An attempt to evade police resulted in the arrest of two suspects for alcohol and drug related offenses, while a routine stop finds additional drug offenses.
On March 8, at 9:33 p.m., Picayune Police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Martin Luther King Boulevard for speeding and expired tag, Assistant Chief Jeremy Magri said.
Despite the officers’ attempts to stop the vehicle, it continued down Martin Luther King Boulevard, crossing Highway 11 and down Meadow Green Boulevard to South Haugh Avenue, Magri said.
Another officer in the area was able to help stop the vehicle at South Haugh Avenue and Smith Street, Magri said.
Officers ordered the driver, identified as Charmaine McDonald, 38, of 3363 Jackson Landing Road, to exit the vehicle, but he refused, Magri said.
The officer was forced to physically remove McDonald from the vehicle and take him into custody, Magri said.
A passenger, identified as Shaovne Honeycutt, 28, of 1406 Bender Street, was found sitting in the backseat and was asked to exit the vehicle, Magri said.
Officers searched the vehicle, recovering an open 32 oz. beer from the front passenger floorboard. McDonald was unable to provide valid insurance and officers noticed the front windshield was severely cracked, obstructing the view of the road, Magri said.
Officers then searched Honeycutt’s purse, which was found in the backseat. Inside, they located a clear bag containing a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, a pill bottle containing 16 Xanax and $134 in cash, Magri said.
McDonald was arrested for speeding, failure to yield to blue lights and siren, expired tag, improper equipment, possession of open beer, no insurance, disorderly conduct failure to comply and no driver’s license. Honeycutt was arrested for two counts of possession of a controlled substance, Magri said.
In a separate incident on March 14, narcotics detectives conducted a traffic stop at 5:05 p.m. on Jackson Landing near South Beech Street for no seatbelt, an expired tag and improper equipment, Magri said.
Upon speaking with the driver, identified as Dustin Hinton, 24, of 569 Stanford Lake Road, Poplarville, the detective could smell a strong odor of what was believed to be marijuana coming from the vehicle, Magri said.
The detective asked Hinton and the passenger, identified as Kyle Lacoste, 22, of 141 Joe Flemming Road, to exit the vehicle, Magri said.
At that time, detectives learned Hinton did not have a driver’s license or proof of insurance. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a glass pipe containing a burned crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine and several empty plastic bags on the driver’s side seat, Magri said.
Officers also located a blue pouch containing three clear plastic bags with a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine, a set of digital scales and several more empty plastic bags under the passenger seat, Magri said.
Hinton was arrested for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, no driver’s license, possession of paraphernalia, no insurance, expired tag, improper equipment and no seatbelt. Lacoste was arrested for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, Magri said.