Report: Off-duty officer foils drug sale in Cartersville bar

A man accused of trying to sell drugs in the restroom of a Cartersville bar in front of an off-duty police officer was released from the Bartow County Jail on a $6,500 bond.

According to jail and Cartersville Police Department reports:

Ernesto Javier Murill Betancourt of Cartersville is charged with felony possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and misdemeanor obstruction of a law enforcement officer.

The off-duty investigator was in the restroom of The Local Bar & Grill on Erwin Street shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday when he saw Betancourt trying to sell cocaine to another man.

He identified himself as law enforcement and told Betancourt not to go anywhere. But, as he was calling 911, Betancourt pushed him out of the way and ran. The investigator told the bartender to call 911 and gave chase, catching Betancourt in the parking lot across the street from the bar.

When police arrived, they handcuffed Betancourt and took into evidence a small black backpack he was carrying. The backpack contained seven small baggies, each with about a gram of a white powdered substance that field-tested positive as cocaine.

The bags have been sent to the GBI Crime Lab for confirmation.