By Pat Culverhouse

What began as a call reporting a suspicious person allegedly loitering in a Springhill parking lot turned into a major arrest when police officers discovered a walking cache of drugs and weapons.

Chief of Police Will Lynd said his officers responded to calls Thursday around 9 a.m. from business employees who were concerned of the individual’s suspicious dress and behavior.

When police arrived, they observed a man, later identified as 20-year-old Zachary Stuart, wearing a full face mask and hoodie, gloves and a thick sweater. He reportedly was also wearing a backpack.

An officer questioning Stuart reportedly observed what appeared to be a firearm stock protruding from his jacket. When the officer asked about the object, Stuart reportedly placed his hand on the stock, questioned the officer and attempted to flee.

Stuart reportedly was detained after a brief struggle, and officers found an AR-type rifle stuffed down his pants with the butt stock visible under his jacket. During the struggle, Stuart allegedly continued to place his hands inside his pants despite commands from the officers to refrain.

During a search, officers reportedly found a quantity of drugs including a bag containing 23 grams of marijuana, multiple bags containing a total of 8.9 grams of methamphetamines and multiple bags of suspected black tar Heroin weighing a total of 17.2 grams.

Inside Stuart’s backpack, police found three semi-automatic handguns along with various attachments. All the firearms reportedly were loaded.

Stuart, who was officially listed as homeless, now has a room at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center where he is being held under a $107,000 bond. He is facing a litany of charges including:

• Possession of CDS Sch. I (Heroin) with intent to distribute.
• Possession of CDS Sch. I (marijuana) with intent to distribute.
• Possession of CDS Sch. II (methamphetamines) with intent to distribute.
• Resisting an officer.
• Possession of a firearm in presence of CDS.
• Wearing a mask.
• Public intimidation.                                                                                                                                            This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.