Colorado Woman Busted for Drugs After Caught Speeding in Wyoming

A 58-year-old Timnath, Colorado woman is facing felony drug possession charges following a traffic stop south of Cheyenne.

15 MPH Over the Speed Limit

According to a booking sheet, Phyllis Maxwell was headed north on Interstate 25 around 7:22 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11 when a Wyoming Highway Patrol lieutenant who was patrolling near milepost 3 clocked her doing 90 mph in the 75-mph zone.

While pulling Maxwell over, the lieutenant says he observed Maxwell's passenger, later identified as Maxwell's son Joaquin Jolin, moving around excessively.

He says it also took longer than usual for Maxwell to pull over.

The lieutenant says when he contacted the two and informed Maxwell why he pulled her over and asked for her driver's license and vehicle information, he noticed neither she nor Jolin was wearing their seat belts.

He says Maxwell admitted to traveling 90 mph.

The lieutenant had Maxwell join him in his patrol vehicle, and after looking at the vehicle registration on his mobile data terminal, he learned that it had expired as of June 2024.

He says Maxwell, who agreed to speak with him, told him she has no insurance on the vehicle.

Conflicting Travel Plans

The lieutenant says Maxwell's travel plans didn't match Jolin's.

He says Maxwell told him that she was headed to Cheyenne and was going to stay with Jolin at his girlfriend's home, but Jolin told him that his mom was not going to stay with him and that he was just getting dropped off.

Maxwell was detained and Mirandized, and when the lieutenant asked Maxwell if he could search the vehicle, she reportedly denied his request, so he requested a K-9 unit.

K-9 Sniff Leads to Felony Drug Possession Charges

After the dog alerted on the vehicle, Maxwell reportedly told the lieutenant and the dog's handler that they may find some cocaine in the vehicle.

A probable cause search was conducted, and a pink and black rubber heart container containing methamphetamine, which weighed 43 grams, and a multi-colored rubber container containing methamphetamine, which weighed 22 grams, were reportedly found.

A blue glass vial containing cocaine, which weighed 12 grams, and a plastic straw containing a white powdery residue was also reportedly found in a bag of collector coins in a wooden box.

The lieutenant says Maxwell said the coins belonged to her.

Maxwell also reportedly had a suspected THC vape pen cartridge in her purse, which weighed 13 grams, and a glass pipe in a purse in the center console.

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Maxwell was arrested and subsequently charged with two counts of felony possession of a controlled substance and three misdemeanors, including speeding, expired registration, and no proof of insurance.

Maxwell made her initial appearance in Laramie County Circuit Court on Friday, Sept. 13, during which her bond was set at $5,000 cash, and her preliminary hearing was scheduled for Friday, Sept. 20 at 10:30 a.m.

Please remember that all suspects are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.