What started as a traffic stop in DeKalb County turned into a high-speed pursuit, a three-car crash on I-20 West, and what police say was a rolling stash house packed with marijuana and other drugs.
DeKalb County officers said the chase ended last Saturday when the suspect vehicle slammed into two other cars on I-20 West, sending the driver running and a passenger bolting on foot. The driver was caught and taken into custody, according to police, while the passenger who fled is still on the run. A few hours later, officers launched a second chase in a separate case tied to reports of car break-ins, which ended with two more arrests.
WSB-TV reported that investigators recovered 42.92 pounds of marijuana from the wrecked car, along with 40 ecstasy pills, 54 bottles of promethazine, five Schedule II amphetamine pills, two handguns (one of which was listed as stolen), a digital scale and an undisclosed amount of cash. Police said the traffic stop was tied to surveillance around an unauthorized "Glenwood Day" event where officers watched people loading large trash bags and suitcases into vehicles. Those details came from a police press release distributed to local outlets.
How the chase unfolded
According to FOX 5 Atlanta, officers first spotted the suspect vehicle on Canary Court when the driver refused to pull over. The pursuit moved onto I-20 and ended near Lee Street after the driver lost control.
Police identified the driver as 40-year-old Trenard Bivins. Officers said he tried to run after the crash but was quickly caught. One passenger managed to escape on foot and has not been located. The collision triggered a search of the vehicle that turned up the seized drugs and firearms described by investigators.
Second chase, car break-ins and K9 response
Later that same evening, officers tied multiple reports of vehicle break-ins to another car spotted on Church Street. When they tried to stop it, the driver took off, according to WSB-TV.
The car finally stopped near Terry Mill Road and Lomita Road, where officers arrested 28-year-old passenger Dequavious Butler. A K9 unit was brought in to track the driver, and police said the dog led officers to 28-year-old Deangelo Watson, who was also taken into custody.
Officials said both Watson and Butler face charges that include entering autos and fleeing or attempting to elude police, adding that the chase put other drivers at risk.
A pattern of pop-up enforcement
Metro Atlanta law enforcement has been leaning hard on large, unauthorized cannabis pop-up events in recent weeks, treating them as more than just laid-back smoke sessions. As outlined by the Atlanta Police Department, a mid-April raid on a warehouse gathering, part of a sweep dubbed "Operation No Smoke," turned up more than 1,200 pounds of marijuana and led to dozens of arrests.
Police officials said the DeKalb County incidents line up with that broader push to tamp down unregulated cannabis sales and pull flashy, kid-friendly or otherwise dangerous packaging off the streets.
Charges and next steps
Watson and Butler face a slate of charges tied to the alleged car break-ins and related traffic offenses. Investigators emphasized that running from officers did not just escalate their legal problems, it also created hazardous conditions for drivers who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Bivins remains in custody as investigators process evidence and coordinate with prosecutors to determine formal charges. Authorities have not released the identity of the passenger who ran from the I-20 crash scene.
DeKalb County police have asked anyone with information or video from the affected areas to contact investigators.
