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By LANCE MARTIN

rrspin.com

ROANOKE RAPIDS – A man who fled task force agents following a traffic stop was aided by his wife who the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office said arrived at the scene and removed $5,800 in cash and a cell phone from the vehicle.

The woman, Tammy Webb, used her position as a county employee with the Department of Social Services as reason not to be charged, Major Anzell Harri said.

Mrs. Webb took the cash and phone while agents were pursuing Travis Leon Webb, her 44-year-old husband, who had a quantity of cocaine when stopped around 9 p.m. on Dec. 30 in the area of West Fifth Street in Roanoke Rapids.

Mr. Webb had been stopped for an equipment violation and during the stop a canine search was conducted after probable cause to do so was established.

Agents of the Halifax Regional Drug and Gang Task Force observed a large sum of currency in the vehicle which was later determined to be around $5,800.

As a search of Mr. Webb was conducted, he broke free of the agents and ran, most likely realizing an agent had noticed he had cocaine, Harris said. He attempted to hide and then drop the cocaine as he fled.

Harris also said at some point during the stop, communication to Mrs. Webb, 47, was made and that’s why she came and collected the cash and phone as agents were looking for her husband.

Harris said agents verified her actions by watching security footage and positively identified her.

Hours later, task force agents were conducting surveillance on the Webb home on East Third Street and around midnight observed them arriving back at the residence. They did not stop and continued driving after spotting agents in the area. Another traffic stop was conducted and the Webbs were taken into custody.

Harris said while being placed in custody, Mrs. Webb informed agents that she was an employee of the Department of Social Services in Halifax and asked them not to charge her for taking the items from the vehicle.

Halifax County Manager Dia Denton said that DSS is aware of the matter and the department’s director is in consultation with human resources. There has been no decision or action taken thus far and the decision for disciplinary action is up to the director, the county manager said.

The Webbs are currently charged with altering, destroying, or stealing evidence of criminal conduct and resisting, delaying, or obstructing a law enforcement officer.

While the Webbs were being held in the detention center, a search warrant was applied for and granted for their residence. A stolen gun from October of 2024 entered by Northampton County and a small amount of marijuana was seized.

The following day agents located and seized the cocaine that Mr. Webb attempted to hide as he fled on foot the night before. The cocaine was found in a yard where officers saw Webb run.

This investigation is ongoing and more charges are forthcoming on the Webbs for items discovered during the search of their residence and vehicles.

Mr. Webb received a $4,000 bond and Mrs. Webb received a $3,000 bond. They have January 23 district court dates.

(Lance Martin is the Editor and Publisher of www.rrspin.com. Permission was received to publish this story.)