Antrim searched for drug suspects

Residents in the State Line and Hollowell area had some anxious hours Thursday evening, Feb. 18, as law enforcement agencies searched with officers, dogs and helicopters for drug suspects. A Hagerstown, Md. man and woman were arrested on drug charges following the pursuit.

The Antrim Township citizens were alerted to the search when low-flying helicopters were heard and seen with search lights on homes and fields in the area of State Line, Leitersburg and Hollowell Church roads around 7:45 p.m. Police cars also blocked roads in the area. One citizen inquired to an officer about the activity and was told that they were looking for a felon. He was told to go inside and lock his doors.

The Washington County Task Force reported that Destini Reon Allen, 29, of 411 Sumans Ave., Hagerstown, and Kamalah Nicole Cordell, 22, Kensington Drive, Hagerstown, were charged with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possession of CDS paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, handgun violations and other drug offenses.

Police allege that they tried to pull over a vehicle with Allen and Cordell inside in the northbound lane of Interstate 81 around 7 p.m. Thursday. Police said the vehicle would not stop, traveled into Pennsylvania and back into Maryland on U.S. 11 and turned east on State Line Road. According to police the vehicle  pulled into a driveway in the 2800 block of State Line Road and the suspects fled the vehicle.

Police initiated a search that included a helicopter and the K-9 unit from the Greencastle Police Department. Police reported that Cordell was found near the abandoned vehicle. Allen’s footprints were tracked through the snow across several fields and through farms, police said. Police said he was found in a wooded area.

Following the search and arrests, Task Force agents searched a room in the Hampton Inn off Maugans Avenue where the suspects had been staying and found cash and a large amount of crack cocaine, powder cocaine and marijuana.

According to a task force news release, 200 grams of crack cocaine, an unspecified amount of powder cocaine, marijuana and a handgun were found Dec. 30 in Cordell’s residence.

In addition to the task force and the Greencastle K-9 unit, other agencies assisting in the search were Pennsylvania State Police, Washington Township Police Department, Maryland State Police and the Washington County District Attorney Office Drug Unit.

Following the search and apprehension, Cordell and Allen were charged with being a fugitive from justic and placed in the Franklin County Jail.