the crash. Located amongst those items was a black lock box laying by the vehicle.

Narcotics deputy K-9 Pjke was deployed and alerted on the box.

A search warrant was obtained and approximately four ounces of methamphetamine, packaging and a scale were located.

Morris is still a guest at the Mineral County Detention Center where he is being held on charges of driver disobey a peace officer, endangering others; trafficking schedule I controlled substance, FLNTRZPM/GHB, 28+ grams; arrest fugitive from another state; possess to sell schedule I/II, FLNTRZPM/GHB, (1s…) and aggressive driving, (first). The charge of driver disobey a peace officer, endangering offers has a no bail hold. All other charges amount to $141,140 bond/cash.