By Shavonne Walker
shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

RICHFIELD — A Richfield man was charged with possessing crystal meth after he was spotted trying to hide from probation officers while Rowan sheriff’s deputies assisted.

The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office charged Tyler Brian Beattie, 24, with felony possession with intent to sell and deliver a controlled substance Schedule II, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor resist, obstruct, delay an officer.

A probation officer went to the 800 block of Tanner Road to conduct a home visit Wednesday just after 11 a.m. When the probation officer arrived, a man inside ran into the woods.

A K-9 tracked the suspect near John Morgan Road and officers set up a perimeter around the area. According to a department report, as officers were leaving the area, they spotted Beattie walking along the road with another man.

When Beattie spotted officers, he dropped his backpack and ran into the nearby woods. He allegedly threw down a black leather case that contained two syringes, a silver spoon, a clear bag with a crystal-like substance and a torn yellow bag with three large crystals inside. Captain John Sifford said a total of 17 grams of methamphetamine was inside the case. Beattie remains in the Rowan County jail under a $5,000 secured bond.