2 Californians speed their way to drugs, weapons charges

HURRICANE — Two Anaheim, California, residents were arrested Thursday after police found a variety of weapons and drugs in their vehicle during a traffic stop for speeding.

Officers stopped a grey pickup truck for speeding 63 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone on State Street in Hurricane, according to a probable cause statement written by Hurricane City Police Officer Spencer Lundell in support of the arrests.

Johnathan Brett Whitmer, of Anaheim, California, booking photo posted May 21, 2015 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News
Johnathan Brett Whitmer, of Anaheim, California, booking photo posted May 21, 2015 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

While speaking with the driver of the truck, identified as 36-year-old Johnathan Brett Whitmer, and the passenger, identified as 39-year-old Donna Parker, officers noticed the smell of marijuana, according to the statement.

After Whitmer said he had marijuana in the back of the pickup truck, officers performed a search of the vehicle.

During a search of the truck, officers located a small container, a 2-quart glass jar and a plastic bag each containing marijuana, the statement said, along with multiple bags of white crystals and powder which tested positive for methamphetamine. Police also found an electronic scale and a glass pipe.

In addition to the drugs, police located several knives, two firearms and a box of ammunition, according to the statement. Because of prior felony convictions, both Whitmer and Parker are restricted from having weapons in their possession.

“(Whitmer) stated that he used methamphetamine this morning before starting their drive to Arizona,” Lundell wrote in the statement. “(Whitmer) also stated that they were transporting some of the methamphetamine and marijuana to his daughter in Page, AZ.”

Donna J. Parker, of Anaheim, California, booking photo posted May 21, 2015 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News
Donna J. Parker, of Anaheim, California, booking photo posted May 21, 2015 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

Both Whitmer and Parker were arrested and booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

Whitmer was charged with two second-degree felonies for drug distribution and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person; two third-degree felonies for drug distribution and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person; two class B misdemeanors for possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a measurable controlled substance; and a class C misdemeanor for speeding.

Judge Eric Ludlow, of the 5th District Court, ordered $25,000 bail for Whitmer’s release pending trial.

Whitmer was found indigent by the court during his initial court appearance Friday and will be represented by court-appointed attorney Douglas Terry. He is scheduled to make his next court appearance on June 1.

Parker was charged with two second-degree felonies for drug distribution and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person; a third-degree felony for drug distribution; and a class B misdemeanor for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ludlow ordered $25,000 bail for Parker’s release pending trial.

Parker was also found indigent by the court during her initial court appearance Friday and will be represented by court-appointed attorney Aric Cramer. She is scheduled to make her next court appearance on June 1.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

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18 Comments

  • munchie May 25, 2015 at 7:40 pm

    “Whitmer also stated that they were transporting some of the methamphetamine and marijuana to his daughter in Page, AZ. ” Whitmer gets my vote for “Father of the Year”

    • ladybugavenger May 25, 2015 at 8:31 pm

      daughte of the yesrr is pissed cuz she dont have her dope so she won’t vote for her role model father.

      • xstriker May 26, 2015 at 5:19 am

        Ladybug sounds like she’s pissed that her dealer got caught lol

    • SICKBOY1503 May 26, 2015 at 6:45 pm

      Thanks for the vote but really get a life instead of stalking people and looking on news articles to comment on and to the stupid editor who wrote this about my comment to the cop that’s not what was said and I would never give my child meth and to all of you ignorant lames out there in Utah remember here in Cali we have medical liscences to poses and smoke marijuana so don’t believe some dumb news editor who’s trying to spice up there article by lying cuzz they know the truth was to boring

      • sagemoon May 27, 2015 at 11:12 am

        Oh, dear. I don’t think Sickboy knows what he got himself into by making this comment. By the way, it doesn’t matter if marijuana is legal in California or not, it is ILLEGAL in Utah so bringing it over the border was a dumb decision.

        • sagemoon May 27, 2015 at 11:15 am

          Oh, and meth sucks. Dang tweeker.

          • SICKBOY1503 May 29, 2015 at 2:05 pm

            Your totally right it does suck and brings nothing but bad to life’s , family’s but unfortunately addiction is a terrible thing for a lot of people that get sucked into that lifestyle but we all have choices in life and right now my choice is to get better and make a change not only for myself but for the life’s I’ve affected because of my addiction!

          • RealMcCoy May 29, 2015 at 2:59 pm

            You can start helping yourself by getting rid of the ‘medical marijuana’, the excuses, and the blame you place on everyone around you for your predicament.

  • ladybugavenger May 25, 2015 at 8:24 pm

    Target: Out of state plates. Mission accomplished.

    • CaliGirl May 25, 2015 at 10:31 pm

      Ya, cuz 63 in a 45 is no big deal. Really LBA? Do you really think the out of state plates were the only reason? I wonder why I got pulled over for doing 58 in a 40 with my Utah plates?

      • tcrider May 26, 2015 at 9:37 am

        cuz you gots ta have da directionals on also, which by fact, 95% of the driving population does not use in the state of utah, this gives the authorities the justification for checking you out, or pulling you over, which is one of utahs best kept secrets and tools for the authorities.
        excellent job being done by both washington city and saint george officers, keep up the outstanding job.

        • SICKBOY1503 May 26, 2015 at 6:56 pm

          It had nothing to do with blinkers and you shouldn’t be ignorant like this editor and speculate on an issue that you know nothing about ! Excellent job to the cops that got me set up in a speed trap where a 70 mph zone turns into a 45 mph on a down hill and the cop said I saw your brake lights on and you were slowing down but I still pulled you over probably the Cali plates and the fact that we are legal to smoke weed so the police in Utah target us and hope they get lucky with a Posesion charge like mine at least that’s what your fellow tow truck driver said

          • tcrider May 27, 2015 at 10:29 am

            too bad, so sad
            I bet you feel like you bin had,
            it don’t do you no good to be mad.
            facts is, its illegal to do weed in this state.
            and a majority of the population here, agrees
            with the law, and it don’t matter if you are from around here or not because the majority supports the cops and the law, the bottom line is, the one above has already made your destiny, and only you will answer for the path you chose.
            You really need to to understand why people move here in the first place, and not tolerating drugs and the people that choose to do them, is one of the main things that attracts people to this area.
            You might be more liked and accepted in a place like maybe las vegas.

          • RealMcCoy May 28, 2015 at 11:50 am

            Where is the 70 mph zone on State Street?
            When did meth become legal in california?
            When did pot distribution across state lines become legal?
            When did california legalize firearms in the possession of felony conviction people?
            Answer those questions, and then we can address how ‘the cops done you wrong’…

    • xstriker May 26, 2015 at 5:21 am

      Target: get guns out of the hands of felons… mission accomplished.

    • SICKBOY1503 May 26, 2015 at 6:49 pm

      If you don’t like out of state plates in Utah I understand cuzz I can’t stand you jahova witt what ever you call yourselfs knocking on my door in Cali , ( door slammed in face mission accomplished)

      • 42214 May 27, 2015 at 5:33 pm

        Sickboy, your name fits you to a “T”. A last name of Whiner would make it complete.

  • sagemoon May 26, 2015 at 8:42 am

    Dang tweekers.

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