Macon traffic stop leads to drug and weapon arrest after man runs while in handcuffs

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — A traffic stop in Macon last week led to the arrest of a man accused of drug and firearm offenses, but not before he ran while in handcuffs, according to a Bibb County Sheriff’s Office incident report.

According to the report, a deputy pulled over a gray Hyundai Elantra just before 9 p.m. on March 6 after the vehicle ran a stop sign at Dove Street and turned onto Ballard Drive without signaling. The vehicle was being driven by a woman, and Alonzo Lawrence was the passenger.

The report says the deputy detected a strong smell of marijuana while speaking with the occupants, and that when asked, Lawrence admitted to having marijuana in his backpack but said there were no weapons in the vehicle.

Photo: Bibb County Sheriff’s Office

Backup deputies arrived, and deputies conducted a vehicle search. That’s when the report says they found two bags of marijuana inside Lawrence’s backpack, as well as a Glock 17 handgun in the backseat “with a purple switch on the slide, indicating it could be converted to a machine gun and extended magazine containing 20 rounds.”

When deputies tried to take Lawrence into custody, he ran southbound on Ballard Drive while still in handcuffs. He was caught shortly after, and both he and Head were taken to the Bibb County Jail.

Lawrence faces multiple charges, including obstruction of officers, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, possession of substances with intent to manufacture controlled substances and possession of a sawed-off shotgun, rifle, machine gun, or other dangerous weapon.

The woman was given a verbal warning and released.

Bibb County Jail records no longer show Lawrence in custody.