MONROE, N.C. — A traffic stop early Christmas Eve in Monroe led to a brief foot pursuit involving Sadarius Covington, a 26-year-old from Charlotte, after officers found illegal substances in his vehicle.
The incident occurred just after midnight on Wednesday, near Campus Park Drive and East Roosevelt Boulevard. A Monroe patrol officer initiated the traffic stop for an expired registration plate and a tail light violation.
During the investigation, officers detected the odor of marijuana coming from Covington’s vehicle. Upon asking him to exit the car, they discovered methamphetamine in a bag on the driver’s seat.
When Covington ran off after the discovery of the methamphetamine, K-9 Willy was deployed and quickly apprehended him, concluding the pursuit rapidly. After being apprehended, Covington was transported to Atrium Union for medical treatment and was later taken to the Union County Detention Center.
Covington faces several charges, including possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, simple possession of marijuana, resisting arrest, expired registration and using a fictitious registration sticker.
The Monroe Police Department is reminding the public that fleeing from officers, especially when a trained K-9 is present, is discouraged.
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