Broderick Crawford starred as Chief Dan Mathews of the HIGHWAY PATROL in 156 episodes of the TV cop show from 1955 to 1959, long before today’s cops were born! Video
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According to the Idaho State Police, on March 9, 2013 at approximately 207 am, the Idaho State Police conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 20 at milepost 311 near Idaho Falls on a U-Haul truck that was failing to maintain its lane of travel. The driver was identified as Sergio Javier Varela-Vallecillo (29 YOA) by his Honduras passport and the passenger was identified as Felicia Inez Varela (28 YOA) by her Texas driver’s license. During the traffic stop, there were discrepancies with the rental agreement and both occupants denied ownership of most of the property in the U-Haul.
A Bonneville County K-9 was dispatched to the traffic stop.Â
The K-9 alerted on the U-Haul and during the search approximately 52 pounds of Methamphetamine and 27 pounds of Cocaine were located.  Varela, and Varela-Vallecillo were both arrested and transported to the Bonneville County Jail.Â
The jail staff alerted the Idaho State Police that Felicia Inez Varela had an additional 5 grams of Methamphetamine concealed on her person. Varela, and Varela-Vallecillo were both charged with Felony trafficking of Methamphetamine, and Cocaine. Felicia Inez Varela was also charged with Felony Introducing Methamphetamine into a correctional facility, and Varela-Vallecillo was charged with failure to purchase a drivers license.
The Idaho State Police was assisted on scene by the Bonneville County Sheriff and Idaho State Police detectives.
The estimated street value of the Methamphetamine and Cocaine is approximately $1,000,000 to $1,200,000.
Broderick Crawford footnote: Even actors playing cops drive drunk! Unlike the California Highway Patrol, the agency featured in the TV series was more concerned with chasing criminals than enforcing driving laws. WIth such limited budgets, there were very few car chases, crashes, and other motor mayhem than is more common in modern police dramas; scenes were often filmed on rural two-lane paved or dirt roads to save money and because Crawford’s own driver’s license was suspended for drunk driving.
Clint Eastwood appears in a 1955 first season episode called “Motorcycle A”; he was paid $80.00