AHOSKIE – Apparently, it doesn’t pay to attempt to outrun law enforcement officers.

An Ahoskie man learned that fact here in the early morning hours of April 8 when he was arrested on drug charges after attempting to elude arrest.

Daniel Christopher Taylor, 21, of 1222 NC 461, Ahoskie, was placed in the Hertford County Jail under a $33,700 bond after being charged with three felonies and a trio of misdemeanors.

Taylor was charged with possession with intent to maintain, sell and deliver cocaine, maintaining a vehicle to keep a controlled substance and speeding to elude arrest, all felonies.

The misdemeanor charges include DWI, transporting an open container of alcohol and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ahoskie Police Officer Dan Flores was patrolling Academy Street around 1:30 a.m. on April 8 when he met a vehicle that was exceeding the posted (35 mph) speed limit. Flores turned around to pursue the vehicle, which was then making a turn onto West First Street (NC 561).

At speeds in excess of 55 mph, Flores continued in an effort to catch the suspect vehicle. Meanwhile, he was in contact with APD dispatch in order to obtain assistance.

Upon turning off NC 561 and onto Union Road, Flores said in his report that the suspect vehicle would slow down and then speed up. After executing the traffic stop, Flores secured the driver (Taylor), noting a strong smell of alcohol.

Upon the arrival of APD Lt. Michele Garrett and Officer Chad Wheeler along with Lt. Mike Stephenson of the Hertford County Sheriff’s Office, a search took place of the vehicle. It was then that Flores noticed several bags of a white, powdery substance on the ground beside the passenger’s side door. That substance was later determined as cocaine.

A subsequent search was conducted along a stretch of Union Road where Flores observed the vehicle slowing down. There, another nine bags of the same substance were located, leading Flores to believe that Taylor was tossing the contraband out the passenger’s side window while being pursued.

A digital scale and a bottle of alcohol were discovered in the vehicle.

“I commend Officer Flores for being so observant,” APD Chief Troy Fitzhugh said. “His attention to detail led to the additional bags of cocaine being recovered.”