Sumter County deputies seize more than 4 pounds of marijuana after driver wrecks car attempting to evade deputies; Sumter resident holds suspect at gun point on front porch

Sumter County Sheriff’s Office deputies seized a little more than 4 pounds of suspected marijuana after a driver wrecked while attempting to evade a traffic stop on Tuesday afternoon.

The driver, Christopher Pressley-Council, 23, reportedly crossed the center line while traveling north on U.S. 521 near Jefferson Road, according to Deputy Adrienne Sarvis, public information officer for the sheriff’s office.

A deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Pressley-Council failed to stop for the blue lights and siren and began traveling at a high rate of speed, going more than 100 milesper hour in the middle lane of the road, Sarvis said. The deputy initially stopped pursuing Pressley-Council for the safety of the public, but the pursuit continued again after Pressley-Council disregarded traffic lights on Mason Road, nearly causing a collision.

Pressley-Council later wrecked his vehicle into a wood line at Ebenezer Road and Camden Highway and fled on foot, Sarvis said. Deputies set up a perimeter to look for Pressley-Council and later heard a resident in the area yell that he had Pressley-Council at gunpoint on his front porch.

Deputies responded and took Pressley-Council into custody. The resident told deputies Pressley-Council offered him $2,000 to hide him in the house, Sarvis said.

Pressley-Council was transported to Prisma Health Toumey Hospital for possible injuries sustained during the wreck.

While Pressley-Council was transported to the hospital, deputies noticed an overwhelming odor of marijuana coming from inside Pressley-Council’s vehicle and observed a vacuum-sealed bag containing suspected marijuana on the driver’s side floorboard and a digital scale on the front passenger seat while reaching inside to turn the car off, Sarvis said.

In total, approximately 4.3 pounds of suspected marijuana was removed from Pressley-Council’s vehicle. Video surveillance captured the wreck and Pressley-Council fleeing on foot.

Pressley-Council was transported to Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center after he was evaluated at Tuomey. He is charged with failure to stop for blue lights, a second-offense driving under suspension and distribution of marijuana.