By Shavonne Walker
shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A Kannapolis man was charged with possession of cocaine after an officer checked his license plate and noted his license was revoked.

The Salisbury Police Department charged Willie Lee Edwards III, 26, of the 200 block of West 16th Street, with felony possession of a controlled substance Schedule II, misdemeanor resisting or obstructing a police officer, and misdemeanor driving while license revoked.

An officer stopped a white Cadillac in the 900 block of Pine and Lisk streets just before 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The driver, who was later identified as Edwards, got out of his vehicle and ran.

The officer chased Edwards into the backyard of a home. When Edwards refused to come out, the officer threatened to call in a K-9 unit. Edwards eventually surrendered. He had one-third of a gram of cocaine, police said.

Edwards remains in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $15,000 secured bond.

Edwards is on probation for a 2018 conviction in Cabarrus County on charges of driving while license revoked and felony possession of a Schedule II substance.