A twenty-eight-year-old Summerville woman was charged with obstruction of law enforcement officers after an incident in a traffic stop, according to a report released this week by the Summerville Police Department.

Last week, a Summerville Police officer was conducting a routine patrol on Kelly Street when he observed a black 2015 Kia Sorento with a Georgia license plate #RZJ8948 traveling eastbound. The officer quickly noticed that the vehicle had a right brake light out and a right headlight not functioning properly, prompting him to initiate a traffic stop on nearby Highland Avenue. Approaching the driver’s side, the officer encountered a male driver, identified as Jamarious Mosteller, and a female passenger, Kensey Alexander. As the officer spoke with Jamarious, he detected a strong odor of alcohol emanating from within the vehicle. When questioned, Jamarious initially denied consuming any alcoholic beverages, claiming the smell was coming from a red cup in the cup holder. However, he eventually admitted to having consumed alcohol earlier.

Meanwhile, another officer had approached the passenger side and was giving commands to Kensey, who seemed to be attempting to conceal or swallow something. The first officer turned their attention to the situation unfolding on the passenger side, observing Officer Mitchell physically engaging with Kensey in an effort to get her to spit out what was believed to be drugs. The officer quickly joined in, grabbing Kensey by the back of the neck and ordering her to spit out the substance. Kensey refused and swallowed it instead. Kensey was then escorted out of the vehicle and ordered to place her hands behind her back, but she resisted arrest. After a brief struggle, officers were able to handcuff Kensey, at which point she admitted to swallowing marijuana out of fear.

Given the uncertainty surrounding what Kensey had swallowed, the officers decided to have her medically cleared at the Chattooga County Jail. Kensey was asked multiple times if she wanted to go to the hospital, but she refused. The officers then removed the handcuffs and informed Kensey that warrants would be issued for her arrest due to obstructing or hindering law enforcement officers. Jamarious, who was found not to be intoxicated, was allowed to leave the scene, while Kensey later turned herself in to the Chattooga County Jail on a later date to address the pending charges.