South Congaree police officers arrest one for carrying drugs and a handgun after a traffic stop

South Congaree, SC – Officers from the South Congaree Police Department arrested one man after a traffic stop on Ramblin Road Thursday night. The man, who was a passenger in a car that was pulled over, was carrying marijuana and a handgun when he was taken into custody.

According to Police Chief Josh Shumpert, Major Steven Jonas was on routine patrol when he noticed a car with several men in it blaring loud music at the four-way stop at Ramblin Road and Pine Street near the elementary school. Major Jonas fell in behind the car with his cruiser and initiated a traffic stop close to the headquarters of the police department.

When Major Jonas approached the vehicle, he noticed drug paraphernalia and marijuana residue in plain sight. He asked that the driver get out of the vehicle. He took the man’s identification and driver license and then decided to have the passenger get out as well.

When the passenger of the vehicle was patted down, the officer discovered a Mason jar of marijuana on him. At that time, he was placed under arrest. As he was being handcuffed, the driver bolted back into the driver’s seat of the car and sped away from the scene.

A further search of the passenger who had been handcuffed revealed he was carrying a handgun in his pants. He also had ammunition in his pocket.

Because the driver of the car left his identification on the scene with police, officers from the Cayce Department of Public Safety were quickly dispatched to his home in Cayce in an attempt to locate him. Major Jonas was also assisted by a Lexington County Sheriff’s Deputy who had stopped to check on him during the traffic stop.

The name of the passenger who was taken into custody has not yet been released by the police. It was unclear Friday morning if the driver who fled had been taken into custody.