Bail has been set at $25,000 for a man arrested in Centralia on Friday while he was allegedly driving a stolen vehicle that had an estimated 300 fentanyl pills, as well as a firearm and varying amounts of cocaine, meth and heroin inside.
An officer with the Centralia Police Department stopped the vehicle in the 700 block of Harrison Avenue shortly before 12:40 p.m. on Dec. 30 after he processed the license plate and discovered it had been reported stolen two days prior, according to documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as Christian Brown, 35, of Chehalis, reportedly “denied knowing the vehicle was stolen” when the officer contacted him.
Court documents and previous Chronicle reporting stated Brown is a Tumwater resident, but Brown’s defense attorney confirmed Tuesday that Brown primarily resides in Chehalis.
Officers who searched the vehicle on Dec. 30 noted the interior was “in severe disarray,”according to court documents.
During their search, officers found the front interior door panel had been moved to the trunk, “burnt tinfoil and balled up tinfoil” was in the front passenger seat, and a zipper case containing an assortment of drugs was in the backseat.
Inside the zipper case was an estimated 300 pills, or 47 grams, of fentanyl; 5.3 grams of cocaine; 23 grams of meth; 7.2 grams of heroin; and a digital scale. A search of the trunk reportedly revealed a fake $100 bill, $330 in cash and a .45 caliber Glock containing a loaded magazine, according to court documents.
Brown was arrested at approximately 12:40 p.m. on Dec. 30 and was booked into the Lewis County Jail for an outstanding department of corrections warrant and for charges related to the stolen vehicle and the items found within.
Brown was formally charged Tuesday with violation of the uniform controlled substances act, first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen vehicle and failure to comply with community custody.
His arraignment hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 5.
