Accused faces additional charges following traffic stop
By Lethbridge Herald on September 27, 2022.
Delon Shurtz
Lethbridge Herald
dshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com
A 33-year-old Lethbridge man is facing additional charges in relation to a traffic stop earlier in the summer.
Warren Shane McMurtrie was charged with three counts of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking, two counts of possession of stolen property under $5,000, and one count each of driving while prohibited and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, after he was stopped by police in July. Those charges, however, were amended Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court to include four additional charges of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking.
On July 12 police observed a vehicle with a stolen licence plate which had failed to stop for officers the previous day. Police followed the vehicle and at about 7:30 p.m. they blocked the vehicle to prevent the driver from fleeing after he stopped in the 200 block of Mayor Magrath Drive North. The driver had to be forcibly removed from the vehicle after he refused to exit.
During a search of the vehicle and driver police seized $8,600 worth of drugs, including 50.7 grams of methamphetamine, 24.4 grams of cocaine, 5.1 grams of fentanyl, and 108 various pills. They also seized drug paraphernalia consistent with drug trafficking, $1,770 in cash and an axe found within reach of the driver.
McMurtrie, who was released from custody shortly after his arrest, is scheduled to return to court Oct. 20. He faces additional charges of flight from police, possession of stolen property, dangerous driving, driving while prohibited, uttering a forged document and fraud under $5,000. Those charges will be spoken to next month, as well.
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Something is definitely wrong with our justice system.