Individual Arrested on Drug Charges After Almost Hitting Officer with Vehicle

Toccoa Police Chief Tim Jarrell reports an arrest after an individual attempted to strike an officer with his vehicle.

On July 6, Officer Eric McKinney and his K-9 partner, Warlock, conducted a traffic stop on a 2000 BMW at the intersection of Broad and Currahee streets.

Jarrell said that the driver was known to have a suspended license.

“The driver of the vehicle was known by Officer McKinney to have a suspended license,” said Jarrell. “The registration of the vehicle was suspended also. While McKinney was exiting his vehicle, the driver attempted to flee and in doing so almost hit Officer McKinney.”

The driver, Michael Brandon Blanchard, 25 of Eastanollee, was removed from the vehicle, at which point, officers located drugs.

“They located 50 grams of suspected methamphetamine, some pills, two glass pipes used for the smoking or inhaling of methamphetamine and $3,294 in cash.”

Blanchard was charged with driving on a suspended license, operating a vehicle with suspended registration, aggravated assault on a police officer, possession of drug related objects, possession of Alprazolam and trafficking methamphetamine. He was transported to Stephens County Jail.

The Police department is working with the Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office to begin procedures to seize the cash and BMW.