K9 Officer Sniffs Out Trouble in Missoula
Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On May 8, 2025, a Missoula Police Department Officer and her K9 partner, Lux, were in the area of S. Catlin St. and S. 4th St. Just before 10:00 p.m., an officer directed her attention to two trailers located in the 1700 block of S. 4th St. W. The trailers have a known connection to illegal and dangerous drug activity.
The officer observed a Chevrolet Silverado parked on S. 4th St. W. directly in front of one of the trailers. Approximately ten minutes later, the officer observed the same Silverado turn onto S. 3rd St. in front of her patrol vehicle. The driver executed an improper lane change without utilizing his turn signal, and the officer initiated a traffic stop.
The driver provided the officer with his Montana driver’s license and identified himself as 44-year-old Donald Spence. Spence stated that the vehicle was not registered to him or insured, but that it belonged to him.
Spence Did Not Have Permission to Drive the Vehicle
The Missoula County Attorney’s Office conducted a records check on the Silverado and determined that it is registered to someone else. The owner stated that he last had possession of the vehicle in January. The vehicle was snowed in due to inclement weather in the vicinity of McCormick Park. He claimed that he did not know Spence and that Spence did not have permission to drive his vehicle.
The officer asked Spence if he had any weapons in the vehicle, and Spence stated that he did not. The officer learned through a records check that Spence is on felony probation and that he has an active non-extraditable warrant for drug charges out of California.
The officer asked Spence to exit the vehicle and sit on a curb. Then the officer utilized Lux to sniff the exterior of Spence’s vehicle. The K-9 exhibited behavior indicating the presence of narcotics. The officer contacted the on-call probation officer to request a search of Spence’s vehicle. During the search, the officer located a glass meth pipe, multiple hypodermic needles, and a black backpack.
The black backpack contained the following items:
- Multiple used hypodermic needles
- 1 small digital scale with methamphetamine residue
- 33 rounds of Winchester Wildcat .22 caliber ammunition
- Multiple glass smoking devices with burnt residue
- Multiple cut straws with burnt residue
- 1 small glass container with methamphetamine
- 1 contact lens case container, which contained a small clear plastic baggie with a small amount of methamphetamine
The officer also located and seized an empty Winchester Wildcat .22 caliber ammunition box, a box of Blazer 40 S&W ammunition, and a Smith & Wesson Walther P99c QZ .40 caliber handgun. The firearm had one round in the chamber and eight rounds in the magazine. The officer located a second magazine for the same firearm, which contained five rounds of the same ammunition.
READ MORE: Missoula News - Crime Reports
Spence was placed under arrest and was transported to the Missoula County Detention Center. He is currently being charged with felony unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted person, felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs, and three counts of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $100,000.
The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.
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