On Sunday, September 29, 2024, an alert Snoqualmie-North Bend Police Department Sergeant was starting his shift out with a fresh cup of joe at Huxdotter Coffee in North Bend when he observed a vehicle in the drive-thru line ahead of him. While waiting to place his order, the sergeant conducted a routine check of the vehicle’s registration and found that the registered owner had a suspended driver’s license in the 2nd degree.
After confirming with the barista who had been driving the vehicle when the order was picked up, the sergeant stopped the vehicle near ACE Hardware. The suspect was issued a criminal traffic citation for driving with a suspended license and given a court date. Prior to leaving the scene, the Sergeant told the driver not to move his vehicle, or he would be arrested and booked into jail.
The Sergeant returned to the drive-thru to retrieve his coffee and was told by the barista that the person he just stopped and cited had used an apparent counterfeit $100 bill. Once again, the Sergeant left Huxdotter without his coffee and returned to the suspect who was still sitting in his vehicle at ACE Hardware.
This time, the suspect was placed under arrest. After removing the suspect from the vehicle, additional counterfeit bills were seen inside the vehicle, as well as what appeared to be an AR style rifle on the rear floorboard. The vehicle was sealed for a search warrant and transported to a secure facility.
During the vehicle search, the rifle was removed and found to have been stolen in 2020. The rifle was loaded with four rounds of ammunition. Also recovered were approximately 30 counterfeit $100 bills. The suspect now faces multiple felony counts.