Flomaton cracking down on drugs

In Flomaton's effort to keep illegal drugs of the streets, police have made three drug arrests in the past several days that involved synthetic marijuana, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Police Chief Chance Thompson said the police department will have a zero tolerance for illegal narcotics and is stepping up its interdiction program.

On Aug. 3, Johnathon Buchanan, 30, of Georgia was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia following a traffic stop.

Chief Thompson said K-9 Officer Charles Land initiated a traffic stop on Highway 113 about 12:55 a.m. Aug. 3 on Buchanan's vehicle for having no tag light.

Reports note that Buchanan gave the officer consent to search his vehicle and Land reported finding a sock that contained a pipe and a substance that later tested positive for meth.

Officer Land also initiated a traffic stop on Twin Bridges Road about 9:50 p.m. on Aug. 5 that resulted in the arrest of Thomas Macks, 43, of Flomaton.

Macks was originally pulled over for no tag light and it was determined the vehicle had a swapped tag. K-9 Boo alerted on the vehicle and Land reported finding meth and contraband that included a pipe, a container that sealed the narcotics and fake urine.

Macks was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while license was revoked, having a switched tag, operating a vehicle without insurance, improper tag lights and failure to register the vehicle.

In the early hours of Aug. 7, Flomaton police received a call about a male subject passed out at the wheel of his vehicle on Old Fannie Road.

Officer Gilbert Bailey arrived and found Brandon Qualls, 30, of Century behind the wheel. Bailey reported the vehicle was not in park and that Qualls was unconscious with his foot on the brake. Reports said Bailey made multiple attempts to wake up Qualls before Qualls responded.

Officer Bailey said Qualls admitted to smoking spice and was also found to be in possession of spice.

Qualls was charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while his license was revoked, operating a vehicle without insurance and having a switched tag.

All three suspects were transported to the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton.