Deputy finds meth in Post Falls gas station stop, two women arrested

A routine contact at a Post Falls gas station turned into a felony drug case when a Kootenai County deputy says illegal drugs and paraphernalia were visible in a parked vehicle. Deputies later found about 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine, along with marijuana, in the 5200 block of West Riverbend Avenue near West Pointe Parkway.

The encounter happened at about 2 a.m. Monday, June 8, after a deputy approached the occupants of the vehicle at the gas station. The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said what began as a consensual contact quickly escalated once contraband was seen in plain view, prompting a search of the car.

That search led to the arrest of two women from Washougal, Washington. Laurie J. Wainwright, 65, was booked on charges of trafficking methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Jeannie L. Sanders, 66, was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Deputies said methamphetamine and marijuana were found in several areas of the vehicle. They also reported finding a bag labeled “Smelly Proof” that contained multiple plastic bags holding about 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine. The sheriff’s office identified the case as report number 26-21648.

The release was attributed to Lt. Mark Ellis under Sheriff Robert B. Norris. It adds another example of how quickly drug cases can develop during brief street-level contacts in Post Falls, where the mix of local traffic and travel along major routes keeps parking lots, roadside stops and other ordinary encounters on the front line of county enforcement. In this case, no lengthy surveillance or major traffic stop was needed for deputies to uncover what they described as a substantial narcotics load.