Narcotics, weapons, and paraphernalia were found after a traffic stop yesterday.
Greene County officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle around 2 pm on Tuesday. Deputies made contact with the driver James Tunnell, passengers Skylar Smith, David Tunnell, and Samuel Potter all of which reportedly looked nervous before stating they were on their way to a residence on Old Snapps Ferry Road.
Tunnell denied having any contraband in the vehicle and consented to a search. After he exited the truck, Potter climbed out of the back seat, jumped into the driver’s seat, and fled the scene with Smith and Tunnell.
The suspect fled to Carriage Lane, where he drove through someone’s backyard, going through a barbed wire fence and getting the vehicle stuck, damaging the fence and yard.
Potter then evaded on foot, running through a creek and another backyard, where he lost his footing and fell to the ground. Officers deployed a taser on Potter while K-9 officers tracked the area he was fleeing. A large bag containing a brownish-pink substance believed to be heroin was discovered.
A search was conducted of the vehicle where more baggies containing a pinkish brown substance, a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine, a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine, a small amount of black substance in some aluminum foil believed to be black tar heroin, and 2 (10ml) vials of testosterone, a Glock handgun, scales, cash, multiple handgun parts, ammunition, and paraphernalia including multiple syringes and one loaded syringe were located. A baggie containing what is believed to be heroin was located on Smith’s person and weights for a drug scale were found on Tunnell’s person.
All substances believed to be heroin were weighed and totaled 34.5 grams. All substances believed to be methamphetamine were weighed and totaled 39 grams and the baggie believed to be cocaine weighed 15 grams.
All suspects were taken into custody for the narcotics, paraphernalia, and weapons located inside the vehicle. Potter was also confirmed to have an active warrant for violation of probation. Smith was confirmed to have an active warrant out of Hawkins County. Tunnell was charged with driving on suspended and cited for display of plates, which was the original reason for the traffic stop.
