A man who allegedly led Charleston police on a drive through the countryside last week wound up being charged with having illegal drugs in his car.
Charleston Police Chief Luther Folson said Antonyro Draper, 35, of Batesville was booked for possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle, felony fleeing, failure to yield to blue lights and driving with a suspended license as a result of the romp that began at about 10 p.m. on Feb. 22.
The chief said city police Sgt. Michael Suggs spotted Draper at the wheel of a passing 2011 Ford Explorer and recognized him as someone on whom the city had an outstanding warrant due to unpaid fines levied in Charleston Municipal Court.
“He owed over $1,000 in back fines,” Folson said of Draper.
Suggs was coming off another traffic stop on Clay Street and began to pursue Draper, trying to stop him, the chief said.
The SUV did not pull over, leading Suggs and fellow Charleston policeman Terry Crowder, who had joined the chase, outside the city limits on Highway 35 South, said Folson.
“He wasn’t driving fast — about 55 mph, at one point maybe 60 — but he just wouldn’t stop,” the chief noted of Draper.
When Crowder passed Draper’s vehicle in an attempt to slow him, Draper followed suit by passing Crowder’s police cruiser, Folson added.
With the pursuit now about one mile south of the three-way intersection, Folson said the city units were just about to break it off when Draper suddenly pulled into a driveway, jumped out of his vehicle and ran into a field.
“Officer Suggs ran him down and took him into custody,” noted Folson, who said Draper was not armed and did not resist arrest.
The chief said there were two females in the vehicle who told police they were just getting a ride. They were not charged, he added.
Folson said Draper’s vehicle was towed. The next day police searched the vehicle, discovering “a couple of dime bags of marijuana” under the driver’s seat, he added.
Draper subsequently paid “most” of his back fines, made arrangements to pay the rest and was released Thursday after posting a bond of $150, the chief said.
Folson said it is not standard departmental policy to initiate a chase over delinquent fines, but he noted that police are making a conscious effort to round up and collect from those who owe them.
