An Alabama man spent his Christmas holiday behind bars after he told officers he ran from a traffic stop due to warrants and marijuana use, according to Polk County Police reports.

Michael Andrew Piere Strong, 40, of a Decatur, Alabama, address was finally arrested after being chased through western Polk County to Piedmont, Alabama and back to Cedartown on Friday Saturday night, December 23, around 11 p.m.

Per the report, Strong and a passenger were stopped for failing to maintain lane on Highway 278 near Wimberly Hill Road. The officer noted that a smell of marijuana was coming from the car, and as the passenger got out of the car and Strong was ordered out for a probable cause search, he put his Volkswagen Jetta into gear and took off at high speed.

Cedartown Police and Polk County Police joined the chase that went through Cedartown and then out onto Piedmont Highway toward Alabama. When it reached there, Alabama law enforcement joined the chase that entered Piedmont, and then Strong headed back to Polk County. He was able to get to Canal Street again before a set of spike strips punctured his front tires, set there by a Rockmart Police officer who joined the pursuit.

He was still able to continue, and he ultimately made it all the way up North Main Street to the Dollar General Market before he finally pulled into the parking lot and was surrounded.

Strong was taken into custody without further incident. He told police he had been smoking marijuana and had warrants for his arrest.

He has remained in the Polk County Jail without bond set through the Christmas holiday.

Charges included two felony counts fleeing or attempting to elude police, and misdemeanors for reckless driving, DUI – less safe – drugs, driving without license suspended or revoked, three counts of driving on wrong side of roadway, four counts of fail to obey traffic control device regulated by pedestrian, and eight counts of obstructing law enforcement officers.