Staff Writer

A second arrest has been made in the case of a theft from a Buffalo home.

Joshua Travis Trammell, 18, of 57 Nye Drive, Cross Hill, was charged Thursday by the Union County Sheriff's Office with petit larceny and safe cracking.

Dakota Mountain Gardin, 18, of 137 Hill St., Buffalo, was arrested Tuesday and faces the same charges.

The victim, who lives in the house with Gardin, told Deputy Roxie Belue that sometime around Oct. 14 or Oct. 15, someone entered her bedroom and took a black lock box containing $700 in cash, two yellow gold wedding bands, a yellow gold cross pendant and a variety of foreign coins.

Gardin also faces a petit larceny charge in connection with another theft in his community.

A report said an 83-year-old man on Buffalo-West Springs Highway contacted Lt. John Sherfield and said he had been told “Codi Gardin” was the person who had stolen $500 worth of vehicle transmissions from his yard. Sherfield spoke with Gardin at the Union County Jail and advised him of his rights. Gardin then gave a written statement saying he took the transmissions. The transmissions were not recovered; they were crushed at the scrap yard behind Buffalo Speedway.

Arrested in traffic stop

Two men were arrested early Friday after a traffic stop by deputies.

Maxcy L. Sims, 29, of 926 Berry Farm Road, Union, was charged with having an open container of alcohol, possession of a Schedule 4 narcotic and possession of a Schedule 3 narcotic.

Arthur Epps, 45, of 941 Berry Farm Road, the driver of the car, was charged with driving under the influence.

A report said Cpl. Scott Ruby and Deputy Thom McAbee were on patrol on North Duncan By-Pass around 2 a.m. when they saw a 2007 Ford Mustang traveling at a high rate of speed. The vehicle stopped for a traffic light in the middle of the intersection. The officers stopped the vehicle in the parking lot of Orthopedic Associates. As they approached the vehicle and talked with Epps, they could smell alcohol. Epps was read his Miranda rights. He failed three field sobriety tests.

Officers spoke with Sims, who also appeared to be intoxicated. When Sims stepped out of the vehicle, officers saw a half-full bottle of Bud Light in a brown paper bag at his feet. Sims claimed the beer.

Officers searched the vehicle and found a prescription bottle with a woman's name on it that contained 27 pills believed to be Valium and 15 pills believed to be Lortabs. Sims said the pills belonged to his girlfriend.

Drug arrest

Tey Kim Williams, 45, of 205 Tillman St., was charged Thursday by the Union Public Safety Department with distribution of a controlled substance and distribution of a controlled substance within one-half mile of a school or park. Arrest warrants signed by Investigator Mickey Parker said Ms. Williams sold Hydrocodone to a confidential informant on Sept. 24 on Tillman Street. The sale occurred in proximity to Excelsior Middle School.