Loud music leads Columbus police to drug arrest of man who ran from the party

An early Sunday call concerning loud music in the Beallwood area led authorities to charge a Columbus man with multiple drug distribution counts and obstruction, according to police reports.

Joseph Louis Crouch, 25, was charged with obstruction of a law enforcement officer, abandonment of a controlled substance, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana.

Police were called to the area near 11th Avenue and 50th Street about 1:45 a.m. and discovered a large party in progress. When Sgt. Raymond Harralson and Officer Orry Jester arrived in their patrol vehicles, the partygoers began to disburse, police said. Three men were leaving and were attempting to avoid contact with Harralson, the report stated.

Jester approached the men and identified himself. Two of them stopped, but Crouch kept walking, the report stated. After multiple commands to stop, Crouch began to flee. Crouch ran behind a house on 12th Avenue, then back toward the front, where the officer found him on the ground.

After a search of the area, police found 5.8 grams of marijuana and 1.3 grams of cocaine. The marijuana was found in small baggies and the cocaine was in one baggie, police said.

This story was originally published July 2, 2018 at 9:59 AM.