Suspects Attack Officers in Major Meth and Reefer Bust

TYE, TX – As a result of a traffic stop in Tye, sheriff's deputies discovered approximately $200,000 worth of drugs.

According to the Taylor County Sheriff's Office, narcotics agents conducted a traffic stop on Tuesday in a vehicle driven by  28-year-old William Ryan Pierce.

During the stop, a K-9 alerted the presence of drugs and the vehicle was searched. Deputies then discovered approximately 14 pounds of marijuana.

Agents then obtained a search warrant for a home in Abilene and recovered a rifle, more than 8 pounds of marijuana, and more than 4 pounds of methamphetamine.

A second search warrant was then obtained for a storage unit. At that location, agents discovered more than 100 vape cartridges that each contained 1,000 milligrams of THC.

As the investigation continued, agents identified a potential supplier for the drugs and began surveillance on a black SUV located in front of a residence on Cactus Trail on Wednesday.

Deputies observed two men inside the SUV. The driver was identified as 26-year-old Jason Mitchell and the passenger as 22-year-old Anthony Lerma. The agents had an arrest warrant for Lerma.

When agents attempted to contact the two men, Lerma attempted to take off on foot and Mitchell rammed the SUC into the agent's vehicle and attempted to run over a narcotics supervisor.

In response, the narcotics supervisor fired his firearm multiple times into the SUV to stop the oncoming threat. 

Mitchell missed hitting the supervisor and drove through two fences before crashing into a storage building.

No one was injured in the incident and the two men were arrested and transported to the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office.