Newport, RI (MSN) – A dramatic drug bust outside a 7-Eleven on Memorial Boulevard left two men behind bars after a high-speed crash and a tense police confrontation.

Customers inside the store found themselves trapped as the suspects, 25-year-old Kolby McCoy and 21-year-old Jacques Jeanty, both of New Bedford, attempted to flee law enforcement.

Undercover Operation Turns Chaotic

Newport police had obtained a search warrant for McCoy’s vehicle and received intelligence that he would be at the 7-Eleven at 29 Memorial Blvd. On Thursday, undercover officers moved in for the arrest, but McCoy, who was behind the wheel with Jeanty in the passenger seat, attempted to escape.

As he accelerated, the car crashed into several parked vehicles in front of the store. In the chaos, the suspects were trapped between a police cruiser and the store’s entrance.

“The occupants of the car got squeezed between the door of the 7-Eleven and the police cars trying to get them,” said witness Thomas Freeman.

McCoy attempted to run, but officers quickly apprehended both men. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of several grams of cocaine and Percocet, police said.

Facing Multiple Felony Charges

Both McCoy and Jeanty are now facing felony drug distribution charges, with McCoy also charged with reckless driving.

Prosecutors revealed that this was not their first run-in with narcotics charges. Due to their criminal history, both men were ordered to be held without bail following their appearance in Newport District Court on Friday.

Authorities continue their investigation into the suspects’ activities, while the chaotic scene outside the convenience store remains a stark reminder of the dangers of the drug trade.