A motorist’s illegal U-turn resulted in the East Ridge Police Department making a substantial drug bust on Saturday.
According to a press release from the department, police on routine patrol observed a Cadillac make an illegal U-turn at the intersection of Ringgold Road and Camp Jordan Parkway. The patrol officer conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and identified the driver as Caderius Word and the passenger as Brooklyn Overton.
After the police instructed Word to exit the vehicle several times, he finally complied. When he stepped from the driver’s side, he was wearing a small bag under his left arm. An officer removed the bag, feeling the outline of a firearm. The officer attempted to detain the suspect when he decided to rip away from the officer’s grasp, grab the bag with the firearm, and evade.
Word ran down the embankment with a firearm in his possession. A short foot pursuit ensued, leading to the deployment of a taser. Word complied with commands as he was apprehended by officers.
Upon a search of the Cadillac, officers discovered: 23 Xanax bars, 10 Oxycodone pills, 28 Grams of Fentanyl, 3.8 Grams of suspect fentanyl, 3.4 pounds of Methamphetamine, and $1,110 in cash. A Glock pistol was recovered next to Word when he was apprehended.
ERPD charged Word with Possession of a Firearm as a Felon, Possession of a Firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, Possession of Methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, Possession of Xanax with the intent to distribute, Possession of Oxycodone with the intent to distribute, and Possession of Fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
Overton was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and Possession of drug Paraphernalia. At the Hamilton County Jail, it was also discovered that Overton had concealed suspected drugs on her person. Word was transported to the Hamilton County Jail without further incident.
