Man with firearm, mask, bandana arrested at Cherokee Lake Park
Feb. 23—THOMASVILLE — The odor of marijuana wafting from a vehicle when cops are nearby never ends well.
Such was the case early Tuesday morning for two people in a car parked at Cherokee Lake Park.
A Thomasville police officer patrolling the park about 12:15 saw a red Toyota RAV4 parked near a pavilion.
"The park closes at 11 p.m.," said Sgt. Scott Newberry, Thomasville Police Department Criminal Investigations Division assistant commander.
The driver, Quendacious Dreshaun Florence, 22, Meigs, told the officer, who detected a strong of marijuana coming from the vehicle, he had no identification.
A search of the Toyota produced a misdemeanor amount of marijuana. Under the driver seat, a handgun — with a bullet in the chamber — was found.
"The firearm's serial number had been filed off," Newberry said.
The officer said Florence and the passenger, Derralya Vannasia Sapp, 19, Cairo, both gave false names and addresses.
Newberry said officers found in the vehicle a black ski mask with the eyes and mouth cut out and a black bandana.
Florence is charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession, drug-related object, giving false name, address or birthdate to law enforcement and criminal use of an article with altered ID mark.
Sapp is charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession and giving a false name, address or birthdate to an officer.
The firearm will be traced through the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820
