North Charleston Police officers arrested a Charleston man Friday night following a vehicle pursuit that led to the discovery of a large quantity of narcotics.

At approximately 8:20 p.m., officers were conducting proactive patrols in the hotel area near Ashley Phosphate Road due to ongoing narcotics activity. During patrol, officers observed a vehicle enter the parking lot of the North Charleston Lodge. After remaining there for only about two minutes, the vehicle exited, raising suspicion that the driver may have been involved in a drug transaction.

Officers began following the vehicle and observed it make an improper lane change without signaling. The driver then entered Interstate 26 eastbound. Officers activated their emergency lights and sirens, but the vehicle failed to stop and continued driving before exiting onto Aviation Avenue.

The driver proceeded to run a red light at the intersection of Aviation Avenue and Fain Street. He continued driving, eventually crashing through a chain-link fence and damaging it before heading toward the rear of a parking lot, where he struck another fence.

The driver, later identified as 40-year-old Jason Burggess Sudderth, exited the vehicle. As officers issued commands for him to get on the ground, Sudderth repeatedly reached toward a large fixed-blade knife in a leather holster on his right hip. Additional officers arrived on scene and continued giving commands, at which point Sudderth complied and lay on the ground.

While officers attempted to place him in handcuffs, Sudderth again reached for the knife. Officers were able to safely take him into custody without further incident.

A search of Sudderth revealed a clear bag containing approximately eight grams of a crystalline substance that tested presumptively positive for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl. Near the driver’s door, officers located three additional bags containing more than 70 grams of a similar substance, also testing presumptively positive for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl.

Inside the vehicle, officers found a small lockbox containing two more bags. One held just over seven grams of a white powder that tested presumptively positive for MDMA and Fentanyl, while the other contained more than seven grams of a crystalline substance consistent with Methamphetamine and Fentanyl.

In total, officers recovered approximately 85.45 grams of a crystalline substance testing presumptively positive for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl, and 7.1 grams of a white powder substance testing presumptively positive for MDMA and Fentanyl.

Sudderth was charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine, Trafficking Fentanyl, Possession with Intent to Distribute MDMA, Failure to Stop for Blue Lights, Resisting Arrest with a Deadly Weapon, and Possession of a Weapon During a Violent Crime. He was taken to the Al Cannon Detention Center.