PREVIOUSLY

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A local man with an apparent penchant for drugs, handguns and reckless driving pleaded no contest today to charges that will put him behind bars for more than six years.

Conte Watson entered the plea before Judge Christopher Wilson, who is scheduled to sentence him Sept. 7 to six years and eight months in state prison. The sentence is part of a plea agreement with the District Attorney’s Office.

Deputy District Attorney Brent Kling told the judge Watson was arrested July 1 after someone reported a reckless driver on U.S. Highway 101 in southern Humboldt. The California Highway Patrol pulled Watson over and found a 40-caliber handgun in his Ford Focus. He was a convicted felon and also was on probation.

Watson was released on bail, but at some point a felony arrest warrant was issued. According to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, on Aug. 12 a deputy spotted Watson driving his Ford Focus on Highway 101 near Airport Road in McKinleyville. The deputy followed Watson as he took the Airport Road exit. He then saw Watson driving recklessly and turned on his lights and siren.

The pursuit through McKinleyvlle ended on Fischer Road when Watson’s car crashed into a house and damaged a mailbox. This time Watson’s bail was set at $225,000.

Prosecutor Kling told Wilson this morning that a search of Watson’s motel room on Aug. 12 turned up a .45-caliber handgun, 68.3 grams of methamphetamine and evidence of drug sales, including a scale.

Deputy Public Defender Meagan O’Connell agreed with nearly all of that, except “Mr. Watson says there was no scale.”

The damaged Fischer Road mailbox, in the shape of a Bassett hound, was repaired by sheriff’s deputies.