2 Men Jailed On Controlled Substance Charge, Warrants Following Traffic Stop

Richard Leon Howell

A routine traffic stop on State Highway 19 for speeding resulted in two felony arrests and recovery of suspected methamphetamine from a vehicle Tuesday afternoon.
Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper William Gillentine arrested Richard Leon Howell, 44, of Fort Worth and Mark Alan Tutton, 39, of Gun Barrel City for possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance. Howell was also arrested for driving while license invalid with a previous conviction and on Kaufman County warrants for prohibited weapon-knuckles and displaying expired license plates. Tutton also was charged on a Tom Green County warrant for driving while intoxicated and a Henderson County warrant for possession of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance, according to arrest reports.

Gillentine stopped a white pickup for traveling 77 miles per hour in a 70 mph speed zone. Upon checking driver Howell’s driving history, the trooper found the man had three previous driving while license invalid convictions, the most recent on March 19, the trooper alleged in arrest reports. Thus, Howell was taken into custody by Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Alvin Jordan.

Mark Alan Tutton

Authorities asked if the passenger had a valid driver’s license so he could drive the truck, which would avoid a towing charge for the driver and not leave the passenger stranded. However, a records check showed the passenger identified as Tutton to also be wanted, resulting in his arrest as well, the trooper alleged in arrest reports.
As Jordan began an inventory of the truck prior to impound, he located what was believed by the officers to be methamphetamine in the center console, resulting in both men being charged with possession of a controlled substance, according to arrest reports.

Howell remained in the county jail Wednesday morning. His bond was set at $10,000 on the controlled substance charge, $1,000 on the driver’s license charge and $5,000 on the weapon charge, jail reports read.

Tutton remained in the county jail Wednesday morning in lieu of $10,000 bond on the controlled substance charge, $50,000 on the Henderson County charge and $1,000 on the Tom Green County charge, jail reports read.

Author: KSST Contributor

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