MASONTOWN, W.Va. — Three more people have been charged in Masontown for marijuana and mushroom possession.
On Sept 16, troopers with the West Virginia State Police performed a traffic stop on a vehicle for its “right rear taillight and cracked windshield” near the intersection of W.Va. Rt. 7 and Sunny Hill Road in Masontown, according to a criminal complaint.
At that time, officers made contact with the vehicle’s driver, David Rees, 29, of Niles, Michigan, and a K9 unit was requested to perform a free-air sniff of the area of the vehicle, troopers said.
While troopers waited for the K9 unit to arrive, Rees “rolled up his window and refused multiple verbal commands to exit the vehicle,” then he “accelerated and began to travel north on Sunny Hill Road,” according to the complaint.
Troopers then began to pursue Rees, during which time he “operated his vehicle in a reckless manner” and “causing other motorists to drive off the roadway,” troopers said.
During the pursuit, Rees also “drove through private yards” and “past two civilians directing traffic for the Resonance Festival,” according to the complaint.
Rees was eventually stopped by other law enforcement traveling west on West Herring Road, however, while stopped he “again disobeyed verbal commands to exit his vehicle,” troopers said.
At that time, troopers removed Rees from the vehicle “where he began to actively resist” and “refused to be handcuffed,” but troopers were able to place him into handcuffs, according to the complaint.
A search of Rees’ vehicle resulted in officers locating more than 7 grams of mushrooms and “multiple bags” of marijuana, troopers said.
Rees has been charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana and fleeing with reckless indifference. He is being held in Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $50,000 bond.
Additionally, two more individuals have been charged in connection to Masontown.
On Sept. 16, deputies with the Preston County Sheriff’s Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle stopped on Costello Way near Sunny Hill Road in the area near Masontown, according to a criminal complaint.
At that time, deputies had a K9 perform a free-air sniff of the exterior of the vehicle, which indicated for the presence of narcotics on the passenger side of the vehicle, deputies said.
Upon a search of the vehicle, deputies found 5.674 grams of marijuana, 80 grams of mushrooms, 16 containers of THC wax, several sets of digital scales, a “brown bundle type item that appeared to be edibles, as well as empty plastic bags, according to the complaint.
In the vehicle, deputies located David Buntjer, 30, of Overland Park, Kansas; and Joshua Mannen, 42, of Molline, Illinois, as well as one other un-named individual, deputies said.
Mannen and Buntjer have been charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. They are being held in Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $10,000 bond.