A Tennille man who fled a traffic stop before Morgan County deputies could handcuff him was later tracked down by Walton County K-9s and arrested.
Demariun Javourin Worthem, 24, faces charges of obstruction, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and failure to meet child restraint requirements.
According to reports, Deputy Hannah Rickey pulled Worthem over as he was traveling eastbound on I-20, when she noticed a passenger in the Kia he was driving was not wearing a seatbelt.
When Rickey approached the vehicle, she also noticed a 4-year-old child in the back seat without a seatbelt or booster seat.
She also smelled marijuana. Worthem admitted to having a small amount of marijuana in the driver’s side door, but Rickey eventually found two clear bags containing 3.8 ounces of it along with a blue scale. Worthem told deputies the marijuana was his, and Rickey instructed him to turn around. He fled on foot into the woodline.
Rickey and Sgt. William Smith gave chase, but Worthem lost them in the woods.
K-9s from the Walton County Sheriff’s were requested.
As the deputies waited on the K-9s to arrive, the passenger left behind contacted family members to bring a car seat for the child.
The K-9s found Worthem east of the traffic stop, and he was taken to the Morgan County jail.
The Kia was turned over to the passenger, who was also issued a citation for no seatbelt. A relative brought a car seat for the child.