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Show Drug Bus Ordered Back A van impounded in December's Decem-ber's massive drug bust was ordered returned to the owner, Tuesday at least for awhile by Judge Stewart Hanson of the Third District Court in Coalville. The 1972 Ford van, owned by Carol Querry of Park City, had been impounded by Chief Garth Wilkinson based on a state narcotics officer's report that sale of a suspected illegal substance had taken place inside it. Under state law, police may impound any vehicle used for illegal drug sales. According to Assistant County Attorney Terry Christianson, who prosecuted the case, Hanson's ruling was based on testimony by Chief Wilkinson that he didn't know at the time exactly what the substance sold in the van was. It has since been determined to be an amphetcmine. Hanson ruled that sale of a substance only suspected of being illegal is not "probable cause" for impounding a vehicle. Christianson told the Record that the police may now impound the van. however, since it is known that amphetrmincs were sold in it. He said the owner will still face prosecution in connection with the actual sale of the drug. At press time, Chief Wilkinson was unavailable for comment on whether the van will be impounded impound-ed again. Christianson said his office had not yet made a decision whether to further prosecute the matter. Meanwhile, others involved in the drug bust have faced preliminary hearings in Park City over the last several weeks. According to Christianson. the court heard 15 counts of drug-related offenses on January 29 and another 6 counts this past Saturday. All but one were bound over to district court lor arraignment arraign-ment on February 22. Complaints arc still being filed by the county attorney's office, based on the extensive undercover under-cover work that culminated in the Dei ember bust, said Christian son. One narcotics investigator's final report was released Tuesday, Tues-day, he said, and a new complaint was issued sihui after. |