Editor’s note: This story was updated on June 23, 2025, to correct inaccuracies about the June 12, 2024 incident, and the headline was changed to reflect the correction.

The Grand County Sheriff’s Office conducted two traffic stops that resulted in a total of four arrests.

On Tuesday, June 11, a traffic stop was conducted on U.S. Highway 34 for a vehicle equipment violation. During the stop, a K9 unit was deployed and 25 grams of fentanyl and 78.1 grams of methamphetamine were discovered, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as Richard Lawing, 35, from Grand Lake. The passenger was arrested for an active warrant that had been issued out of Chaffee County for drug related crimes.

Lawing was booked into the Grand County Jail on multiple traffic infractions and drug charges, including unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia and a violation of a protective order.

Car chase leads to arrests

The following day, around midnight on June 12, a deputy said they observed a vehicle traveling 94 mph in a 65 mph zone along U.S Highway 40. The deputy reported that they attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but it did not stop.

Officers deployed tire deflation devices and successfully deflated two of the vehicle’s tires. The vehicle eventually came to a stop at the intersection between U.S. Highway 34 and U.S. 40 where a high-risk traffic stop was conducted, according to a press release.

The agency’s investigation revealed that this vehicle had been involved in pursuits with law enforcement agencies in Summit County shortly before this incident.

The driver was identified as Gilbert D. Karam, 21, from Denver and the passenger was identified as Benjamin J. Matthews, 23, from Boulder. Both were taken into custody without further incident.

A K9 unit was deployed and the sheriff’s office said that a subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of 96.66 grams of what was later determined to be THC.

Karam was booked into the Grand County Jail on multiple traffic infractions including speeding, vehicular eluding, reckless driving and reckless endangerment.

Karam and the Matthews were originally facing additional charges relating to distribution of methamphetamine due to a misidentification by a sheriff’s office deputy and his K9 unit. A Colorado Bureau of Investigation analysis determined they were not in possession of methamphetamine and the related charges were dropped for both parties.