A man who led deputies on a brief foot chase after they stopped him for driving without a rear view mirror was arrested on drug charges, the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office said.

Shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday, deputies assigned to the Sheriff's Targeted Enforcement Patrol, or S.T.E.P., unit stopped a maroon 1991 Chevrolet Lumina on North College Street after noticing the rearview mirror was missing, according to a sheriff's office news release and an incident report.

The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Ricky Joe Harden, 43, of Lindsay Court, abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot, Anderson said.

After a short foot chase, deputies arrested Harden. A search along Harden's route of flight by Master Deputy Kirk McGlamery and his K-9 partner Max located a jacket dropped by Harden that contained cocaine, the sheriff said.

Harden was booked into the Bulloch County Jail and charged with driving while license suspended, obstruction and possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute. Harden has no bond set at this time.
STEP was formed in May to target high-crime areas and crime trends of concern. To date, Anderson said, STEP deputies have arrested nearly 500 suspects.