Two Decatur County men were arrested on felony charges of marijuana possession as part of a multi-agency road block on Sunday, Oct. 19, according to the Georgia State Patrol.

Sgt. Marc Godby, assistant commander of the GSP’s Colquitt, Ga., post, identified the arrested men as Harold Unyula Smith, 37, 409 Dennard St., Bainbridge, and Lonnie Dremeko Nelson, 34, 804 James Street, Bainbridge. Both were charged with possessing more than one ounce of marijuana.

Sgt. Godby said the arrests resulted from a joint road block conducted with the Florida Highway Patrol on Georgia 309 South at the Georgia/Florida border. State Trooper First Class Jeromy Roberts was among the officers checking licenses on the highway on Sunday afternoon when a car driven by Smith and occupied by Nelson approached. After investigating what they believed to be an odor of marijuana emanating from Smith’s car, state troopers found approximately 40 grams—or about 1.4 ounces—of marijuana located inside the car, Godby said.

Godby said the road block was a joint effort between troopers from the Georgia State Patrol’s Colquitt post, who cover a four-county area in Southwest Georgia, and Florida Highway Patrol troopers from Quincy and Panama City. In addition to the two felony drug arrests made by TFC Roberts, the Florida Highway Patrol made one arrest for misdemeanor possession of marijuana. State Trooper First Class Walt Landrum of the GSP’s Colquitt post also made an arrest for misdemeanor possession of marijuana while patrolling Georgia 302 South on Sunday.

National Teen Driver Safety WeekThe Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is asking parents and guardians to talk with teenage drivers about rules for driving privileges.

According to the GOHS, which is marking National Teen Driver Safety Week between Oct. 21-25, car crashes continue to be the number one cause of death for American teens.

It’s a little known fact that teen passengers and teen drivers pose a deadly combination that contribute to this nationwide trend. With just one peer passenger, a teen driver doubles their risk for a fatal crash. With three or more peer passengers, the risk increases four-to-five times.

“Teen passengers can often mean the difference between life and death for teen drivers,” said Director Bob Dallas of the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “We know the risks increase with more teenagers in a vehicle and that is a risk that young drivers can control themselves.”

Dallas said it’s important for all teens, including those who are passengers, to wear their seat belts when they are riding in a car. Teens are by nature inexperienced on the road and therefore potentially more dangerous, he said.

Dallas offered the following tips for teen drivers and their friends: reduce passenger distractions in the car, always wear seat belts and help to navigate when asked. In addition, teens who only have intermediate licenses have several restrictions put on them under Georgia law, including no driving between midnight and 6 a.m. and a limit on non-related passengers. For more information and tips, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org or www.ridelikeafriend.com/organizer.

Arrests & CitationsThe following arrests and citations, a partial list of those occurring between October 17-21, have been reported by Bainbridge Public Safety and the Decatur County Jail:

• Forest Adams Jr., 43, 233 Priest Road, Bainbridge, driving while license suspended/revoked, GSP;

• Shantoria Renea Akins, 27, 2206 Fowlstown Road, Bainbridge, resisting/interference with duty of an officer, public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, BPS;

• Rene Castro, 23, Arcadia, Fla., DUI, speeding, driving while license suspended/revoked, GSP;

• Walter Laniar Collins, 43, Quincy, Fla., possession of marijuana (less than one ounce), GSP;

• Beverly Delores Glenn, 39, Donalsonville, Ga., deposit account fraud, SO;

• James Leslie Godwin Jr., 37, 906 Palm St., Bainbridge, theft by shoplifting, BPS;

• Torina Lonshae Goldwire, 26, Quincy, Fla., driving while license suspended/revoked, child restraint, GSP;

• Robert Lee Harden, 45, Tallahassee, Fla., aggravated sodomy, SO;

• Mary Parrish Johnson, 52, 723 Manhole Road, Bainbridge, failure to maintain lane, DUI (prescription drugs), GSP;

• Kenneth Devon Moore, 22, 905 W. 26th Street, Lynn Haven, Fla., driving while license suspended/revoked, SO.

Brennan Leathers can be reached by e-mail at brennan.leathers@thepostsearchlight.com, or by telephone at (229) 246-2827, Ext. 115.