Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
CEDAR CITY — A traffic stop for a minor violation in Iron County resulted in two people being arrested, including one man who was recently released from prison after serving 12 years for murder, police say.
On Monday, a Utah Highway Patrol trooper pulled over an SUV headed north on I-15 near Cedar City for following a semitruck too closely. When the trooper approached the vehicle, he could smell marijuana, according to a police booking affidavit.
"When asked about the odor, this subject presented me with a partially burned marijuana joint," the trooper wrote in the affidavit.
During a search of the SUV, troopers reported finding a handgun, two bags of suspected methamphetamine, and a bag believed to contain ecstasy tablets.
The passenger, Leycester Shibley Zissler, 41, was discovered to have a warrant for his arrest out of Wisconsin. Zissler, who told troopers he was released from prison in January after serving 12 years for murder, was wanted in Wisconsin for a probation violation, the affidavit states. The warrant advised any officers who came across Zissler that he "may be armed" and may flee, according to the affidavit.
He was arrested for investigation of possession of a weapon by a restricted person, three counts of drug possession and being a fugitive.
The driver, Somphane Aphayrath, 31, was also arrested for investigation of possession of a gun by a restricted person, three counts of drug possession, and following another vehicle too closely.
