Welcome Man Held Without Bond After Indian Head Stop Leads To Cocaine, Fentanyl And Eluding Charges

INDIAN HEAD, Md. — A Welcome man was ordered held without bond after authorities allege a traffic stop in Indian Head led to a struggle with officers and the discovery of cocaine, fentanyl and other suspected drug evidence.

Charles Franklin Harding Jr., 62, of Welcome, is charged in Charles County District Court with possession with intent to distribute narcotics, possession of a controlled dangerous substance that was not cannabis, second-degree assault, failure to obey a reasonable and lawful order, reckless endangerment and several traffic offenses.

The traffic charges include attempting to elude uniformed police by means other than failing to stop, driving with a suspended registration, knowingly driving an uninsured vehicle, failing to maintain a legible registration plate, and operating a vehicle while a child under 16 was not restrained by a seat belt or child safety seat.

According to charging documents, an officer was traveling west on Hawthorne Road in Indian Head around 2:10 a.m. on May 13, 2026, when a black Honda Accord was observed with a covered registration plate and expired registration tabs.

A records check showed the vehicle’s registration had been suspended, according to the report. The officer also reported that the driver appeared to lean over, putting his upper body down inside the vehicle, and the vehicle swerved in its lane.

After a traffic stop was initiated near Lower Wharf Road, the officer contacted the driver, later identified as Harding. Charging documents state Harding was asked for his driver’s license and registration card. As he opened the center console, the officer reported seeing a white substance.

The officer requested a K-9 response to conduct a free-air scan of the vehicle. When additional officers arrived and attempted to have Harding exit the vehicle, charging documents allege he refused.

According to the report, an officer reached into the vehicle to unlock the door. Harding allegedly grabbed the officer’s arm, attempted to strike him with a wooden back scratcher, and then accelerated the vehicle, causing bruising and abrasions before officers were able to break free.

The vehicle then came to a stop a short distance later after officers pursued it with emergency equipment activated, according to charging documents. Harding still refused several commands to exit the vehicle before eventually stepping out.

A front-seat passenger exited the vehicle and complied with officers, according to the report. Harding allegedly continued refusing orders, including commands to place his hands behind his back, before officers placed him in handcuffs.

Charging documents state a minor child was found asleep on the back seat under a blanket and was not wearing a seat belt or restrained in a child safety seat. The child was removed from the vehicle.

During a search of Harding, an officer reported finding a plastic straw with white residue in his wallet. A search of the vehicle later found three keychain pill containers stuffed between the front driver’s seat and center console, according to the report.

Inside the containers, officers reported finding a large white rock-like substance, white powder in a silver pill container and a plastic bag with white powder inside a purple pill container. A folded piece of paper with white powder was also found, according to charging documents.

Investigators also recovered three newer Samsung cellphones from the driver-side area. The officer wrote in the report that the suspected substances, the number of phones and the amount of evidence recovered were consistent with street-level drug distribution.

Harding was taken to Charles Regional Medical Center due to complaints of injury, according to charging documents.

The recovered evidence was later tested using a Thermo Scientific TruNarc analyzer. The white powder in two silver pill containers and the folded paper inside the purple container tested positive for cocaine hydrochloride, according to the report. The suspected substance from the purple container tested positive for fentanyl.

Charging documents state the suspected cocaine weighed about 4.1 grams and the fentanyl weighed about 0.2 grams. The report listed the approximate street value of the recovered controlled dangerous substances at $860.

Harding was later cleared by the hospital and transported to the Charles County Detention Center.

Court records show Harding was ordered held without bond after a bail/bond review before Judge Patrick J. Devine on May 14, 2026.

A preliminary hearing is set for June 10, 2026, in Charles District Court.

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