COLUMBIA, S.C. — A multi-county chase led to drugs, guns, and the arrest of a convicted felon on Wednesday afternoon when a traffic stop when awry.
The Fairfield County Sheriff's Office said the chase began when a deputy tried to pull over a swerving driver, later identified as 43-year-old James Cowart. The responding deputy said the vehicle even went into oncoming traffic - something that would occur again later.
Cowart refused to stop and left Peach Road for southbound I-77 into Richland County. The sheriff's office said Cowart left the interstate, turning onto Blythewood Road and Wilson Boulevard before returning to I-77, where Richland County deputies joined the pursuit.
Cowart was eventually stopped near the Farrow Road exit, but not before heading south in the northbound lanes of the interstate. When deputies did stop him, they found several guns and what they believed was methamphetamine.
The sheriff's office said Cowart faces multiple traffic offenses, including failure to stop for blue lights. He is also charged with possession of methamphetamine and several gun charges. In addition to the charges he faces in Fairfield County related to the chase, Cowart also faces charges in Kershaw County and others in Alabama, the sheriff's office said.
No one was hurt in the incident.
Sheriff Will Montgomery recognized his deputies for the handling of the chase.
"I am proud of the professionalism of our deputies in how this incident was handled," he said. "We are glad to be able to take three more guns off of the streets from a person who has no legal right to possess them."
He also thanked the Richland County Sheriff's Department for their assistance.
