Vicksburg Police Sgt. Tom Wilson, left, and Investigator DeWayne Smith escort Keafur Wallace, 20, to a patrol car Friday.(Melanie Duncan Thortis The Vicksburg Post)

[4/26/03]Two Vicksburg men were arrested Friday on drug charges n one of whom had police searching for nearly an hour after he fled from a vehicle.

Keafur Wallace, 20, 1950 Hope Street No. 5D, was arrested at 3:48 after Vicksburg Police Department officers found him lying in sewage underneath a home in the 800 block of Walnut Street.

Wallace was a passenger in a vehicle that police had attempted to stop for a traffic violation at Washington and First East streets.

The car then fled east onto First East and turned right onto Monroe Street, Capt. Mark Culbertson said.

Police blocked parts of Main, Monroe, First East and Walnut streets during the search.

“It was a matter of checking every house and vehicle in that block until we found him,” Culbertson said. “And that persistence paid off.”

The driver of the car, Lakendrick Phillips, 21, 410 Lake Hill Drive No. 14, was arrested at Monroe and First East streets at 2:59 p.m. immediately after the vehicle stopped.

Both men will be charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and bond had not been set, Culbertson said.