William Barry Strickland (Haralson County Sheriff's Office)
HARALSON COUNTY, Ga. - A Haralson County man is facing several felony charges after a patrol officer noticed a tag violation and pulled him over Thursday.
Haralson County traffic stop leads to arrest
What we know:
A Haralson County sheriff's deputy was patrolling Thursday when he stopped a vehicle for a tag violation, according to the sheriff's office.
The deputy said the driver, William Barry Strickland, acted suspiciously by fumbling through his wallet and throwing it on the floorboard.
When asked if he had anything illegal, Strickland reportedly became visibly nervous.
After Strickland refused a search, K-9 Rumi performed an "air sniff" and alerted deputies to the vehicle.
During the search, authorities found a gun, drug gear, and what they believe is methamphetamine.
Strickland, who is a convicted felon, was arrested and charged with felony possession of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
What we don't know:
While the sheriff's office confirmed Strickland is a convicted felon, it is not yet clear what his prior convictions were for or how long he has been out of prison.
What they're saying:
Local law enforcement emphasized that it is illegal for convicted felons to have firearms. The sheriff's office used this arrest to remind the public that minor traffic violations, like an improper tag, often lead to the discovery of more serious crimes.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Haralson County Sheriff's Office, which detailed the arrest and the specific actions of the deputy and K-9 involved in the traffic stop.