At approximately 4 p.m. on Nov. 2 a Haywood County Sheriff's deputy attempted to stop a Ford F350 pick-up pulling a trailer traveling eastbound on US 23. The driver, later identified as Brandon Purvis of Waynesville, refused to follow the deputy's repeated instructions to stop and a chase ensued.

While Purvis was fleeing arrest, the deputy witnessed him throw a large black bag out of the passenger window. The pursuit continued until Purvis was stopped near Lake Junaluska and was taken into custody without incident.

Haywood County Sheriff's deputies retrieved the bag discovering several bags of methamphetamine totaling 4.1 pounds. A search incident to arrest along with a search warrant of his residence produced drug paraphernalia, a handgun, and $26,317.00.

“I am proud of the work our Drug Unit and our Criminal Suppression Unit continues to do to take these trafficking amounts of illicit drugs off of our highways and out of our communities. We are in a war to keep these drugs out of the hands of our children and we must continue working diligently to seek out these individuals that bring drugs into Haywood County,” stated Sheriff Greg Christopher.

Brandon Purvis is charged with:

• Traffic Violations
• Felony Flee to Elude Arrest
• Trafficking in Methamphetamine by Possession
• Trafficking Methamphetamine by Transport
• Possession Schedule I Controlled Substance
• Possession Controlled Substance
• Maintaining a Vehicle/Dwelling Place
• Possession of Firearm by a Convicted Felon
• Other Drug Violations

And was placed in the Haywood County Detention Center with a secured bond of $2 million.

If you have any information regarding drug trafficking in Haywood County, call the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office Crime Stoppers Tipline at 877.922.7463.