Florida man sentenced to 30 years following Houston County police chase, drug arrest

The charges stem from a traffic stop on July 21, 2026.

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — A Florida man has been sentenced to 30 years, with the first 10 years to serve in prison, after pleading guilty to fleeing police and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

According to Houston County District Attorney Eric Edwards, 35-year-old Lawrence Jermaine Kloc of Daytona Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty Wednesday, November 4, in Houston County Superior Court.

The charges stem from a traffic stop on July 21, 2026, when Houston County Sheriff’s Office deputies attempted to stop Kloc for a window tint violation near Watson Boulevard.

According to the district attorney’s office, Kloc refused to stop and led deputies on a high-speed chase through residential streets and near Northside High School.

Deputy Quentin Ramsey eventually ended the vehicle pursuit using a Pursuit Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver.

Authorities say Kloc then attempted to flee on foot before deputies caught him and used Tasers to take him into custody.

During a search of his vehicle, deputies found more than an ounce of methamphetamine, a smaller amount of cocaine and packaging materials.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Mike Smith released the following statement:

“The Houston County District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, specifically the Traffic Division, for their efforts in bringing this repeat offender to justice. The dogged determination of the Traffic Division deputies ensured that this repeat customer did not escape accountability. The Office would especially like to highlight the heroic efforts of Deputies Dalton Windham and Quentin Ramsey. Each and every person traveling on our local roadways should feel safe while riding on these roadways. The District Attorney’s Office remains committed to protecting the community from career criminals, as well as ensuring that fleeing motorists always go to prison following a conviction. Additionally, this office remains committed to ensuring that drug traffickers are held accountable for peddling their poison in our community.”

District Attorney Eric Edwards released the following statement:

“What began as a routine traffic stop for a window tint violation became a potentially deadly situation because this defendant decided that escaping accountability for his drug dealing was more important than the lives of everyone around him. Mr. Kloc chose to turn our residential streets into his personal racetrack, endangering innocent motorists, pedestrians, and families simply going about their daily lives. His flight even carried him into the vicinity of Northside High School, where the consequences of a high-speed collision could have been absolutely devastating. I want to be perfectly clear: fleeing from law enforcement is not some minor offense that should be brushed aside simply because nobody happened to get hurt. Every high-speed pursuit creates the potential for innocent people to be killed, and we will continue to insist upon substantial prison sentences for criminals who create that danger in Houston County. I am especially grateful to Corporal Dalton Windham, Deputy Quentin Ramsey, and the Houston County Sheriff’s Office for their professionalism and skill in bringing this dangerous pursuit to an end without a tragedy. I also commend Senior Assistant District Attorney Mike Smith for securing a sentence that holds this defendant accountable for both his drug distribution activities and his reckless disregard for the safety of our community. Ten years in prison is an entirely appropriate consequence for someone who would rather put innocent lives at risk than face the consequences of his own criminal conduct.”