By By MaryClaire Foster
A police chase that began late Wednesday afternoon ended with the suspects’ car inches away from a 20-foot drop off into a drainage ditch off of White Street.
According to Officer Paige Howell with the 21st Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force, authorities had received several phone calls earlier in the week about drugs being sold out of a blue Nissan Altima.
Howell said the chase began following an attempted traffic stop by the Drug Task Force.
Officials with both the Drug Task Force and the Atmore Police Department then began pursuit of the suspects.
The car chase ended with the Altima almost careening into a drainage ditch, but stopping just short and both men fleeing the vehicle, said to belong to one of the suspects girlfriends.
From there, the two suspects fled on foot into a neighboring field. The driver, Richard McKenzie, was apprehended and taken into custody. Howell said the other man was still at large, but it was believed to be a man by the name of Bobbie Hartley.
Howell said both drugs and drug paraphernalia was found in the car.
McKenzie is currently being held at the Escambia County jail under charges of violation of probation.