Speeding leads to traffic stop, arrest

Last Wednesday, a Ruston Police officer clocked a red Mercury sedan traveling 45 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour school zone and ended up arresting the driver. 

Once checking the vehicle’s speed, the officer initiated a traffic stop, and the driver began maneuvering the vehicle between both north and south bound lanes of travel.  

When the vehicle was passing Saratoga Street, the driver threw something out of the window. At that point, the officer requested backup. 

The driver, who was later identified as Arthur Doakes III, 41, of Ruston, began hanging out of the driver window and pointing, and the officer noticed he did not have a seatbelt on. 

Doakes finally stopped in the parking lot of Charleston Square Apartments. He exited the vehicle, and the officer had Doakes place his hands on the trunk of the vehicle. The officer located a green pill bottle on Doakes, and the bottle contained 46 Ecstasy pills.  

Doakes was arrested and charged with possession of Ecstasy, speeding, improper lane usage, no driver’s license and no seatbelt.