Bainbridge police arrested a teen and his girlfriend at their house Thursday and in doing so, sized a significant quantity of cocaine packaged for sale.

Bainbridge Public Safety Investigator Mark Esquivel said police had been looking for 19-year-old Paul Peterson after learning he had an active probation warrant about two weeks ago. In the course of looking for Peterson, he had ran when spotted by investigators on more than one occasion, according to Esquivel.

So on Thursday morning, investigators came prepared after receiving information Peterson was staying at 437 E. Pine St. in Bainbridge. Peterson’s apparent girlfriend, 26-year-old Marquita Shunta Washington, answered the door and insisted he was not in the residence. However, BPS officers finally got permission to go in and found Peterson attempting to hide. He struggled with the officers but was quickly handcuffed and placed into arrest.

Washington was arrested for obstruction.

While transporting the couple to BPS headquarters, Capt. Jack Bunting noticed they were acting suspiciously in the back of the patrol car. Once at BPS, Bunting inspected the back seat of his patrol car and found 90 small bags of cocaine inside a larger bag.

As a result, Peterson was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school, obstruction of an officer, probation violation—original charge possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

According to Esquivel, Peterson also faces multiple charges against him in Dodge County, Ga., where the city of Eastman is located.

Youth arrested in man’s beating

Four youth have been arrested and charged for their suspected involvement in the beating of an elderly, legally blind Hispanic man last Sunday. BPS identified the individuals as:

 Ladawn Demeter Edwards, 17, 727 Hall St., Bainbridge;

 Bobby Dale Pough, 18, 300 4th St., Bainbridge;

 Larry Donald Washington Jr., 21, 1004 E. Water St., Bainbridge;

Each of the three youth, plus a juvenile, were charged with aggravated assault.