Indiana men toss out bales of pot during police chase
Two Indiana men were arrested after allegedly tossing bales of marijuana from their SUV as they fled from pursuing police.
Seven bales of Mexican marijuana, wrapped several times with scented dryer sheets and shrink wrap, were recovered along state Route 840 southeast of Nashville. The bales weighed just under 138 pounds, officials said.
Det. Dan Goodwin, public information officer for the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department, said the federal Drug Enforcement Administration puts the wholesale value of marijuana at $1,000 per pound, so the bales would be worth $138,000 wholesale and an estimated $265,000 retail.
Anthony L. Christian, 35, and Leo N. Taylor, 39, both of Gary, Ind., were charged with possession of marijuana for resale. Christian, the driver, was charged with felony evading arrest in a motor vehicle. Other charges may be pending.
Goodwin said police believe the pair were headed to Georgia.
“Someone is not going to be having fun in Atlanta this weekend,” he said.
The 19-mile chase began after Deputy Christian Wrather made a routine traffic stop on Interstate 24 eastbound just after midnight Friday.
Wrather said as he approached the SUV when he noticed the rear cargo area contained suspicious items. A sleeping bag covered the area except for one corner of one of the bales, he said.