Published: 6/17/2022

A MAURY COUNTY MAN IS FACING FEDERAL CHARGES AFTER AN INCIDENT LED TO HIS ARREST ON DRUG CHARGES AND RESISTING ARREST ON I-65 IN FRANKLIN. A RELEASE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SAYS A FEDERAL GRAND JURY DID INDICT ROY NICHOLSON III, (AGE 26 OF COLUMBIA). NICHOLSON WAS CHARGED WITH POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE AND POSSESSION OF A FIREARM IN FURTHERANCE OF A DRUG TRAFFICKING CRIME AND HE IS CURRENTLY IN FEDERAL CUSTODY. THE CHARGES COME FROM AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED ON APRIL 24 OF THIS YEAR, WHEN OFFICERS STOPPED NICHOLSON ON I-65. ACCORDING TO THE INDICTMENT, THE OFFICER APPROACHED THE CAR, WHERE A PISTOL WAS IN CLEAR VIEW ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, AS WELL AS THE SMELL OF MARIJUANA COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. DESPITE TWO OFFICERS TRYING TO REMOVE HIM FROM THE CAR, NICHOLSON STRUGGLED AND ULTIMATELY SPED OFF, DRAGGING BOTH OFFICERS ON THE ROADWAY AND KNOCKING THEM TO THE GROUND. ONE OF THE OFFICER’S LEGS WAS RUN OVER BY NICHOLSON’S CAR AS HE SPED AWAY. HE WAS LATER ARRESTED NEARLY ONE MILE AWAY AND WAS FOUND WITH A LOADED GUN, MARIJUANA AND OVER $3,600 IN CASH. OFFICERS ALSO FOUND A PINK BACKPACK CONTAINING NEARLY 200 GRAMS OF MARIJUANA AND PLASTIC BAGGIES ON A NEARBY SIDEWALK. OFFICERS RECOGNIZED THE BACKPACK AS THEY SAW IT IN NICHOLSON’S CAR WHEN THEY FIRST TRIED TO ARREST HIM.