Staff Writer

A Union man stopped by the Highway Patrol is accused of having a quantity of marijuana in his possession.

Rahgeem Hisaan Smith, 30, of 147 Minnow Bridge Road was charged Wednesday by the Union County Sheriff's Office with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. He was charged by the Highway Patrol with driving under the influence and having an open container of alcohol. He is being held in the Union County Jail. His bond has not been set.

A report said Sgt. Jimmy Johnson assisted Trooper Kent Walker with a traffic stop on the Carlisle-Santuc Highway late Wednesday. Walker had stopped a vehicle and a man exited the back seat and ran into the woods.

Walker asked Smith, the driver, to get out of the car and performed a number of field sobriety tests on Smith. Smith was arrested for DUI. Johnson assisted Walker with a search of the vehicle. A clear plastic bag containing in excess of 28 grams of what is believed to be marijuana was found in the back floorboard. A set of digital scales and two sets of manual scales that measured in grams and ounces were found in the glove box. Several clear plastic bags similar to the one that contained the marijuana were found in the front passenger's seat and glove box. Green plant residue was on the digital scales

A number of small ziplock bags were found in Smith's front right pocket.

Two charged

Two Spartanburg men were arrested after fleeing from a traffic stop by deputies.

Shuandrel Terelle Smith, 24, of 406 Pierpont Ave., Spartanburg., was charged with driving under suspension, third offense; being a habitual traffic offender, failure to stop for a blue light and reckless driving. He is being held in the Union County Jail on $20,000 bond. Antwan Demetris Porter, 26, of 500 El Paso St., Spartanburg was charged with public intoxication.

A report said Lt. John Sherfield, Investigator Mickey Parker and State Constable Richard Brown were scheduled to meet the Highway Patrol for a license check around 1 a.m. Wednesday.

The officers began checking licenses while waiting for the patrol and the second vehicle that approached the checkpoint was a 1994 Mercury.

A driver, later identified as Smith, slowed then accelerated to a high rate of speed and drove by the officers.

Officers located the car on S.C. 9 near Kelly Road and attempted to stop it by activating both the blue lights and siren near the intersection with Pea Ridge Highway. The driver then accelerated as he traveled south toward Lockhart.

Officers pursued the vehicle until they came to the Adamsburg Community when Sherfield called off the chase but was able to keep the Mercury in sight.

Several miles into Chester County Union County officers and Chester sheriff's deputies stopped the vehicle. Smith jumped out and ran but was apprehended by Brown.

Both men were transported to the Union County Jail by Sgt. Russell Vinson.

Pistol stolen

Also on Wednesday, a victim on 207 Hightower Lake Road told Sgt. Dean Gibson that someone took a Ruger 9 mm stainless pistol from the work desk in his shop. The gun is worth $300.