The Waynesboro Police Department arrested a city woman on numerous drug and traffic charges after a routine traffic stop went awry. The resulting pursuit and arrest led to a search warrant that netted a large quantity of heroin in a residence near Waynesboro High School.
Latisha Charmaine Howell, 31 years old, faces four felonies stemming from the early morning incident that was full of twists and turns, literally.
On Friday at approximately 12:35 a.m., an officer conducted a routine traffic stop on Howell’s 2000 Cadillac Escalade on West Main Street near Hall Lane. One of the Department’s K-9 teams assisted on the stop and alerted to the odor of narcotics. When the officers asked Howell to step out of the vehicle, she refused and placed vehicle in drive and sped off. The ensuing pursuit started on Hall Lane; then turned on Park Road; turned on Seybert Avenue; turned on Chase Avenue; turned back on West Main Street; and turned on Old White Bridge Road.
During the pursuit, Howell threw drugs from her vehicle. Other officers were able to recover Howell’s contraband, two ounces of crack cocaine in a twist baggie. Howell turned on Route 254 towards the city where she stopped just inside of the city limits. Officers had deployed a tire deflation device just ahead of where she stopped. The pursuit lasted about fifteen minutes. Howell was arrested at the scene for two felonies, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Schedule I or II Drug and Eluding.
The crack cocaine has a street value between $1,600-$2,000. Howell’s vehicle was also seized.
Officers did a followup search warrant at Howell’s residence, 1325 West Main Street. They found 1/2 ounce of heroin in twist baggies. Officers obtained additional charge of Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Possession with Intent to Distribute within 1000 feet of a school.
Howell is being held without bond at Middle River Regional Jail.
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Chris Graham
