A September 6 traffic stop on I-85 North in Anderson County led to the arrest of 39-year-old Greenville resident Marquise Lomax, who faces a fentanyl-trafficking charge after deputies said they seized 4.6 pounds of purple powder. The Anderson County Sheriff's Office said its Interstate Interdiction Unit attempted to stop Lomax's Kia Forte near mile marker 35.
According to the account reported by FOX Carolina, the Kia left I-85 near Exit 35, returned to the interstate at the same exit and accelerated after exiting again. Deputies said Lomax later got out and attempted to flee on foot before a deputy forcibly stopped the vehicle.
Deputies said Lomax was carrying a bag when he was detained. They said searches of the bag and Kia produced two packages of purple powder that they identified as fentanyl, with a combined weight of 4.6 pounds.
A Trafficking Charge With No Room for Probation
Lomax was charged with trafficking fentanyl in a quantity of 28 grams or more and with failure to stop for blue lights and sirens, according to WYFF News 4. The available account does not provide sentencing details for the trafficking charge.
Statewide overdose context
The supplied research does not provide county-specific figures to compare fentanyl-involved overdose deaths in Anderson and Greenville counties. Statewide, however, South Carolina recorded 1,481 drug overdose deaths in 2024, down 31.3% from 2,157 in 2023, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Health.
A magistrate judge denied bond on the trafficking charge and set a $5,000 surety bond on the failure-to-stop charge, according to the seed report.
The failure-to-stop charge is separate from the trafficking allegation. The available account does not provide its penalty or any license-suspension details. Lomax remained held at the Anderson County Detention Center, according to WSPA News.
Why Deputies Patrol This Stretch of I-85
The Anderson County Sheriff's Office said its Interstate Interdiction Unit made the stop near Exit 35. The available reporting does not provide additional detail about the unit's broader activity on this stretch of I-85.
The account focuses on the current seizure and does not detail other major busts or related investigations along I-85.
What the Purple Powder Signals
Deputies said the seized substance was fentanyl in purple powder form and weighed 4.6 pounds.
The bust involved a fentanyl seizure.
The case includes a bond decision on a high-level felony charge. The available account does not specify the broader legal framework behind that decision.
