The new year got off to a violent start as deputies with the Union County Sheriff’s Office were forced to use pepper spray to break up a fight early Friday morning.

Malcolm Jalmar Harris, 21, and Zedrick Deon Harris, 22, both of 102 Marigold Drive, Union, are charged by the sheriff’s office with breach of peace and resisting arrest. Zedrick Harris is also charged with possession of marijuana.

Deputies were dispatched to the Harris’ home around 2:30 a.m. in response to a report of a fight. The incident report states when deputies arrived they found several males fighting in a back bedroom. Two of the males were bleeding but would not obey the deputies orders to quit fighting. The report states the Harrises’ mother tried to get between them and she was knocked to the floor, hitting her head on the bathroom cabinet. Despite this, the report states the Harrises continued fighting above their mother.

Further attempts by deputies to stop the fight proved fruitless, so they used pepper spray to try and get the two apart. It was at this point deputies called for backup and were forced to use pepper spray to try and separate the Harrises. The report states Zedrick Harris lunged at one of the deputies and struck him in the face with his right hand. Harris was again sprayed with pepper spray.

Malcolm Harris then lunged at the deputies and was also pepper sprayed. By this time other deputies had arrived on scene and the situation was brought under control. The Harrises were placed under arrest for breach of peace and resisting arrest and transported to the Union County Jail.

After the Harrises were taken to jail, Zedrick Harris was found to have 25 grams of marijuana in two plastic bags in his pocket along with $760 in cash. The marijuana and money were seized as evidence and Harris charged with possession of marijuana.

Hitachi For Hydrocodone

A Union man swapped freedom for jail when he allegedly tried to barter a TV for drugs on the last day of 2009.

Jeffery Lee Davis, 37, 921 Linersville Road, is charged by the sheriff’s office with attempting to purchase a Schedule III narcotic.

The incident report filed by the reporting officer states on Dec. 31 narcotics officers met with an operative who stated Davis had been attempting to trade them a large-screen TV for 100 10-mg Hydrocodone pills. The operative then placed a recorded phone call to Davis and arranged the trade of the pills for the TV. They agreed to meet at the playground area of the Buffalo Mill Pond.

Deputies watched Davis leave his home on Linersville Road and walk to the park in the rain. They stopped him and placed him under arrest and seized the Hitachi HDTV that was supposed to be traded for the Hydrocodone. Davis was then transported to jail.

Checkpoint Arrests

Traffic checkpoints around the county made it an unhappy New Year for several motorists and their passengers.

Dennis Wayne Horton, 50, 123 2nd St., Lockhart, is charged by the sheriff’s office with driving under suspension and open container while Charles Robin Massey, 48, 326 Wesley Chapel Road, Union is charged with possesion of a stolen gun and open container.

Horton and Massey were arrested around noon New Year’s Day after they were stopped in Horton’s car at a checkpoint on Lockhart Highway. The deputy that made the stop reports when he asked Horton for his license Horton told him he didn’t have one because it was suspended due to a previous driving under the influence charge. The deputies then directed Horton to pull over onto the side of the road.

Deputies also noticed an open beer container in the vehicle and when Massey, who was Horton’s passenger, was asked to step out of the car a deputy noticed a silver handgun in the floorboard. A records check on the gun determined it had been reported stolen in Lancaster County.

Horton and Massey were placed under arrest and transported to jail.

Earlier in the day, a Union man stopped at a driver’s license checkpoint at the intersection of SC 49 and SC 215 in the Monarch community ended up in jail after failing a field sobriety test.

Richard Leonard Sweezy, 54, 139 East Forest Drive, is charged by the sheriff’s office with driving under the influence and open container.

Deputies conducting the driver’s license check report there was the smell of alcohol about Sweezy. When asked how much he’d had to drink, the report states Sweezy said he had about four beers. He was given a series of field sobriety tests from which deputies determined Sweezy was driving under the influence. He was placed under arrest and a search of his vehicle turned up an open container of Bud Light.

After being transported to jail, Sweezy submitted to a Data Master test and blew an 0.15. His license was then confiscated and he was issued a notice of suspension.

A vehicle safety checkpoint at the intersection of SC 215 and Hawkins Road resulted in two people being charged — one with open container and the other with simple possession of marijuana.

Kenneth Lee Bobo, 19, 123 Sanders Road, Union, is charged by the sheriff’s office with simple possession of marijuana while Brandy Lynn Russell, 25, 123 Short St., Union, is charged with open container.

The incident report states while deputies were talking to Bobo and Russell they noticed a container of open liquor next to Russell’s leg. They told Bobo to pull the car over and then proceeded to search him, Russell and the vehicle. The search turned up a partially-smoked marijuana cigarette in a tray between the driver’s and passenger’s seats.

Russell was then issued a summons for the open container and Bobo a summons for simple possession of marijuana. The two were then released.