Sanford Man Arrested During Traffic Stop

Tuesday afternoon June 4, 2019, at approximately 1:00pm Lee County Sheriff’s Office narcotics agents assisted North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper J. Cox with a traffic stop on south Horner Boulevard. NCSHP Trooper J. Cox had initiated a traffic stop for a seat belt violation and the operator pulled into the parking lot of the Circle K Store located at 812 South Horner Boulevard. Trooper Cox called for assistance after removing the operator later identified as Darius Leigh Dowdy from the vehicle due to strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle and the Dowdy’s erratic movements inside the vehicle. Once out the operator began to resist by pulling away from Trooper Cox. With the aid of a Good Samaritan, Trooper Cox was successful in taking Dowdy into custody.

Lee County Sheriff’s Office narcotics agents arrived shortly after and assisted with the search of the vehicle. Trooper Cox stated that in the course of the struggle, Dowdy had pulled a clear plastic bag from Dowdy’s front pants pocket and was attempting to get rid of the item. Agents assisted by going through the items that Dowdy tried to discard. Agents located one small clear plastic bag containing approximately .4 of gram of heroin, and two clear plastic bags containing approximately 25 grams of marijuana. Agents transported Dowdy top the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for processing.

Lee County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics agents charged Darius Leigh Dowdy, age 31, of 390 West Forrest Oaks Drive, Sanford, with one count of felony possession with the intent to sell and deliver heroin, one count of felony possession with the intent to sell and deliver marijuana, one count of felony maintaining a motor vehicle for the purpose of storing and selling a controlled substance, and one count of misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Darius Leigh Dowdy was cited by NCSHP Trooper J. Cox for the seat belt violation, driving while license revoked, and resisting an officer. Darius Leigh Dowdy was jailed under a $21,000.00 secured bond.