Drug agents find fentanyl, meth and guns in crashed car, arrest two fugitives north of Madras
Barney Lerten
(Update: Adding video)
MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — A long-term drug investigation concluded Wednesday night when a suspected trafficker’s vehicle crashed north of Madras, and detectives with the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team seized large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and three guns, authorities said.
Officers said they suspect the drugs were introduced into Jefferson County from the Portland area.
“This was a coordinated, multi-agency effort targeting narcotics coming into Central Oregon intended for wide distribution,” Bend Police Lt. Mike Landolt said in a CODE Team news release Thursday evening.
The incident began around 9 p.m. Wednesday when police identified a black 2023 BMW X1 believed to be transporting illegal drugs headed toward Madras on Highway 26. They tried to stop the SUV after the driver turned onto NW Gumwood Lane and pulled into a private driveway, Landolt said.
The driver, identified as Tyler Wayne Fuller, 36, of Redmond, tried to flee, hitting a fence on the property, then driving through a lawn and hitting another fence and boulders before tipping onto its side. Police were not pursuing the car when it crashed, according to Landolt.
All three vehicle occupants were evaluated at St. Charles–Madras, Landolt said.
Inside the BMW were Fuller and two passengers, John Christopher Allen Richardson, 28, of Bend, and a 36-year-old Redmond woman. Fuller was found to have a federal warrant for his arrest, and Richardson had a parole violation warrant. Both men were later lodged at the Jefferson County Jail.
After a drug detection K-9, Bonnie, alerted to the odor of drugs in the car, officers obtained and executed a search warrant, discovering what Landolt called a “significant amount” of fentanyl and methamphetamine, along with three firearms, drug records, packaging materials and a scale.
“All occupants of the vehicle are convicted felons and are not legally allowed to possess firearms,” Landolt said. The woman was cited for felon in possession of a firearm.
Police—including the Madras Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Marshals—assisted in the investigation.
“This case remains under investigation, and additional charges may be filed,” Landolt noted.
The CODE team and partners continue to target narcotics distribution networks in Central Oregon, Landolt said, emphasizing community safety and multi-agency cooperation