Suspect used fingernails as weapon, police say

A 44-year-old Hardeeville man was arrested on Hilton Head Island late Friday night on charges of drug possession and resisting arrest after digging his fingernails into a deputy's face, according to a Sheriff's Office incident report released Saturday.

The man was the passenger in a vehicle that had been pulled over on the north end of the island. When he got out of the car, a deputy frisked him and noticed a strong smell of marijuana, according to the report. When the deputy asked the man if he was carrying any illegal drugs, the man replied, "no, you can check my pockets."

The deputy found a plastic bag of marijuana in the front pocket of the man's pants. The man then pushed off the car and fell into the deputy, according to the report.

The deputy told the suspect he was under arrest, and the man tried to run away, according to the report. When the deputy grabbed his arm, the suspect pushed him and slapped him, the report stated. He then dug his fingers into the deputy's face and shouted a profanity-laced version of "get your hands off of me."

The deputy took the man to the ground and, with assistance from another officer, arrested him, the report stated.

Law enforcement found marijuana and six grams of cocaine on the man, according to the report. When asked why he resisted arrest, the man said that though the marijuana was his, the cocaine belonged to the driver, who had told him to hold it when he was being pulled over, the report stated.

The man was taken to the Beaufort County Detention Center on charges of cocaine and marijuana possession and of resisting arrest. He remained there Saturday night on $8,070 bond.