A Willow Springs traffic stop turned into a pursuit and felony arrest after deputies recovered multiple controlled substances from a vehicle late Monday night, according to a probable cause statement filed by the Howell County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy Paden Turnbull reported seeing a silver Mazda speeding on East Main Street around 7:45 p.m. on January 12. When the driver braked abruptly and turned onto Holloway Drive, the deputy attempted to catch up but said the vehicle continued at high speed, later running a stop sign and accelerating onto several county roads.
Turnbull activated his lights and siren, but the vehicle did not stop, leading deputies on a pursuit across rural roads before it was found abandoned at the end of County Road 2410. Inside the vehicle, deputies located a passenger, Alley Lee Sherwood of West Plains.
A search of the vehicle uncovered suspected narcotics, including 127 pseudoephedrine pills, 12 suspected amphetamine pills, seven suspected morphine pills, 19 suspected lorazepam pills, approximately 1.7 grams of suspected methamphetamine, and 160 small plastic baggies. Deputies also seized a 9mm magazine, a .22 cartridge, and Sherwood’s cellphone. The drugs were found inside rubber gloves on the passenger-side floorboard.
Sherwood reportedly denied ownership of the substances.
She is charged with three counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, her bond is set at $25,000.
