Posted: Thursday, April 9, 2009 12:00 am
A commercial truck driver was arrested Wednesday night by Oregon State Police (OSP) during "Operation Trucker Check 16" when troopers discovered he was in possession of marijuana plants, hashish, and a kit used for falsifying a urine test.
OSP Sgt. Dave McKenzie gave this account:
At about 10:51 p.m. Wednesday, Senior Trooper Dianne Hansell contacted a commercial vehicle at the Woodburn Port of Entry to conduct a vehicle inspection during the 72-hour "Operation Trucker Chec."
While in contact with the operator, Phillip C. Mattoon, 53, of El Paso, Texas, the trooper, assisted by drug recognition experts, determined he was in possession of four marijuana plants, user quantities of marijuana and hashish, and a kit used for falsifying a urine test.
Mattoon, who was driving for Complete Distribution Services Inc., was taken into custody and lodged at the Marion County Jail. Charges include:
• Operating a commercial motor vehicle while in -ossession of marijuana
• Operating a commercial motor vehicle while in possession of hashish
• Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance - marijuana
• Unlawful delivery of a controlled substance - marijuana
• Unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance - marijuana
• Falsifying a drug test result
"Operation Trucker Check," a 72-hour interagency police and motor carrier operation, began at 12:01 a.m Tuesday, and runs through 11:59 p.m. Thursday with police officers and truck inspectors working with Drug Recognition Evaluators (DRE) and K9 officers targeting operator impairment, vehicle safety, and potential criminal activity related to commercial vehicle operations.