• Woman jailed after allegedly trying to ram patrol car.
Five people are in jail and two more are being sought as deputies crack down on drug activities near Tabor City.
Operation Take Back Columbus is a cooperative effort between the Columbus and Brunswick sheriff’s offices to target high crime areas, Columbus Sheriff Jody Greene said in a press release. Deputies made multiple arrests this week, including that of a woman who fled and allegedly tried to ram a patrol vehicle before crashing in South Carolina.
On Dec. 14, Deputies were performing surveillance near an area known for drug activity when they saw a pickup truck driven by Christina Marie Hernandez, 34. The woman failed to stop when hailed by deputies, and officers gave pursuit. The woman led officers on about a 20 minute chase, the sheriff’s office said.
Hernandez made it across the state line into Horry County, S.C., where she wrecked but recovered and kept going. A Loris Police officer deployed stop sticks, flattening the truck’s tires. Hernandez then attempted to flee on foot, but was apprehended a short time later on U.S. 701. She was arrested by Columbus and Horry deputies on charges of cocaine possession, reckless driving, felony fleeing to elude arrest, assault with a deadly weapon against a law enforcement officer and failure to stop for a blue light.
On Dec. 10, deputies armed with search warrants hit several homes along Bermuda Bay Lane, after a series of citizen complaints. Deputies returned to the area Dec. 14 to execute additional warrants.
Vice-Narcotics Investigators collectively seized 108.5 grams of cocaine, 45.9 grams of heroin, 7.5 grams of methamphetamine, 91 dosage units of Oxycodone, 40 dosage units of Adderall, one dosage unit of Buprenorphine, and 13.7 grams of marijuana. Investigators also seized $11,000, a kilogram press for preparing narcotics, two rifles, and four handguns. The total street value for the narcotics seized is approximately $20,000.
Arrested as a result of those raids were Ronald Baker Jr., 55, charged with carrying a concealed weapon and a child support warrant, and Jasper Erwan Johnson, 23, of Tabor City, charged with an outstanding warrant of assault on a female. He was held under $2,500 secured bond.
On Dec. 15, investigators raided several locations on Horace Cox and Peacock roads near Tabor City. Investigators collectively seized 170 grams of marijuana, 18.93 grams of heroin, 16.86 grams of methamphetamine, 82.54 grams of cocaine, 7 dosage units of morphine, 155 dosage units Adderall, 206 dosage units of Oxycodone, 77 dosage units of Hydrocodone, 51 dosage units of Buprenorphine Hydrochloride, five dosage units of ecstasy, and one Glock handgun. Total street value of the narcotics seized is approximately $30,000.
Delvin Kwamaine Scott, 26, of Tabor City was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin, opiates, marijuana and cocaine; maintaining a vehicle for drug purposes; and drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $30,000.
Anna Marie McPherson, 25, of Chadbourn, was charged with six counts of trafficking opiates; possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and opiates; maintaining a vehicle for drug activities; and drug paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $1.105 million.
Two suspects remain at large, and are wanted by the sheriff’s office.
William Scott Norris, 49, of Tabor City, and Juwan Tyrell Washington, 25, of Chadbourn, are wanted for multiple narcotics related felonies as part of Operation Take Back Columbus. Anyone with information about Norris or Washington can anonymously call the sheriff’s office, or submit a tip through the CCSO app.
