YOUR AD HERE »

Drug charge against Occupy Park City leader dismissed

Jay Hamburger The Park Record

Summit County prosecutors in May dismissed three criminal charges against the leader of the Occupy Park City movement, including a felony drug count, after determining the substance in question was not the drug ecstasy.

The charges against Tyler Galovich were dismissed on May 25, one month after they were filed in Third District Court at Silver Summit. Galovich had faced counts of possession of a controlled substance, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and speeding.

The controlled substance charge, a third-degree felony, had been the most serious. A third-degree felony carries the possibility of a prison term of up to five years and a $5,000 fine upon conviction.

Matthew Bates, who prosecuted the case for the Summit County Attorney’s Office, said the substance that the police initially believed to be ecstasy turned out not to be the drug. He said a state lab made the determination.

Bates said a test kit the police use in the field to determine whether a substance is a drug erroneously returned a positive reading for ecstasy in chewing gum discovered with Galovich when he was arrested.

"I have to dismiss that charge," Bates said.

A charging document indicated Galovich was driving at the intersection of Kearns Boulevard and Comstock Drive on April 14 when a Park City police officer pulled him over after he was clocked at 52 mph in a 35 mph zone.

He was arrested after the officer concluded through a set of sobriety tests he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the charging document said. The officer found several pieces of chewing gum of an unusual color and tested the gum for drugs, according to the prosecutors. The test showed a positive result for ecstasy, the charging document said.

Park City prosecutors are screening the case and could file the speeding and drunken driving charges against Galovich themselves.

Galovich launched the Occupy Park City movement late last fall with an encampment in City Park. The encampment remained intact until early January. The Occupy Park City movement reached its height during the Sundance Film Festival in January, joining other Occupy Wall Street activists for a series of demonstrations.

Galovich did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

News

Eric Richins’ family says new charges show motive to get rid of him

The timing is significant because Kouri’s next scheduled court appearance is a preliminary hearing on May 15. Third District Court Judge Richard Mrazik at that time will hear witness testimony and evidence to determine whether there’s probable cause that a crime has been committed. The case could be dismissed if there is insufficient evidence.



See more

Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Park City and Summit County make the Park Record's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.