POULSBO — A June 5 traffic stop quickly turned into a brawl between a Poulsbo police officer and a driver allegedly reaching for a knife.

The driver is allegedly one of North Kitsap’s “larger heroin dealers.”

Spencer Merrill Williams, 22, of Poulsbo has been charged with third-degree assault and possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture or deliver after he allegedly attacked a Poulsbo police officer during a traffic stop. Heroin, methamphetamine, and other paraphernalia used for selling the drugs were allegedly found in his possession shortly thereafter.

A police officer on patrol first noticed Williams in his car, parked at an office building on 10th Avenue and Powder Hill Place, at 7:35 p.m. on June 5. The officer approached the car and found Williams and a woman inside. He inquired why they were parked there since offices were closed. After checking in, the officer left the scene but soon noticed Williams’ car also exiting onto 10th Avenue, and his brake lights were failing. The officer pulled over Williams’ car at Liberty Road and 10th Avenue. The officer noted in his police report that Williams didn’t pull over right away, but saw him in his rearview mirror making what appeared to be “furtive” movements to conceal something inside his car.

After pulling over and approaching the car, the officer spoke to Williams about the brake lights. Williams said he was aware of the problem. The officer noticed a dagger in its sheath near the floor between the driver’s seat and the driver’s door. Williams appeared to become more and more nervous as he handed over his ID to the officer, according to the report, and said it was because he was talking to a police officer. The officer said he was a “nice guy.”

The officer checked Williams’ name for any warrants and discovered that Williams was wanted on a theft warrant in Ellensburg. As the officer continued to speak with Williams, the suspect continued to become more nervous, according to the report. The officer, uneasy about the combination of the nervous driver and the nearby knife, asked Williams to step out of the car. The officer told Williams that he saw the knife and told him not to touch it. Williams “reacted by quickly lunging down and reaching for the knife,” according to the report.

The officer grabbed Williams’ hand and a struggle ensued. Williams allegedly struck and kicked the officer as he continued to reach for the knife. The officer attempted to pull the driver out of the car, returning the blows. The officer received a 4-inch scrape on his forearm and began to bleed. The officer was able to use his Taser on Williams, which stopped his struggle. He was then dragged from the car. Williams was tased again after he allegedly struggled on the ground. The officer then handcuffed Williams.

Without being questioned, Williams reportedly said he did not want police searching his car, but a search warrant was obtained and a K-9 was brought in to search for drugs. The dog alerted officers to the scent of drugs within the car and nearly $1,600 that was allegedly found in Williams’ possession.

Police said two grams of heroin and two grams of methamphetamine were found in the car, along with a scale and plastic bags, commonly used for selling drugs. Burned foil and straws were also found, which are used to inhale the drugs, according to the report. Williams’ cell phone was searched and text messages were found that allegedly indicate that Williams was selling drugs in the area.

The female passenger was questioned by police. She reportedly told police that Williams is one of the “larger heroin dealers in the North Kitsap area” and that she purchases heroin from him.