Suspect attempts to swallow drugs during traffic stop

HAYTI, Mo. -- Officers in Hayti, were forced to threaten use of their Taser devices on a man who interfered with an investigation during a traffic stop on Monday.

According to Chief of Police Paul Shecknell, at approximately 6:56 p.m., police arrested Rashod Douglas, 19, of Hayti for possession of marijuana, driving while suspended and no proof of insurance. Douglas was arrested following a traffic stop made for an inoperable license plate lamp on the vehicle he was driving.

Shecknell reports that upon first contact with Douglas, officers noticed the smell of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle, in addition to a small amount of the drug visibly in the man's lap.

It was then that police witnessed Douglas interfering with the investigation and arrest by attempting to chew and swallow the drug.

According to police, Douglas was asked several times to discontinue his actions and to spit out the marijuana, which he eventually did, but only after officers removed their Taser devices.

He was later arrested and transported to the Pemiscot County Justice Center and given a $704 cash-only bond in connection with the incident.

As a separate issue, Douglas was also wanted on a Dunklin County warrant for failure to appear on a speeding ticket and had a $300 cash-only bond issued on that charge.