Two four wheeler incidents, one involving a death, a crucial traffic stop and a drug buy bust operation occupied county law enforcement officers’ time this month.

The first of four reported incidents involved a county resident riding his four wheeler when he reportedly ran into the brick wall of a local church.

The incident occurred on Saturday, March 17, where Luis E. Silgucio, 33, of 310 Travis Jordan Cr., Poplarville, was riding his four wheeler on Dupont Hart’s Chapel Rd. According to a release from the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department a deputy was dispatched to the scene where he found Silgucio had crashed into the brick wall of Hart’s Chapel Baptist Church. Silgucio was reported to have not been wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. He was taken to Forrest General Hospital for medical care, the release states. The coroner’s report states that Silgucio was pronounced dead at the hospital on Sunday March 18.

In an unrelated four wheeler incident, deputies received information on Tuesday, March 20, at about 1 p.m. that a Honda four wheeler was stolen in the Poplarville area, a release from the department states. At about 3:30 p.m. a deputy patrolling Highway 26 near the Whitesand Community noticed a four wheeler traveling on the road. The deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle but the driver ran from the deputy, the release states.

The deputy continued the pursuit as the driver of the vehicle turned off of Mississippi 26 and went down several county roads.

After several miles, the vehicle stopped and the deputy took the two suspects into custody. After running the vehicle identification number on the four wheeler, dispatch advised the deputy the vehicle had been stolen. The driver, identified as Christopher Cody Spiers, 22, of 9 Girlscout Rd., Poplarville, and the passenger, identified as Christopher Wayne Wallace, 18, of 138 Howard Heights, Poplarville, were both charged with possession of stolen property. The driver was additionally charged with resisting arrest by fleeing and failure to yield to blue lights and sirens.

The four wheeler was returned to the owner.

A buy-bust operation lead to the arrest of Jessie Patton, 48, of 115 Clover Cr., Picayune. The release states on Monday, March 19, at about 3 p.m. deputies sent in a confidential informant in to Patton’s home to purchase about half of a gram of cocaine. After the buy the informant turned over the narcotic to deputies and the deputies placed Patton under arrest for sale of a controlled substance. A search of the residence turned up another gram of cocaine, Capt. Chris Lott said. Patton was also charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Deputies prevented the introduction of another methamphetamine lab into the area during a routine traffic stop, according to a release from the sheriff’s department. On Saturday, March 17, deputies conducting a safety checkpoint at the intersection of Ceasar Road and West Union Road stopped a vehicle with an expired tag. During the stop, the release states that a deputy could detect a chemical odor emanating from the vehicle.

A search was conducted and the deputies found all the chemicals needed to manufacture methamphetamine and items needed to set up a lab to process the chemicals, the release states.

Deputies charged Robert T. Carr, 29, of 12413 John Lee Rd. Biloxi; William Silber, 25, of 23860 E. Dubbisson Rd., Pass Christian; Ashley Dunhurst, 19, of 17990 Cuevas Rd., Kiln, and Joseph Lizana, 21, of 19537 Wilson Dr., Saucier, with possession of precursor chemicals with intent to manufacture methamphetamine.