Eastpointe man tosses bag of drugs, almost hits officer, police say

Mark Hicks
The Detroit News

An Eastpointe man has been charged after police found hundreds of cocaine rocks at his home this week.

Police from the Macomb County community and Detroit went to Willie James-Blade Ballard's home Wednesday on Rausch to conduct a search warrant.

When they arrived, the 41-year-old "elected to throw out a bag from the second story window," police said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the bag that was thrown contained a white powdery substance called cocaine and almost struck one of the Detroit officers." 

The officers eventually gained entry and found what were determined to be 926 individually packaged rocks of cocaine, according to the release.

Ballard was arrested without incident at the scene.

Willie Ballard

He was arraigned Thursday in 38th District Court on six counts, including delivery/manufacture of cocaine (50-449 grams), maintaining a drug house and felony firearm.

Judge Kathleen Galen set bond at $25,000. A probable cause conference is scheduled for 1 p.m. Dec. 21.

Court records show Ballard also faces a pre-trial hearing next month on a case involving driving on a suspended, revoked or denied license.

An attorney representing him could not be reached Friday night.