Passenger In Drug Car Sought

Authorities are looking for the passenger in a car that was stopped on Labor Day near Ritzville carrying more than $76,000 worth of drugs.

Jeffrey Pranskitis, 23, of Grand Rapids, Mich., is wanted by Washington State Patrol officials on felony drug charges.

Troopers stopped the speeding Ford Escort on Interstate 90 early Monday and smelled marijuana, WSP spokesman Sgt. Chris Powell said.

Detectives impounded the car and requested a search warrant, but could not immediately arrest the two men inside, Powell said.

The driver, Arthur Clements, 22, of Olympia, twice called the WSP office after the car was impounded to see when he could pick it up.

Detectives found more than 25,000 hits of LSD, more than 2-1/4 pounds of marijuana, more than 1-1/2 pounds of hallucinogenic mushrooms and methamphetamines stuffed inside the car’s door panels, Powell said.

About $350 in cash also was found.

WSP troopers arrested Clements in Ritzville shortly after the search but could not find Pranskitis.

It is not clear where the two men were going with the drugs or where they got them, Powell said.

When they were first pulled over, one of the men mentioned going to Michigan, he said.

, DataTimes