Drugs, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm recovered by St James Parish Sheriff's deputies. Credit: St James Parish Sheriff's Office

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Two Gonzales men were arrested Saturday after a vehicle crash and brief foot chase in Convent led deputies to discover drugs, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm, according to the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Claude J. Louis Jr. said the incident began shortly before 4:45 p.m. on May 31, when a deputy attempted to stop a vehicle for traffic violations on Highway 44 near Highway 70. The vehicle turned onto Legion Street before veering into a ditch.

The driver fled on foot and was not apprehended, authorities said. While fleeing, the suspect dropped several items near a tree line.

Deputies located two passengers inside the crashed vehicle: Tyren Moses Porter, 20, and Terraz Kwandell Rayshawn White, 26, both of Gonzales. A search of the vehicle revealed several plastic bags containing suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Additional marijuana and a firearm were found near the tree line, where the driver had fled, investigators said.

Porter and White were booked into the St. James Parish jail and charged with:

• Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana (La. R.S. 40:966 A)

• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (La. R.S. 40:1023)

• Illegal Carrying of a Weapon in the Presence of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (La. R.S. 14:95)

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to identify and locate the driver.