Driver swerving at 1 a.m. flees police – then officers found his rifle had armor-piercing rounds loaded inside

A Georgia man accused of swerving on the road around 1 a.m. is now facing multiple charges after police say he fled from a traffic stop, ran into the woods near an elementary school, and left behind a vehicle containing drugs, a rifle, and armor-piercing rounds.

WSB-TV reporter Matt Johnson said the chase began in Lilburn, where police spotted a driver swerving out of his lane on Pop Johnson Drive last Saturday morning.

According to Johnson’s report, officers later identified the suspect as 25-year-old Quantiz Hendrix, who police say was under the influence of marijuana at the time.

The case began as a dangerous-driving stop, but police say it quickly grew into something much larger once Hendrix ran and officers searched the vehicle he left behind.

A Swerving Driver At 1 A.M.

Johnson reported that dash cam video showed Hendrix’s vehicle swerving out of its lane in Lilburn around 1 a.m.

Lilburn K-9 Officer Almedin Ajanovic told Channel 2 that the driver gave him a clue that the stop might not end normally even before the chase began.

“Initially he runs through the stop sign, and I’m like, ‘he’s probably going to run,’” Ajanovic said.

Police said Ajanovic tried to pull Hendrix over near Lilburn School Road. Instead of stopping, Hendrix allegedly drove into a dead-end townhome lot, put the car in reverse, and jumped out while the vehicle rolled into the officer’s patrol car.

That is a dangerous moment for several reasons. A car rolling backward without a driver can injure an officer, damage a patrol vehicle, or hit someone nearby, and the fact that it happened inside a residential community only adds to the risk.

Johnson said Hendrix then ran into the woods behind Bryson Park.

K-9 Tracks Suspect Through The Woods

Once Hendrix entered the woods, Ajanovic said he turned to his K-9 partner, Akeema, to continue the search.

“He enters the woodline, and I’m like, let me use someone that’s a lot more qualified to track somebody in the woods,” Ajanovic told Johnson.

Akeema tracked Hendrix to a nearby street, where officers found him hiding between two cars, according to police.

Johnson reported that Hendrix had run from one side of the wooded area near the townhome community and ended up in another neighborhood on the other side.

In a case like this, the K-9 search likely helped shorten the chase and reduce the chance of the suspect disappearing into the neighborhood. That matters because an overnight search near homes, parks, and schools can quickly become tense for everyone nearby, especially when officers do not yet know what the fleeing person may have left behind or may still be carrying.

Drugs Found Under The Spare Tire

After Hendrix was taken into custody, police searched his vehicle and said they found nearly a pound of marijuana hidden under the spare tire.

Johnson reported that officers also recovered four THC vapes and a digital scale.

In the body camera or dash camera audio included in the report, one officer could be heard saying, “Yeah, he’s a dealer, bro,” as police reviewed what they found.

Police told Johnson that Hendrix is now facing a felony charge of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

The digital scale is likely part of why investigators viewed the marijuana as more than simple personal use. In drug cases, police often look not only at the amount of drugs, but also at packaging, scales, cash, and other signs that may suggest distribution.

Johnson reported that officers said getting nearly a pound of marijuana off the streets was part of the importance of the arrest, but the drug discovery was not the only concern.

Rifle Found With Armor-Piercing Rounds

Police said they also found a rifle in the trunk of Hendrix’s vehicle.

According to Johnson, the rifle had body armor-piercing rounds loaded inside.

Ajanovic said that detail was especially concerning to officers.

“With body armor-piercing rounds inside the weapon, it’s definitely a concern why this individual has that kind of weapon,” Ajanovic told Channel 2.

That part of the case is what makes the arrest stand out beyond a routine DUI or drug possession stop. A loaded rifle in a vehicle is serious enough, but ammunition described by police as armor-piercing raises additional questions about why someone had it, where they were going, and what might have happened if the stop had escalated further.

Police did not say in Johnson’s report that Hendrix fired the weapon or threatened officers with it. Still, the presence of the rifle and ammunition became a major part of the charges and the public safety concern described by police.

Multiple Felonies And Outstanding Warrants

Johnson reported that Hendrix now faces three felony charges, including possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

He is also charged with DUI, obstruction, failure to maintain lane, and improper backing, according to police.

Hendrix allegedly told officers he panicked and ran.

Johnson also reported that Hendrix had outstanding warrants in Rockdale County and Gwinnett County at the time of his arrest.

That detail helps explain why police may believe he had more reason to flee than just the traffic stop. Running from police often turns a bad situation into a far worse one, and in this case, officers say the chase led them to a vehicle containing drugs, a rifle, and ammunition that created a larger public safety concern.

Hendrix is being held at the Gwinnett County Jail, according to Johnson’s report.

A Traffic Stop That Became Much Bigger

What started as a swerving vehicle at 1 a.m. ended with a K-9 track, an arrest between two parked cars, and the discovery of drugs and a loaded rifle, police said.

Johnson’s report shows how quickly a routine traffic stop can change once a driver flees. The original concern was impaired driving, but by the time officers finished searching the vehicle, they were dealing with suspected drug distribution, a firearm charge, and ammunition that police described as armor-piercing.

There is also a simple public safety lesson in the case. A driver accused of being high behind the wheel is already a risk, but when police say that same driver also had a rifle, armor-piercing rounds, drugs, and outstanding warrants, the stakes become much higher.

Ajanovic credited his K-9 partner Akeema with helping track Hendrix after he disappeared into the woods, and police said the arrest removed both drugs and a weapon from the streets.

For nearby residents, the incident may have looked like a short chase through a quiet area in the middle of the night. But according to Matt Johnson’s report, officers later found enough inside the car to suggest the stop could have ended far differently.