SURFSIDE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Surfside Beach police say they have charged a man from Myrtle Beach after two police officers were assaulted during a traffic stop.
Surfside Beach Police Chief Rodney Keziah says officers pulled a car over on Eagle Crest Drive for speeding Tuesday around 2 a.m.
Officers say the driver, Lucas Lourenco, could not produce a drivers license and gave police a false name. While officers tried to arrest him, the suspect ran away. According to the statement from Chief Keziah, Lourenco ran a short distance before he turned started to fight the two officers chasing him.
“This was not just an attempt to elude, but was an active assault on officers with punches being thrown,” Keziah said in a press release. Officers fought with the suspect for several minutes as he kept reaching for his pockets and striking both officers. The police chief also said one officer tried to tase Lourenco, but it had no impact.
After a third officer responded, Lourenco was arrested and police located eight bags of marijuana and several pills.
Lourenco was transported to J Reuben Long Detention Center and charged with two counts of resisting, assaulting, beating or wounding police officer, possession of controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, speeding and giving false information to law enforcement.
One of the officers went to the emergency room to be treated for facial injuries, Keziah confirms.