CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. -- Two Cherokee County Sheriff's deputies were hurt while trying to arrest a suspect Monday night.
It began as a traffic stop on Lower Burris Road near Clayton Food Store. A deputy pulled over a truck with two suspects inside and quickly discovered the passenger had marijuana paraphernalia.
The deputy tried to handcuff the passenger, 44-year-old Michael Hulsey, but Hulsey ran away. A second deputy arrived to assist; Hulsey hit one of them in the face, and a dog inside the truck attacked and bit a deputy.
Hulsey ran into the nearby woods, but was tracked down by a Cherokee County K-9. He was arrested and charged with trafficking methamphetamine, heroin possession, firearm possession by a convicted felon, battery, simple battery on a law enforcement officer, and two counts each of felony obstruction and interference with government property.
The truck's driver, 58-year-old Chris Burger, gave deputies permission to search the vehicle. Cherokee County Sheriff's Lt. Jay Baker said officials recovered two ounces of marijuana, methamphetamine pipes, a handgun and a rifle from the truck.
Dash cam video of the traffic stop later revealed that, while Hulsey fought with the deputies, Burger removed items from his vehicle. Baker said deputies returned to the scene and found three more ounces of marijuana, 2.4 grams of heroin, and empty jewelers bags often used to distribute drugs. The evidence was recovered from the side of the road.
Burger was arrested and charged with trafficking methamphetamine, methamphetamine possession, heroin possession, firearm possession and tampering with evidence.
Both suspects are being held without bond in the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center.
One of the deputies broke his hand in the scuffle with Hulsey. The other deputy suffered a minor injury to his face. Both were treated and released from Northside Cherokee Hospital.
