French Lick Man Arrested On Drug Charges

(SHOALS) – Martin County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested a French Lick man after he fled from police attempting a traffic stop early Wednesday morning.

At 3:47 a.m., Sgt. Tyler Reed was on patrol on Rusk Road, near Emmons Ridge Road, when he observed a vehicle commit two moving violations.

Sgt. Reed initiated a traffic stop near Spencer Hollow Road. The vehicle turned onto Spencer Hollow but failed to stop. The vehicle then accelerated and fled and a pursuit began.

The vehicle blew a tire and it came to a stop between Newlin Lane and Emmons Ridge Road. Sgt. Reed conducted a felony stop and took the driver, 34-year-old Robert G. Roach II, of French Lick, into custody.

Deputy Rob Lents arrived at the scene to assist. K-9 Virka alerted police to possible drugs in the vehicle.

During a search of the vehicle and Roach, officers seized meth, a controlled substance, and a firearm.

Roach was transported to the Martin County Security Center without further incident on charges of possession of meth with enhancing circumstances of possession of a firearm, resisting law enforcement, possession of a controlled substance, driving while his driver’s license was suspended with a prior conviction, and reckless driving.