COVINGTON, Ga. – Covington police arrested an 18-year-old Loganville man on drug and weapon charges Monday afternoon after he allegedly ran from a traffic stop where he was a passenger.

According to a CPD incident report, Officer Hayward DeRouen was patrolling the area of Georgia 142 near Taco Bell when he saw a white Chevrolet Tahoe leave the parking lot at a high rate of speed and change lanes without signaling. DeRouen activated his emergency equipment and initiated a traffic stop on the Tahoe in the Home Depot parking lot.

As he approached the vehicle, DeRouen reportedly noticed the driver, identified as 41-year-old Jacob Reid, reaching under his seat. DeRouen gathered information from Reid and the vehicle’s other two occupants, including the front seat passenger, identified as 18-year-old Andrew Thompson. DeRouen also noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.

While DeRouen was waiting for dispatch to confirm everyone’s identity, Thompson opened the passenger door to the Tahoe and took off running through the parking lot. DeRouen gave chase long enough to give responding officers a direction of travel and returned to the Tahoe to secure its other occupants.

According to the report, Thompson was apprehended and handcuffed by Officer Brian Capps after Capps deployed his Taser. DeRouen then asked Reid for permission to search his vehicle. When Reid denied the request, DeRouen deployed K-9 Officer Doerak to conduct a free air sniff around the vehicle.

After Doerak alerted at the area of the driver’s side door, officers searched the vehicle, finding a black container under the driver’s seat that contained marijuana. According to the report, Reid admitted ownership of the container.

Under the front passenger seat, officers located a tan bag containing a large amount of marijuana, a bottle of codeine cough syrup and a Springfield 9 mm pistol. According to the report, Thompson accepted ownership of the bag. 

According to the report, when officers checked the area where Thompson ran, they located a cellphone and $503 in cash.

Thompson was arrested and transported to the Newton County Jail and charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm during a crime, possession of a Schedule IV drug and obstruction of an officer. Reid was charged with possession of marijuana less than an ounce.