By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
An Atmore man was arrested April 1 on felony drug possession charges, less than three days after he was released from jail, where he had been held on felony drug possession charges.
Atmore Police Department Sgt. Darrell McMann reported that Brian Rolin, 52, drove up to a driver’s license checkpoint that was manned by APD investigators and Alabama State Troopers around 12:15 a.m. last Wednesday, March 30.
A police investigator noticed that Rolin was wearing an ankle monitor and asked him if he didn’t have a curfew. Rolin answered that he was on probation and was required to be home by 11:30 p.m. but “just went to the store to get a beer.”
The investigator pointed out that the curfew had passed and asked Rolin if he had an open container. The local man replied that the beer he bought wasn’t open and lifted the can to show the investigator. When he did, the investigator noticed a plastic baggie on the passenger seat where the beer had been sitting. The baggie contained about five grams of a substance that tested positive for methamphetamine.
As Rolin exited the vehicle he grabbed his pack of cigarettes. The investigator searched the cigarette pack and discovered another baggie that contained an undisclosed amount of methamphetamine. Also found in the vehicle was a glass pipe commonly used to smoke methamphetamine, with meth residue in it.
Rolin was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Escambia County Detention Center, from which he was released on bond later that day.
Then, around 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 1, a city patrol officer spotted a vehicle traveling along Third Avenue with no visible license plate. When the officer activated his blue lights to conduct a traffic stop, the driver, later identified as Rolin, ran a stop sign and increased his speed.
As the officer continued his pursuit, Rolin failed to stop at several other stop signs. The officer discontinued the pursuit temporarily when Rolin turned onto a street where children were getting off a school bus.
Rolin slowed down but didn’t stop, and once the officer was able to safely go by the school bus, he again activated his blue lights and siren and resumed the pursuit.
According to reports the officer again discontinued the active pursuit as Rolin continued “driving with total disregard for the safety of pedestrians in the area,” although the officer continued to follow from a distance, at a safe speed. Other patrol officers arrived in the area and saw the suspect turn down West Meadow Drive, which is a dead-end street.
Reports show that Rolin abandoned his vehicle and ran into the woods, but officers quickly established a perimeter and took him into custody after a brief chase through the woods.
A search of the vehicle turned up a glass pipe like those commonly used for smoking narcotics, and a straw. Both contained residue that tested positive for methamphetamine.
Rolin was charged for the second time in three days with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was also charged with attempting to elude a police officer and was issued citations for running stop signs, reckless driving and driving with a suspended license.
He remained in jail late Monday, April 4.