The Porterdale Police Department made an arrest early Oct. 7 that would be a natural fit in any criminal drama in the movie theaters or on television.
The scene involved cocaine, methamphetamine, a chase, a fight with police, deployment of Tasers and a reveal of hidden drugs – all in Newton County.
According to reports, around 3 a.m. on Oct. 7 the Porterdale Police Department was patrolling at the Chevron Gas Station facing the Covington Bypass Road, when a black Honda drove by traveling west bound. The police officer noticed that the driver wasn’t wearing his seat belt, and began pursuit. While pursuing, the officer noticed that the front seat passenger put on his seat belt while traveling west bound on Crowell Road, and that there was a lot of movement between the passenger and driver.
After the officer activated his emergency lights, he reported that he saw the passenger move franticly in the car and place a white had on top of his head. The vehicle pulled over at the Valero Gas Station on Crowell Road.
As the officer approached the vehicle, the passenger began arguing about his seat belt, and the driver said he did not have his license with him. The officer then began talking with the driver outside of the vehicle, away from the passenger. According to reports, he noticed his hand was shaking, and the driver said he was just a little cold. After sweat was notice on the driver, the officer asked why he was sweating if he was cold.
At this point, the Porterdale officer noted deputies from the Newton County Sheriff’s Office arrived.
The officer then asked the passenger, identified as Robert Williams, to approach the front of the vehicle. According to reports, the officer noticed his “feet were not moving very far apart as if he was holding something between his legs or butt cheeks.” After being asked to empty his pockets, Williams then took off running. The Porterdale Police Department and NCSO then began to chase him across Crowell Road and onto the Oaks Golf Course for about 200 yards.
According to reports, Williams then ran into the woods and the deputy deployed his Taser. The Porterdale officer then grabbed Williams, attempting to place him in custody. The Tazer lost contact with Williams and he began to resist arrest, starting a fight.
“Williams struck me in the chest and stomach with a closed fist and started to actively resist with violence,” the officer said. “Williams attempted to grab me by the legs and take me to the ground. At the same time, I was controlling Mr. Williams by the back of his shirt collar and striking him in the neck and back of the head with a closed fist.”
According to reports, after the two put distance between them, Williams began to run again, when the officer deployed his Taser. As Williams was getting to his feet he began to throw up, and the officer noticed a clear plastic baggy come out of his mouth, suspected to contain meth. The officer then found a clear plastic baggy suspected to contain cocaine and loose fragments of meth rocks in his right pants pocket.
While walking back through the woods where they came from, the officer found a syringe. Back at the vehicle, the officer observed meth scattered throughout the whole vehicle.
While Williams was being chased, the driver, Wesley Stevenson, was carrying a syringe with suspected used meth in it. According to reports, Stevenson said they had just hit up some meth and shot it up before leaving someone’s house.
Williams, of Hidden Pines Drive, was charged with failure to wear a seat belt, trafficking in cocaine, possession of drug-related objects, possession of cocaine and willful obstruction of law enforcement. Stevenson, of Navajo Trail, was charged with possession of methamphetamine and drug-related objects.
