On Thursday, December 8th, 2022, an investigator with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for several moving violations and suspicious activity occurring on STH 35 and continuing into the City of Prairie du Chien. The operator attempted to avoid the investigator by pulling over and turning off the lights of the vehicle. The operator was identified as Justin Taylor, age 39, of La Crosse, Wisconsin.
As a result of the stop, it was determined that Taylor had attempted to destroy a crystal-like substance suspected to be methamphetamine and as he exited his vehicle, a large crystal-like chunk suspected to be methamphetamine, fell from his person onto the street. Crawford County Sheriff’s Office K9 Diego was deployed and alerted to the presence of one or more controlled substances within the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed several individually packaged baggies containing a crystal-like substance suspected to be methamphetamine, a powdery-like substance suspected to be heroin and / or fentanyl, several hypodermic needles, glass smoking device, and other various items commonly used to ingest controlled substances. The discovered substances tested positive for the presence of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Taylor displayed indicators of drug impairment and was placed through a drug influence evaluation by a drug recognition expert with the sheriff’s office. Upon completion of the evaluation, Taylor was arrested for operating a motor-vehicle with a restricted controlled substance 6th offense, possession with intent to deliver fentanyl, possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, obstructing law enforcement, and violating the conditions of his active probation for delivery of methamphetamine through the State of Wisconsin.