Subject taken into custody following pursuit

A man was arrested after leading deputies on a vehicle pursuit, which was followed by a foot chase, yesterday morning.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop near 5th Street and Gibson Ave. The driver of a gray sedan, however, continued to flee at a high speed after the deputy activated his emergency lights and sirens. The pursuit continued along Old Bonifay Rd, and the vehicle eventually turned onto 2nd Street, pulling into a residence and behind the house.

The driver, later identified as 47-year-old Charlie Cleveland Blackmon of Chipley, exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. A brief foot chase ensued, culminating in an altercation after Blackmon became combative. He was eventually apprehended and taken into custody.

Blackmon, who had active felony warrants in Washington County, was checked by EMS and transported to the Washington County Jail.

A K-9 unit deployed by the department alerted to narcotics inside the vehicle and in the vicinity. Several illegal drugs were discovered and field-tested, yielding positive results.

Blackmon now faces charges including resisting an officer, fleeing and eluding, possession of cocaine, possession of a controlled substance, and three counts of possession of methamphetamine.

Anyone with information regarding this case or other crimes is encouraged to contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 850-638-6111. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by calling 850-638-TIPS (8477) or emailing [email protected].