The Vacaville Police Department reported on a routine traffic stop that spiraled into a significant drug bust, with the unveiling of a potential fraud scheme, leading to the arrest of two Vacaville residents. The initial stop was prompted by a driver's cellphone use while driving, as per the Vacaville Police Department.
The mishap began when Tyler Robert Howell, a 26-year-old from Vacaville, was seen with his phone conspicuously in front of his face while at the wheel. Officers further found that not only was Howell's license suspended, but his passenger, Jeffrey McKinney, age 48, also possessed an invalid license. As the stop evolved into an investigation, the police discovered narcotics, paraphernalia, and hints of narcotics sales intentions amidst Howell's belongings. To compound matters, various financial access cards, some bearing Howell’s name and others with handwritten banking particulars, were found alongside a digital card reader/writer.
Howell's recent criminal record didn't aid his case; he had been arrested the week before for multiple felony narcotics charges in Vallejo and was out on bail. The discovery put Howell back in the police's grip, but McKinney's attempts to dodge apprehension through false identification only prolonged the inevitable. Once his true identity was confirmed, he was on Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS) and had two active felony PRCS violation warrants for his arrest.
Both individuals were arrested and booked into the Solano County Jail on various misdemeanor and felony charges.
