A man led law enforcement authorities on a chase around Sampson and Duplin counties Wednesday afternoon, following an attempted stop for a routine violation. When the vehicle finally came to a stop, with the help of a small fence off the side of the road, 12 pounds of marijuana and $20,000 in cash was seized, and the driver arrested.
According to reports from Sampson County Sheriff’s officials, at approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, a deputy with the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Interdiction Team observed a silver Honda CRV traveling east bound on I-40 from NC 403 with a window tint violation. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver kept going, reports state.
The vehicle continued traveling eastbound on I-40 and exited off I-40 at Warsaw before driving back into Sampson County on NC 24. The suspect turned onto several secondary roads and eventually lost control of their vehicle in the 5400 block of Dave Bryant Road, struck a small fence and came to a stop.
The driver, identified as Yonathon Collado-Tejada, 34, of 1038 Alphine Place, Bolivia, NC, was immediately taken into custody by officers.
A search of the vehicle yielded approximately 12 pounds of marijuana, 180 grams of THC, drug paraphernalia and more than $20,000 in U.S. currency, authorities said.
Collado-Tejada was charged with felony speeding to elude arrest, failure to stop for lights/siren, improper passing, careless and reckless driving, trafficking marijuana, possession with intent to sell and deliver a Schedule VI controlled substance, maintaining a vehicle for storage of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, damage to property and window tint violation.
He was still being processed Wednesday afternoon and his bond was pending.