Edward I. Day, 56, rolled the 2003 Suzuki XL7 he was driving southbound at high speed on Kane Springs Road, near the Moab Rim parking lot, according to an MPD report. While responding to the crash, officers from Moab and the Grand County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) searched the vehicle and discovered a large amount of suspected methamphetamine, as well as suspected marijuana residue and drug paraphernalia.
Police have referred charges against Day and Carrol J. Brown to the Grand County Attorney’s Office. Those charges include one felony count of driving while under the influence of drugs, felony possession of a dangerous drug, misdemeanor possession of marijuana and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
Both Day and Brown were taken by ambulance to Moab Regional Hospital with injuries. Officers conducted a search of the vehicle after detecting what they called, “furtive movements of the occupants and actions,” that led officers to believe Day was impaired while driving. During the search by officers, substances were located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle that later tested positive for methamphetamine and marijuana, as well as drug paraphernalia.
After searching the vehicle, officers from MPD and GCSO left the scene and conducted a search of Day and Brown at the hospital. During the search of Day’s jacket, police reported finding pieces of a glass pipe, which was collected for evidence. According to police, a total of 47 grams of methamphetamine was seized.
This isn’t Day’s first scrape with law enforcement in recent months. He pleaded guilty in October to a third-degree felony count of possession or use of a controlled substance. Day was originally charged with a first-degree felony charge of possession, as well as a third-degree felony charge of tampering with evidence, a misdemeanor charge of possession or use of a controlled substance and a misdemeanor charge of use or possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to a report released by MPD in November, Day was the passenger in a vehicle that was stopped March 18 near the intersection of 100 South and 100 West in Moab. During the stop, officers determined that Day had placed a glass vial containing a substance suspected to be “either methamphetamine or crack cocaine” and a lighter behind a nearby retaining wall. Officers tested the substance and presumptively determined that it was methamphetamine.
The driver of the vehicle was cited for driving on a denied license.
Officers also discovered nearly $1,000 in cash, a scale, marijuana and several butane lighters during their search of Day and the vehicle. Officers weighed the vial after arresting Day and determined it contained six grams of methamphetamine.
Day was previously convicted in 2012 of a single second-degree felony charge of distribution of a controlled substance in Seventh District Court. He was given a suspended sentence of 1 to 15 years in the Utah State Prison, though he successfully completed probation in that case in 2016, according to the district court clerk’s office.
Brown has also had troubles with the law recently. He was arrested on Nov. 4 and charged with misdemeanor attempted possession or use of a controlled substance. He pleaded guilty to the charge on Nov. 28 and was released from Grand County Jail after being handed a three-month suspended sentence and 18 months of probation.
Day is tentatively scheduled for sentencing in the March case on Tuesday, Dec. 19.