A 24-year-old man was arrested after he reportedly led city police on a
chase near a mall in Maryland. The arrest was made after officers became
suspicious of the driver in a truck involved in what they believe was
an attempted drug distribution near Bestgate Road in Annapolis. In response
to their suspicion, the police requested assistance and began to pursue
the vehicle.
The driver allegedly evaded their effort and refused to pull over, making
his way toward the city mall. The officers made the decision to end their
pursuit out of their concern for public safety. They stayed back and observed
as the driver weaved between cars in the parking lot, making his way to
a secondary exit. By that time, supporting officers had arrived to assist
in the situation. One officer had stepped out of his vehicle in an attempt
to stop the driver.
At that point, the driver supposedly charged the officer, colliding with
the squad car and injuring the officer. He then proceeded to leave the
mall parking lot, and all officers continued their pursuit of the driver.
One of the officers reportedly witnessed the driver throw several packages
out his window and smash along the sides of at least two cars parked beside
the roadway. The purported chase continued into a residential area, where
the driver abandoned his truck and attempted to flee on foot, where he
was finally apprehended
The officers claim that 13 small bags of heroin, valued at $900, resulted
in the man's arrest on charges of possession of heroin with the intention
of drug distribution, and several traffic violations as well as assault
charges. In Maryland,
drug charges are taken very seriously, and can result in hefty fines and jail time.
Fortunately, an arrest does not automatically result in a conviction;
accused individuals have the right to prepare a defense to review and
present their side of the story in a court of law.
Source: wbaltv.com, "Police pursuit after Annapolis drug exchange yields arrest", Saliqa Khan, April 10, 2014