Sonora, CA– A Sierra Village man was arrested on felony drug charges, and a Sonora woman was arrested on a misdemeanor drug charge following a traffic stop late March 5, according to the Sonora Police Department.
Officers at about 10:46 p.m. located a pickup truck with registration that had expired for about two years. The driver was identified as Fred Guthmiller, 64, of Sierra Village, who officers knew had an expired driver’s license. A records check also showed Guthmiller had a history of narcotics sales. Officers identified the passenger as Summer Ward, 30, of Sonora, who police said also had a narcotics history. Police conducted a traffic stop and deployed a K9. The police dog alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle.
During a search, officers located drug paraphernalia in Ward’s purse and suspected methamphetamine on the dashboard near where she had been sitting. Additional searches uncovered cash and more controlled substances on Ward. Guthmiller was arrested and booked into the Tuolumne County Jail on suspicion of possession or purchase of narcotics for sale and transportation or sale of narcotics, both felonies, along with misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, possession of unlawful paraphernalia, and destruction or concealment of evidence. Ward was arrested and booked into the Tuolumne County Jail on suspicion of misdemeanor possession of unlawful paraphernalia.
Sonora Police remind the public that the charges are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
