GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – Four officers from the Greenville Police Department were sent to the hospital after being exposed to an unknown substance during a traffic stop.
Maurice A. Johnson, of Greenville, was charged with one count of trafficking of opium or heroin by possession and transportation, maintaining a vehicle or dwelling place for controlled substances, possession of marijuana and possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana.
On August 6 around evening hours, the Greenville Police Department stopped a vehicle near the intersection of Charles Boulevard and East Firetower Road.
As a result of that stop, the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force obtained a search warrant for the vehicle.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as Johnson and was arrested by officers.
A quantity of heroin and several pounds of marijuana were recovered from the vehicle, police said.
Johnson was sent to the Pitt County Detention Center under a $1 million bond.
Police said that during the search of Johnson’s vehicle, four Greenville Police Department officers began experiencing symptoms such as dizziness and numbness or tingling in their hands after being exposed to an unknown substance in the vehicle.
All four were transported by EMS and were subsequently treated and released from Vidant Medical Center, police said.
The vehicle was secured and will be cleared by the SBI Hazmat Team Tuesday morning.