What started as a traffic stop on Highway 40 in the Vernal area, ended as a DUI arrest. According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause, an officer noticed an SUV traveling with a headlight out and initiated a traffic stop. The driver shared that he had a suspended license. The officer noted that the driver was speaking fast and fidgeting, making it difficult to understand what was being said. The officer suspected that the man was under the influence of an illegal substance. The officer received permission to search the vehicle and located a glass pipe with burnt white substance and a small baggie of crystal substance suspected to be methamphetamine. After administering field sobriety tests the officer concluded the man was too impaired to operate a motor vehicle safely and he was placed under arrest. At the hospital he tested positive for methamphetamine. 60-year-old Monte Harmon is charged with 3rd Degree Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance, DUI-2nd Offense in 10 Years, and other drug and traffic charges. The felony charge is due to convictions for Possession of a Controlled Substance in 2019 and Distribution of a Controlled Substance in April of this year.
