Short pursuit leads to large drug arrest


Two men are behind bars after leading Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a short pursuit on Sunday, Jan. 8.

WCSO deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop around 8:30 a.m. on Creek Road when the driver began accelerating to speeds of more than 45 miles per hour over the posted speed limit.

As deputies narrowed in on the vehicle, the driver, later identified as 35-year-old Ian Julian Newkirk, of Orlando, stopped the vehicle.

Once stopped, the passenger, later identified as 27-year-old Grayson Levonne Hawkins, of Los Angeles, California, quickly exited the vehicle. A strong odor of narcotics was detected by deputies coming from inside of the vehicle leading to the deployment of a department issue K-9.

According to WCSO, Newkirk and Hawkins became very argumentative at this time. 

The K-9 gave a positive alert to the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle.

A subsequent search resulted in the seizure of 37 grams of marijuana, 370 Xanax bars, Dextroamphetamine, cocaine, drug paraphernalia and a firearm.

Newkirk is charged with trafficking of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana and possession of a weapon during a felony.

Hawkins was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting an officer without violence.

 

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