A Cosby man is facing an array of driving and drug charges stemming from an incident Friday.

John Ellis Benson, 37, was charged with failure to maintain lane, possession of meth with intent to sell/delivery/manufacture, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, illegal possession/carry of weapon, failure to exercise due care, evading arrest, sale/delivery/manufacture/possession of drugs, possession of paraphernalia, driving on a revoked license and reckless driving.

According to a report from the Cocke County Sheriff’s Office, at 9:48 p.m., Friday, Cocke County Dispatch received a report that a 1988 Chevrolet 150 pickup truck, driven by Benson, was passing the 444-mile marker on Interstate 40 eastbound that exited the interstate at the 447 mile marker and the caller didn’t continue to follow the truck. Dep. Colby Francisco, of the CCSO, located the truck on Trail Hollow Road not far from the interstate.

When Francisco turned around to go to the truck, it accelerated to a higher speed. Francisco found the truck in a ditch on the right side of Trail Hollow Road with the front tires in the ditch.

When trying to initiate a traffic stop, Benson spun his rear tires into the parking lot of Raft Outdoor Adventures, turned off his headlights and pulled behind a bus that was sitting in the parking lot.

Once deputies entered the parking lot, the truck sped out of the parking lot and back onto Trail Hollow Road towards Barnes Hollow Road where the truck turned left, then turned right onto Ramsey Road while traveling at a high speed, almost crashing the truck on several occasions.

After turning on an unmarked road, the truck turned onto Highway 32 south where it continued at a high speed. Other deputies joined the chase at the intersection of Groundhog Road and South Highway 32, still in Cocke County, in which Lt. Zach Magouirk and Francisco boxed in the truck on Caton’s Grove Road.

When Benson was removed from the truck, he was asked if there were any narcotics inside. Benson said that there was some Ice (slang for Meth) inside.

A search of the truck resulted in recovery of two bags totaling 12.8 grams of meth and two bags totaling 1.36 ounces of Heroin inside a black box on the bench seat. A separate small baggie of Heroin was located inside the center armrest by Dep. Colton Rollins. Also, Francisco located an unloaded ArmaLite AR-7 explorer .22 caliber rifle under the driver seat with the stock remove and no magazine inserted.

A magazine was found in the driver side front door pocket that had eight rounds. A digital scale was also found next to the driver seat where Benson was sitting. Benson was placed into custody and the drugs taken into evidence.