Traffic stop leads to meth bust in Soldiers Grove
On March 28, at 8:30 p.m., a Crawford County Sheriff’s deputy saw a Mercury SUV with registration and equipment violations traveling south through the village of Soldiers Grove. The deputy conducted a traffic stop on the SUV on Halverson Ridge Road for the violations, and the driver was identified as Paul Bunts, 36, Woodman.
During the course of the traffic stop, Bunts displayed indicators of narcotics impairment. After field sobriety testing, Bunts was subsequently placed under arrest for operating a motor vehicle with a restricted controlled substance. A probable cause search of the vehicle was later conducted and two bags containing several grams of methamphetamine, methamphetamine paraphernalia, morphine pills and THC were located within the vehicle. At the time of the traffic stop, Bunts was on bond through La Crosse County for an open methamphetamine case. Bunts was transported and booked into the Crawford County Jail on tentative charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a schedule II narcotic, possession of THC (criminal) and felony bail jumping.
The Crawford County Sheriff’s Department Drug Recognition Expert/ K-9 Unit assisted with the traffic stop.