A Scioto County man, arrested after a large amount of marijuana was found in the back of a truck.

Chad J. Phillips, 30, of Haig Avenue, West Portsmouth, was arrested on a Portsmouth Municipal Court probation violation and obstructing official business.

Scioto County Sheriff Marty V. Donini said one of his deputies while on routine patrol around 6 p.m. was approached by a citizen who told the deputy that there were two males wearing dark colored clothing around a residence on Moores Lane.

Donini said the deputy responded and observed a pickup truck pull into a vacant home. The deputy approached the vehicle and two males fled the scene on foot.

"They left their mother who thought she was coming to pick somebody up because they needed a ride," Hall said. "They left their mother hanging."

Hall described what happened when the deputy approached the truck just before the two suspects fled.

"He (one of the suspects) was cutting it and throwing it into the truck. He threw one bag in there, and we found multiple bags," said Capt. David Hall of the Scioto County Sheriff's Office. "He took off when the officers approached him. He eluded the officers and about 8 o'clock (p.m.) another group of officers spotted him and another male, and they took off after him again."

Those units continued to search for the suspect or suspects.

"We spotted one of them in a vehicle on Galena Pike," Hall said. "At about 10 o'clock (p.m.) officers passed him in a car. We got the car stopped on Slab Run, and Chad (Phillips) was a passenger in the car."

Hall said marijuana charges will be presented to the grand jury after the marijuana is dried and sent to the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.

"Once we get the weight, we will charge him (Phillips) and another male probably with cultivation and possession of marijuana," Hall said.

Officials at the Scioto County Jail said Phillips is being held on a $750 bond on the probation violation charge and also faces the obstructing official business charge.

Phillips will be arraigned this (Friday) morning in Portsmouth Municipal Court.

Donini said the investigation is continuing. Anyone with information should contact Sgt. Darren File at (740) 355-7566 and all information will be kept confidential.

FRANK LEWIS can be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 232.