One man is in custody and another sought by law enforcement after a traffic stop and car chase in Gantt yielded nearly 1 pound of marijuana Tuesday.

Drug Task Force commander Mark Odom said the incident occurred shortly after 1:30 p.m. when Covington County Sheriff’s deputy Ken Harris observed a speeding car on U.S. Hwy. 29.

Odom said Harris was driving north in his personal car when he was passed by a car traveling at a high rate of speed. Harris then contacted Gantt police officer Alvah Carlson about the reckless driver, he said.

“Officer Carlson found the vehicle on Deer Run Road in Gantt and attempted to initiate a traffic stop,” Odom said. “When he went to approach the car, Zachary Blake Walden exited the passenger side of the vehicle, and the driver, Joshua Lavon Sinkfield, sped away in the car.”

Odom said Carlson observed Sinkfield throwing a red cooler out from the car.

“When Sinkfield reached the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 29 and Deer Run Road, he stopped the car and fled on foot,” he said. “Officer Carlson was able to catch and apprehend him, but Walden had fled the scene during the pursuit.”

When marijuana was found inside the cooler, Carlson contacted DTF agents.

During an inventory of the vehicle, more marijuana was found – bringing the total to nearly 1 pound.

“I don’t think, that as a DTF agent, I could begin to explain how important street officers are to narcotics work,” Odom said, commending both Harris and Carlson. “It was the alertness of both these officers that took almost 1 pound of marijuana off the streets.”

Sinkfield, 36, of Andalusia, was charged with first-degree possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and attempting to elude a police officer.

Walden, 31, is wanted by the DTF for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Bond amounts were unavailable as of press time.

Anyone with information as to Walden’s whereabouts is asked to contact the DTF at 334-222-3523.