A traffic stop near the Richmond-Columbia county line injured deputies from both counties recently when a drug dealer fled, dragging them with his car.
Michael Freeman was later captured and found with cocaine in his possession as well as $4,415 cash strapped to his leg, a sheriff’s report says.
A report lists him as a 33-year-old suspect who lives on 8th Street in Augusta.
On June 1, the Ford Focus driver didn’t pull over immediately for a Columbia County deputy and rolled into Richmond County before stopping at Augusta Dance Studio on Furys Ferry Road. That is where both officers converged on the car and smelled marijuana and found the driver without a license, the report says.
Columbia County Deputy Timothy Phillips ordered Freeman to shut the engine off and exit the car. He started to comply but then reached to restart the car.
Deputy Phillips and RCSO Cpl. Matthew Sanderson tried to restrain him and shouted commands to stop resisting.
“Freeman got the vehicle in gear and moving, then began dragging both deputies” for 12 to 15 feet before they let go of the suspect and pushed away from the moving vehicle.
Freeman fled and was seen tossing a clear baggy from the driver’s window on Broad Street. He jumped out on 8th Street and tried to make it to his apartment, the report says.
He was captured and searched, with deputies finding 4.52 grams of marijuana in his pants pocket. Freeman also had a large amount of cash strapped to his legs between two layers of pants.
Officers later found a Smith and Wesson M&P .40 caliber handgun in the suspect’s closet that was stolen in Greenwood, SC.
They also found a glass jar with white powder residue and a metal pot with a substance possibly being crack cocaine residue. The baggy he dumped contained cocaine.
Freeman was charged with aggravated assault upon a police officer x2, fleeing police, theft by receiving stolen property and possession of cocaine.
