Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Jan. 16, 2023, at about 8:22 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies on patrol in the Garberville area conducted a vehicle investigation on the 70 block of Bear Canyon Road.

Deputies attempted to contact two men associated with the vehicle, one of which subsequently fled on foot. Deputies pursued the man to a nearby creek, where the man attempted to evade deputies by entering the water. The man, later identified as 27-year-old William Tyler Hebard, was quickly taken into custody by pursuing deputies. Hebard was found to have an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

Meanwhile, deputies remaining on scene at the suspicious vehicle contacted the second individual, 28-year-old Matthew Dwayne Wilson. Wilson was detained without incident. During their investigation, deputies found Wilson to be in possession of over 4 grams of suspected fentanyl, numerous prescription pills and drug paraphernalia.

Wilson was arrested and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of possession of a controlled substance (HS 11350), possession of a controlled substance paraphernalia (HS 11364(a)) and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (BP 4060).

Hebard was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of resisting a peace officer (PC 148(a)(1)) and violation of probation (PC 1203.2(a)(2)), in addition to a probation violation warrant.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.