Two men were arrested on drug convictions Wednesday due to acrobatic feats from a Madison Police Department officer and the sharp eyes of a Dane County Sheriff’s deputy.
The MPD officer climbed a tree near Comstock Firestone Tire on 2413 S. Park St. because one suspect, Martell Stamps, 22, tossed a bag containing rocks of crack cocaine onto the roof after a risky chase through McDonald’s and across the street.
The Dane County deputy saw Stamps throw the bag and helped in Stamps’ arrest before the officer retrieved the bag of drugs.
The scene started around 4 p.m. Wednesday when the officer stationed in the McDonald’s and Mobil gas station parking lot at the corner of South Park Street and Badger Road observed a group of young men standing around a parked car.
Trends in suspicious activity prompted the officer’s surveillance of the parking lot, said Joel DeSpain, MPD public information officer.
“There’s been a history of drug dealing in the area and people hanging out there for the purposes of drug dealing,” DeSpain said.
According to DeSpain, the officer noticed the men standing around and not eating at the fast food restaurant and went to contact the group.
As the officer approached, he added, one of the men darted into McDonald’s and out through another door. He then ran into traffic on Park Street, causing cars to screech and abruptly slam the breaks.
With traffic stopped, the officer ran across the street, staying on Stamps’ tail as he entered the tire store’s parking lot, across from McDonald’s.
The Dane County Sheriff’s deputy in the area at the time of the chase observed Stamps throw the bag of crack cocaine onto the tire stores roof. The deputy then assisted in arresting Stamps.
According to the MPD police report, Stamps was arrested and tentatively charged with possession and intent to deliver cocaine, obstructing a peace officer, trespassing and sudden pedestrian movement.
The car the men were gathering at was later pulled over for a traffic stop. This resulted in the arrest of Terrell Stamps, 24, of Madison, for possession of cocaine with intent to deliver.
The car’s driver, Dushaun Mims, 21, of Fitchburg, was cited with possession of marijuana and subsequently released.
According to Elise Schaeffer, public information officer for the Dane County Sheriff’s office, Martell and Terrell Stamp are currently in jail.