While police officers are used to suspects who don't talk much, one such man had a good reason to keep his mouth shut Thursday-a mouthful of pot.

Elizabethtown Police chief Bobby Kinlaw said Gordon Anthony Pierre was released on a $500 bond, charged with simple possession of marijuana and a traffic violation. Pierre is 31 and gave his address as 605 Martin St., Elizabethtown.

Kinlaw said Det. Chris Robeson and Lt. Dwayne Cheshire were on routine patrol when they attempted to stop Pierre for running a stop sign. The officers followed him to an area near Dunham and South Poplar Streets, Kinlaw said, where Pierre exited the vehicle and began walking toward a store.

He returned to the car when the officers called out to him, Kinlaw said. The man produced his driver's license when asked, but only responded to questions by gesturing or making noises.

"The officers were concerned because he was basically unresponsive and acted very nervous," Kinlaw said.

Pierre appeared to start choking, according to the report, and spat out a plastic bag of a substance believed to be marijuana.

"He could easily have choked to death," Kinlaw said.

In an unrelated case, another arrest has been made as part of an ongoing drug investigation by the Bladen County Sheriff's Department and Elizabethtown Police.

Kinlaw said Albert Junior Ward, 51, was arrested at 203 E. Swanzy Street Wednesday for maintaining a vehicle for illegal purposes and sale and delivery of cocaine. The arrest was the result of an undercover operation in September of last year.

Ward was placed in the Bladen County Jail under $10,000 secured bond.

The case was investigated by Det. Robeson, and Ward was arrested by Sgt. Jeremy Humphrey and Officer Mark McMichael.

Deputies also arrested a Clarkton area man Thursday on drug charges.

Bladen County Sheriff Steve Bunn said Murrell Rogers was arrested at his Booker T. Washington School Road home on a charge of felony possession of cocaine. Officers recovered a gram of crack cocaine and $1,500 in cash.

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