Traffic stop leads to arrest on drug charges

A March traffic stop initiated after a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office deputy recognized a woman without a license driving a pickup in Libby led to an arrest on drug charges.

Brittany Cook, 22, faces a felony count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and a misdemeanor charge of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia in Lincoln County District Court. She pleaded not guilty at her April 26 arraignment.

According to court documents, Deputy Derek Breiland had previously crossed paths with Cook when he spotted her behind the wheel of a Dodge pickup truck on state Highway 37 on March 6. In an affidavit, he wrote that he knew she had never possessed a valid driver’s license, but ran her through dispatch just in case.

When dispatchers confirmed Cook lacked a license, Breiland pulled the vehicle over near the intersection with Second Street. Cook initially was unable to find the pickup’s registration, handing Breiland a stack of paperwork instead.

When Breiland told her he did not plan on sorting through the papers, Cook told him that another individual — one not at the scene — had all the information for the truck, according to court documents. After digging through the papers, Cook said she could not find the registration.

During the stop, Detective Brandon Holzer called Breiland and told him that he had information that Cook had drugs in the vehicle. In the affidavit, Breiland wrote that Cook is a known addict and associates with other addicts. He asked her if there were any drugs in the pickup, which she denied.

Still, Breiland requested that one of the office’s narcotics K9s check out the vehicle based on Holzer’s tip and his previous interactions with Cook. After Cook removed her young children and diaper bags from the vehicle, a drug-sniffing dog was brought to the pickup. It alerted on the driver’s side, Breiland wrote.

Authorities initially cited Cook for driving without a license and failure to show proof of liability insurance. She, her children and her boyfriend were given a ride from the scene by another individual, court documents said.

Meanwhile, Breiland applied for and received a search warrant for the vehicle. Inside, Breiland wrote that he found a metal, cheetah print “snort tube” with a white crystalline substance on it. The substance tested presumptively positive for methamphetamine, Breiland wrote.

Investigators also found a smoking pipe in the cup holder compartment. Both it and the snort tube were sent to the Montana State Crime Lab for further testing, court documents said.

Criminal possession of dangerous drugs carries a maximum punishment of five years in the Montana State Prison and a $5,000 fine. Misdemeanor criminal possession of drug paraphernalia is punishable by up to six months in the county jail and a fine of $500.

An omnibus hearing is set for June 21 with a pretrial conference slated for July 19.