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Man asleep in drive-thru arrested after Pierce County deputies find drugs

Sep 4, 2025, 3:59 PM

Pierce County arrest...

Drugs, guns, and cash were seized after an arrest in Pierce County. (Photo courtesy of the Pierce County Sheriff's Office)

(Photo courtesy of the Pierce County Sheriff's Office)

Deputies in Pierce County were called to the McDonald’s on Portland Avenue East and 112th Street East around 8:30 p.m., September 1, for a man asleep at the wheel in the drive-thru.

When deputies arrived, they said they could clearly see drugs and drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle.

Pierce County authorities find drugs, guns, cash

Once they took the man out of the car, they found large quantities of drugs—fentanyl, cocaine, and meth.

“This was clearly and obviously a case of a drug dealer who is distributing in Pierce County with very large amounts of drugs,” Pierce County Deputy Carly Cappetto said.

Cappetto said deputies also discovered more than $3,000 in cash, two handguns, ammunition, and a 3-D printed assault-style rifle with a suppressor. Cappetto said, more and more, they are finding these so-called ghost guns on the streets of Pierce County.

“They have no serial numbers on them. There’s no way to track these firearms, where they came from, who built them. This is what we’re seeing more and more on the street,” Cappetto explained.

The 39-year-old man was arrested for suspected drug distribution.

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