Dequeen woman arrested in Pike County for drug possession

On December 5th, 2023, at approximately 5:45pm Officer Mackenzie Vermillion with the Murfreesboro Police Department was in the process of conducting a traffic stop on a vehicle at EZ Mart. 

According to the affidavit, Vermillion was in his duties of performing a traffic stop when a female later identified as 47-year-old Tonya Macha Austin of Dequeen exited EZ Mart and began to interfere with Officer Vermillion. Vermillion reported that he requested that Austin provide her identification as she was going to get a citation for obstructing government operations. It was reported that Austin refused to give any identification to Officer Vermillion and that Vermillion advised Austin that she was going to be placed under arrest after multiple attempts to get her to provide identification.

As reported, Austin began to get in the vehicle she was operating, and Vermillion physically tried to grab her wrist to place her under arrest and Austin pulled away multiple times. Vermillion also reported that afterwards he had to get physical with Austin to remove her from the vehicle. With assistance Vermillion was able to get Austin onto her stomach and placed under arrest. 

Austin was transported to the Pike County Detention Facility. Vermillion was notified by the Pike County Detention Facility Staff, and it was told that while Austin was being booked, the jailor had discovered a gray cloth glasses case that contained a glass smoking device with white residue and a clear plastic bag that contained a crystal-like substance that was located in Austin’s bra. 

Austin was charged with furnishing prohibited articles, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of obstructing government operations, and resisting arrest.