A routine traffic stop turned into a big find for the Hanging Rock Police Department recently.

On July 24 Sgt. Darrell Davis stopped Thomas Steward of Reynoldsburg on Rock Hollow Road for a speeding violation.

Steward was traveling 72 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour zone.

But what Davis didn’t know at the time was that Steward was also wanted for several more serious crimes.

Besides the traffic violation, Steward has also been charged with driving a stolen vehicle, receiving stolen property, identity fraud, possession of drug instruments, obstructing official business, driving with out a license and driving without insurance.

“These are pretty serious charges here,” Davis said. “There’s a total of eight charges against him.”

Besides the charges, the man had eight aliases, a warrant from Florida for grand theft and a warrant for Illinois for possession of a stolen vehicle.

The man was arrested and arraigned as a John Doe. Officers had to make four attempts before getting his fingerprints because he resisted. Once he was identified, he was arraigned again under his name.

Davis was assisted in the traffic stop by Chief Chris Steed, Officer Ron Blanton and the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office.

Steward remains in the Lawrence County Jail.