By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Two pre-Christmas traffic stops by Atmore Police Department officers led to the separate arrests of two Atmore men, one of whom was out on bond for shooting up a local residence in November, on felony drug possession charges.
The first arrest occurred December 20, when an APD patrol officer pulled over a vehicle that was being operated with only one headlight. When the officer approached the vehicle, he “could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.”
According to reports, when the city policeman asked the driver, 19-year-old Layton Deleon Frye of Atmore, if he had any of the illegal weed in the vehicle, Frye removed a bag containing 10 grams of marijuana from the console and turned it over.
The officer then searched the vehicle, turning up a 9 mm handgun that was under the driver’s seat. He also found a small amount of methamphetamine, a digital scale and “several small plastic baggies typically used in the sale of marijuana and other narcotics.”
Frye was processed into the Escambia County Detention Center on one count each of possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a concealed weapon, first-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
His bond was revoked on attempted murder charges related to his alleged shooting into a Crow Street residence shortly before Thanksgiving, and he remained in the county jail early Tuesday, January 3.
Bad lane change
The second arrest came a day later, on December 21, when an APD detective pulled over a vehicle after he saw the driver make an improper lane change on Alabama 21.
“Upon observing [its driver, 60-year-old Johnny Mack Rolin of Atmore’s] behavior” during the traffic stop, the investigator obtained consent to search the vehicle.
According to reports, a clear plastic baggie was discovered in his clothing. Rolin admitted that the substance in the baggie was methamphetamine and was booked into the county jail on one count of possession of a controlled substance. He has since been released on bond.