On December 21, 2025, at approximately 0254 hours, Washington County Sheriff's Deputy Schweich was on patrol in Washington County, traveling on north bound Century Avenue, near Long Lake Road. At that time, he observed a vehicle in front of him, and saw that its passenger side tail light assembly had fallen out of the trick bed and was hanging by a wire. The tail light was not illuminated due to the bulb having fallen out of the tail light assembly. Deputy Schweich also saw that one of the brake lights wasn't working.
He initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, and approached the driver and lone occupant, who was identified as NICHOLAS RAY BURCHARD [DOB REDACTED]. Burchard said that he did not have a valid driver's license. Deputy Schweich asked him to find his proof of insurance as he went back to his squad car to run Burchard through law enforcement records. When he ran Burchard, he found that he had a revoked driving status and has had four convictions for no proof of insurance in recent years. After another deputy arrived on scene, Deputy Schweich approached the vehicle and found that Burchard could not provide proof of insurance.
He placed Burchard under arrest, and transported him to the Washington County jail. Deputy Felmlee conducted an inventory search of Burchard's vehicle and found drug paraphernalia and several different illicit substances, which included the following: ·.6 grams of a substance which later NIK tested positive for methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. · 4.4 grams of a substance which later NIK tested positive for mushrooms, which contain psilocybin, a Schedule I controlled substance · Two loose pills, identified as amphetamine/dextroamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
After Burchard was transported to the jail, he was read a Miranda warning. He said that he had not used narcotics in about ten years, and admitted that it is only him and his mother who use the vehicle. He did not give a definitive answer when asked if his mother uses narcotics. Burchard said that, when he did use narcotics, his drug of choice was methamphetamine.
