State police have charged two people with drug possession stemming from a traffic stop last week in Butler.

One of the defendants, Mason D. Hodgkiss, 27, of Butler, is accused of running away after the stop, which took place around 11:30 p.m. Jan. 18 at Mercer and West Penn streets.

He remains on the lam, authorities said.

Police said Hodgkiss was driving a sport utility vehicle that they pulled over for having a broken taillight and suspended registration. But when the vehicle stopped, he ran, according to court documents.

Police removed three passengers from the vehicle. One of the occupants identified Hodgkiss as the driver and also advised police that Hodgkiss was wanted on a domestic relations warrant.

A trooper notified Butler police, who looked for the suspect, but to no avail.

State police searched the vehicle and found a pill bottle with an unknown white substance in it. Additionally, they seized an empty drug stamp, a syringe and other drug contraband, documents said.

Police said a search of the purse belonging to one of the passengers, Tawsha M. Burk, 25, of Marion Township, turned up a small amount of suspected marijuana, syringes and other contraband.

Burk admitted that she owned the vehicle.

Hodgkiss is charged with possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, fleeing or attempting to elude police, flight to avoid apprehension or prosecution, driving a vehicle with suspended registration, careless driving, and a lighting violation.

Burk is charged with possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, driving with a suspended license, and failing to surrender her driver's license.