Refusal to Exit Vehicle Leads to Drug and Tampering Charges for Texas City Man

HARRIS COUNTY, TX – A routine traffic stop for a moving violation on July 30 led to the arrest of a Texas City man who now faces multiple charges, including Interfering with Public Duties, Tampering with Evidence, and Possession of a Controlled Substance.

At approximately 4:45 p.m., Deputies Cartlidge and Gibson conducted a traffic stop on a black Infiniti in the 500 block of El Dorado Boulevard. Upon approaching the vehicle, they detected a strong odor of marijuana.

The driver, identified as 37-year-old Toddrick Smith, initially refused to comply with the deputies’ commands to exit the vehicle, rolling up the window and locking the doors. After some time, he unlocked the doors but continued to refuse to exit, forcing deputies to remove him. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office accepted a charge of Interfering with Public Duties.

While being transported for processing, Smith was discovered to have discarded drug paraphernalia inside the patrol vehicle. A subsequent search of his person revealed methamphetamine. Additional charges of Tampering with Evidence and Possession of a Controlled Substance were filed.