A traffic stop on a vehicle suspected of being involved in a drive-by shooting earlier in the day Monday resulted in the arrest of two men, including one with a lengthy criminal history, on multiple felony drug charges.
Evan Drake Johnson, 21, who lists a Gerrard Terrace address, and Payton Daniel Wicklund, 18, who lists a Chisholm Trail address, were both taken into custody shortly after 5 p.m. and charged with three counts of possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver, involving meth, marijuana and pills, each punishable by six to 10 years in prison, and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to 20 years.
Wicklund was also charged with an additional felony count of possession of drug paraphernalia and felony counts of furnishing prohibited articles, punishable by up to 10 years, and unauthorized use of another person's property to facilitate a certain crime, punishable by up to 20 years, according to court records.
Johnson remained in custody Tuesday in lieu of bonds totaling $19,500 and Wicklund remained in custody in lieu of bonds totaling $30,500. Both are set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, at around 5 p.m. Monday, Hot Springs police Officer Thomas Plummer was on Main Street approaching Albert Pike Road when he spotted a black Dodge Charger with expired tags being driven by Johnson with a white male passenger.
Plummer noted the vehicle, Johnson and the passenger matched the descriptions given of two males in a Charger reportedly involved in a drive-by shooting in the 300 block of Park Avenue shortly before noon Monday.
According to emergency radio traffic, some people walking on the sidewalk were fired upon by the front seat passenger of a black Dodge Charger that continued north on Park. No one was injured, but a shell casing was recovered at the scene.
Plummer followed the vehicle and stopped it at School Street and Hobson Avenue and ordered Johnson and the passenger, later identified as Wicklund, to remain in the vehicle with their hands in plain view. The affidavit notes neither man initially obeyed commands, but as other officers arrived they were removed from the vehicle.
Plummer noted there was a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and a search uncovered several bags of marijuana, a total of 37.7 grams, a bag with 90 white pills inscribed with "GG 249," digital scales, several empty baggies, and a bag with 0.6 gram of what later tested positive for meth.
In searching Johnson, officers reportedly found he had $1,295 in cash "in a wad" in his pants pocket and a credit card that had been reported stolen by a local man previously. Johnson also allegedly had other items belonging to the same victim.
In the driver's side door panel, officers found a 16-round 9-mm magazine with 16 unused rounds of ammunition. One spent 9-mm cartridge was found in the floorboard which was reportedly similar to the one recovered on Park Avenue.
The affidavit notes investigators with the 18th Judicial East Drug Task Force responded to the scene and took possession of all the evidence and seized the money and vehicle.
Johnson was last charged on March 5 on two counts of aggravated assault stemming from allegations he was involved in a drive-by shooting on Feb. 19 at the intersection of Park and Fox Pass Cutoff, where a man, 22, and juvenile girl were shot at by a man, later reportedly identified as Johnson, in a black Dodge Charger.
He was later released on $25,000 bond and is set to be arraigned on those charges today in district court.
On Feb. 20, Johnson and three other suspects, including Wicklund, were arrested after a loaded 9-mm handgun and drugs were found in Johnson's Dodge Charger following a traffic stop. All four were charged with felony counts of simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, punishable by up to life in prison, and possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Johnson appeared Feb. 21 in district court and pleaded not guilty to the charges and was later released on a $25,000 bond. The case is pending in Garland County Circuit Court.
Johnson was previously arrested on Dec. 18, 2019, on felony charges of possession of a controlled substance, psilocybin, with purpose to deliver, possession of meth with purpose to deliver and a misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver. He was later released on $3,500 bond and that case is also pending in circuit court.
His arrest stemmed from an incident on Nov. 3 where he was allegedly found overdosing at his residence. He told Garland County sheriff's Deputy Matt Cogburn he had taken hydrocodone, cocaine, heroin, mushrooms and marijuana. Cogburn was able to revive Johnson using Narcan and he was transported to a local hospital and arrested after his release.
Local on 04/15/2020