Fugitives, drugs, stolen vehicle revealed in traffic stop

By Chris Edwards
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SPURGER – Two men are in custody after a routine stop revealed drugs, a stolen car and fugitives.

According to Tyler County Sheriff Bryan Weatherford, deputies with the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office were out patrolling in the Spurger area last Friday when they stopped a car along FM 92 for a routine traffic violation.

After deputies checked the vehicle’s registration, they discovered it was reported as stolen out of Orange. The driver, identified as 29-year-old Daniel Wilder, of Pearland, was found to have active warrants for his arrest out of both Brazoria and Jefferson counties.

Wilder’s passenger, 30-year-old Hayley Schoonover, also had an active warrant for her arrest, out of Hardin County, and had given the deputies a false name, Weatherford said.

The deputies searched the vehicle and discovered a clear, plastic baggie with a crystalline substance, which field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Weatherford said the Schoonover admitted to the deputies that she was in possession of K2, or synthetic marijuana.

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After the two were taken into custody and booked into the Tyler County Justice Center, a review of the patrol unit backseat and video system turned up more contraband, as deputies discovered a white, crystalline substance between the seat and the door of the patrol vehicle, which also field-tested positive for meth.

Weatherford said that, on camera, Schoonover could be seen taking the drugs from her clothing.

Wilder was charged with evading arrest (Brazoria County); resisting arrest (Jefferson County) and possession of a controlled substance. He remains in custody with a $12,000 bond set by Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Ken Jobe.

Schoonover was charged with possession of controlled substance (Hardin County); possession of a controlled Substance “Meth”; possession of controlled substance (K2); tampering with physical evidence and failure to identify, all Tyler County charges. 

She currently remains in jail with bonds set at $21,000 by Jobe.

Both could face additional charges as investigators work with Orange police in reference to the stolen vehicle, Weatherford said.