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Jaywalking results in drug bust

EAST LIVERPOOL – A jaywalking incident Sunday morning resulted in police seizing suspected drugs and cash.

While on patrol at 9:43 a.m., Patrolman Chris Green reported seeing JaJuan McKeithen, 39, Norton Street, at the intersection of Oak and North streets, holding a small cardboard box.

While checking for warrants, Green said McKeithen picked up his pace and became nervous, constantly looking over his shoulder to see where he was. He crossed St. Clair Avenue, failing to use a crosswalk and hindering traffic, causing it to stop to avoid striking him, according to reports.

Green reported that McKeithen walked up to and began talking with a man he identified as a known drug trafficker.

As the officer prepared to write McKeithen a citation for jaywalking, he had him set the cardboard box on the hood of his cruiser and began patting down McKeithen for weapons.

McKeithen fled on foot, throwing the box to the ground, where the officer was able to see a large sum of money and suspected narcotics as he grabbed McKeithen’s shirt and McKeithen tried to pull his shirt over his head in an attempt to get away, also throwing a punch and nearly striking Green in the face.

With his shirt over his head, McKeithen ran into a telephone pole head-on, according to reports, which noted he was ordered to stop but continued running into traffic. Green ran after him, also nearly being struck before deploying his Taser at McKeithen.

He had to be struck with the Taser a second time as he tried to get up, reportedly threatening Green as he did so.

Meanwhile, the man Green had identified as the known drug trafficker was trying to reach the money McKeithen had dropped, pleading with the officer to let him get it before it blew away because McKeithen was donating it to barbecue he was having that day.

Other officers arrived on the scene and assisted in handcuffing McKeithen and also determined the box he threw contained four large chunks of suspected narcotics and $1,061 in cash and a Jesus pendant.

McKeithen was charged with assault, resisting arrest, obstructing official business and was given a warning for disorderly conduct. Additional charges could be filed once lab results are returned.

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