Traffic Stop for No Front License Plate Reveals Guns and Drugs

 On February 7, 2007, Washington State Patrol (WSP) Trooper Herrington stopped a vehicle that was traveling west bound on Interstate 90 five miles east of Ritzville for not having a front license plate. Upon contact Trooper Herrington learned that the driver, 29-year old Brian L. Croy was driving with a suspended driver's license out of Montana, he was placed under arrest for this violation. A search of Cory’s vehicle revealed three loaded firearms one of which was an AK-47 assault rifle that had a round in the chamber. Cory is a convicted felon out of Montana.

Trooper Herrington was assisted on the traffic stop by WSP Trooper Kiel and his K-9 partner “Buster”. While searching the vehicle troopers located bags of gold and silver coins and a small bar of silver. They also found a one thousand dollar bill that was dated back to 1934 along with a 50 dollar savings bond. Troopers also found a receipt from a storage unit that Croy had purchased in Bozeman, Montana. A check made out to Croy from Northgate Rare Coins in Seattle for over $3,000 was located in the vehicle. Another $3,000 in cash was found on Cory’s person. Trooper Kiel and Buster located a small amount of marijuana and several marijuana pipes.

Trooper Herrington contacted the Bozeman Police Department to check if they had any reports of missing property. A check by Bozeman PD revealed they were in-fact looking at Croy as a possible suspect in several local burglaries. Bozeman PD detectives are in the process of completing an arrest warrant for Cory.

Troopers are still trying to find out whom the firearms belong to and if they are linked to any criminal activity. Cory has been booked into the Lincoln County Jail on three counts of a felon in possession of a firearm. Just another example of why there is no such thing as a “routine traffic stop”.