Cocaine, oxycodone, marijuana and cash were seized and one man taken into custody last week after a checkpoint stop turned into a short chase just outside of Roseboro. This is the second stop and third felony drug arrest in less than two weeks on Sampson County highways.
Michael Williams, 36, of 604 Boone St., Roseboro, was jailed following the incident, which occurred around 9:30 p.m. Dec. 6 as Sampson County Sheriff’s officers were conducting a checkpoint on Salemburg Highway.
When asked, Sheriff’s Capt. Marcus Smith said the routine checkpoint turned into more when officers saw a driver approaching the checkpoint, slow down but then refuse to follow instructions and, instead, accelerate away from the scene.
Officers tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver failed to yield to the lights and sirens, sending deputies in pursuit, chasing the suspect down Salemburg Highway for about a mile.
During the chase, Smith said deputies noticed the driver throwing suspected contraband from the vehicle.
Officers finally stopped Williams, who was taken into custody without incident.
The items Williams reportedly tossed from the vehicle were found, and a search of the car turned up more items. In total, 50 grams of cocaine, 24 grams of oxycodone pills, 17 ounces of marijuana and an undisclosed amount of cash was confiscated.
Williams was taken to the Sampson County Detention Center and charged with two counts trafficking in cocaine, two counts trafficking in opiates, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, maintaining a vehicle/dwelling for sale of a controlled substance, all felonies. In addition, he faces offenses that include resist, delay and obstruct a public officer, possession of drug paraphernalia and littering.
He was jailed without bond.
Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton noted that the arrests show the diligence of his officers in locating and working to get drugs off county highways.
“This arrest is another reminder that our deputies are committed to keeping dangerous narcotics off our streets and protecting our families,” the sheriff said.
Two other men — Antonio Velazquez Jarmillo, 681 Ernest Williams Road, and David Valencia Garcia, 100 Unity Drive, Newton Grove — were jailed a day earlier, on Dec. 5, after a routine traffic stop turned into a search, with drugs and cash seized and felony charges leveled. Both Jarmillo and Garcia are still jailed without bond.