An Evans City man was sentenced to probation in Butler County Court Thursday for drug possession charges made after he ran from a traffic stop in September.

Michael W. Menzock IV, 26, was sentenced to 12 months probation by Judge William Shaffer, after previously pleading guilty to misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia on Nov. 14.

He was also ordered to pay court costs and a $75 fine.

He was initially charged with misdemeanors flight to avoid apprehension or prosecution, and possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia after the traffic stop on McKim Street, near South Green Lane on Sept. 8.

The remaining charges were dismissed as part of the plea.

Zelienople Police filed the charges after Menzock, who was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for a minor traffic violation, got out of the car's front passenger door walked west on McKim Street and then took off running, according to court documents.

An officer yelled for him to stop, but he kept running. Police momentarily lost sight of Menzock before he was eventually arrested.

Asked why he ran, he replied, “I was scared and got warrants,” a police affidavit said. He was searched and found with a container of suspected marijuana.

Police said they also retrieved a marijuana grinder that he had discarded while fleeing.

He was later found to be wanted on a bench warrant.