A Rockmart man was booked into jail for the fifth time in since mid-May after he tried to avoid capture from officers, and was found with methamphetamine according to police reports.

Joseph Daniel Wilhoit, 29, of 206 Howard St., Rockmart, was arrested by Rockmart Police on charges of possession of methamphetamine and disorderly conduct on Tuesday morning and remains in jail without bond as of this posting.

Police reported that Wilhoit – known to have mental issues from previous run-ins with law enforcement – was at the Village Market just after 7:30 a.m. and officers who were investigating a suspicious person asked him to go home during an initial encounter.

Around 10:30 a.m., Wilhoit was back at the Village Market and police were called out because of trouble the clerk was having with him. The clerk told officers she asked him to leave the store and instead, he went outside and began screaming at her.

Police found Wilhoit inside of Simply Staffing, first when he walked out of the storefront and then when he spotted officers went back inside.

The arresting officer reported that he was forced to pull his Taser in order to get Wilhoit to comply after he took a fighting stance during his attempt to escape capture.

Police reported he complied without further issue, and when they were searching his person they found suspected methamphetamine in a cellophane wrapper that was later tested at the station and confirmed it was the substance.

This Wilhoit’s second arrest for methamphetamine possession since late May, and his fifth overall since mid-May.

In recent incidents, Wilhoit was jailed on June 15 for driving on a suspended license and again five days later in a June 20 incident where he was jailed for loitering and three counts of resisting a police officer, both incidents within Cedartown.

Bail over the past four arrests now totals up to more than $16,000.

Those with a family member who have a mental health issue are asked to please call the Georgia Crisis and Access Line at 1-800-715-4225 for help. Locally, find help at Highland Rivers Health at One Door Polk in Cedartown on North Main Street. Call them for more information at (770) 748-2225.