A Covington Police officer was patrolling an area near Washington Street when he stopped a silver Jeep Grand Cherokee for speeding around 4:45 p.m. Wednesday.

According to reports, when the officer approached the vehicle, he saw the suspect put something in his mouth. The suspect, Clinton Atkinson, then reportedly began coughing and shaking during the traffic stop.

Reports said Atkinson was trying to swallow a baggie of marijuana while talking to the officer. According to reports, Atkinson said he was trying to swallow the baggie because he didn’t want to go to jail.

Atkinson was charged with possession of marijuana.

Another sign stolen

For the second time in less than a month, a sign has been reported stolen from Ester Fleming’s campaign.

According to reports, between 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday one of Fleming’s signs on Hwy. 278, adjacent to the Waffle House, was cut down, leaving just two posts.

The value of the sign was reported at $32 when it was reported to the Covington Police Department Wednesday.

Fleming, who is running for Georgia State House District 112, also reported a sign stolen on April 12.

Good deed gone bad

A good deed went bad Wednesday.

According to reports from the Covington Police Department, a man was driving on Hwy. 36 when he saw a female walking on the roadway near the Covington square. He offered her a ride and a place to stay, taking the woman back to his home.

According to reports he then began reading her bible verses, and when she began using methamphetamine, she was asked to leave. The man drove her to a Waffle House, where she exited his vehicle and began walking east on Hwy. 278. The man then told police he noticed his phone and wallet missing from the center console of his vehicle.

The man told police the woman, white with brown hair, a skinny build and wearing a pink hoody and brown sweat pants, identified herself as Angie, 34 years old.

Dog attacked

A Covington woman told the Newton County Sheriff’s Office that her neighbor’s German Shepherd attacked her small brown dog Monday.

She told deputies she was working while her son was home watching her residence. According to reports, the dog was allowed to roam the area, and the German Shepherd ran from its address to the front yard of a neighbor and attacked the victim’s dog.

According to reports, the dog had to be put down due to its injuries. Authorities told the woman that it was a civil matter and must be handled in magistrate court.

Woman throws can of pepper at employee

A suspect tried to steal merchandise from a Dollar General store before tossing out the goods and fleeing.

According to reports, the complainant said he observed the suspect placing many items in her handbag. When the woman walked toward the register, she continued walking toward the exit with the unpaid merchandise still in her handbag.

When the woman was asked about the items, she reportedly began pulling the merchandise out of her handbag and throwing it on the floor.

The complainant told Newton County Sheriff’s deputies that a can of black pepper she had taken was thrown and hit him in the chest.

According to reports, the woman ran out of the store and fled in her truck.