Long Beach Man Arrested in Lucerne After Fleeing Traffic Stop and Discarding Narcotics During Pursuit
LUCERNE, CA — “On May 14, 2025, at approximately 8:00 PM, a deputy conducting a routine patrol in Lucerne initiated a traffic stop after observing a vehicle swerve over the white fog line multiple times.
Upon contacting the driver, identified as 41-year-old Destin Smith of Long Beach, the deputy detected a strong odor of fresh marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Smith stated that he and his passenger, 24-year-old Indea Williams of Los Angeles, were traveling from Long Beach to Shelter Cove and intended to return to Long Beach later.
During the initial contact, the deputy observed loose marijuana fragments on the driver’s side floorboard. After asking both occupants to step out of the vehicle and escorting them to the patrol car, Smith suddenly ran back to the vehicle and fled the scene, driving erratically through a nearby Lucerne neighborhood. During the pursuit, Smith collided with a parked car before later abandoning his vehicle and fleeing on foot.
The deputy observed Smith running with a duffel bag and a blue plastic bag. While pursuing him on foot, the deputy noted that Smith discarded both items while cutting through a nearby lot. The deputy apprehended Smith shortly afterward without further incident.
After placing Smith in the patrol vehicle, the deputy obtained the property owner’s consent to search the lot where Smith had fled. Both the duffel bag and the blue plastic bag were located and found to contain sealed packages of marijuana, a quart-sized Ziploc bag filled with suspected methamphetamine, and several multicolored pills believed to be fentanyl.
The California Highway Patrol responded to investigate the traffic collision caused during Smith’s attempted escape and completed a report.
During an interview with Williams, she informed the deputy that Smith had traveled to Humboldt County to purchase the narcotics but claimed she was unaware of his intentions until after the fact. Williams was not arrested.
Smith was transported and booked into the Hill Road Correctional Facility on multiple charges, including inter-county narcotics trafficking, possession of a controlled substance for sale, felony evasion of a peace officer, and other related offenses.”
