Missoula Police Arrest Man for Having Meth and an Outstanding Warrant

At around 9:30 Monday night, a Missoula police officer responded to the report of a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot of a business in the 1500 block of Liberty Lane. Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh explains.

“The complainant reported that the vehicle had been sitting in the lot for several hours and that the car was running with the lights still on,” Welsh said. “The officer arrived, made contact with the driver, and identified him as 37-year-old James Ruthford. The officer learned that Ruthford had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Ruthford was placed under arrest and was then found to be in possession of a substance that was later identified as methamphetamine.”

Ruthford was transported to the Missoula County Jail and is currently being held for criminal possession of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. According to the jail, this is the second or subsequent time Ruthford has been arrested for possession of meth.