Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute and Felon in Possession of a Firearm were two of the charges to be sought today on a man arrested in Laurens last night. Laurens County 911 received a complaint at 8:13 pm about someone shooting a handgun out of a car on Independence Avenue and Spring Street. The complaint noted a black vehicle occupied by four males. All Laurens City units responded to the area. Officer Amanda Templeton reported observing a black Mazda 6 at the intersection of Pine and Spring Streets that had four male subjects. She followed and made a traffic stop on Independence Avenue at Church Street. She reported detecting a faint odor of marijuana in the car. As backup arrived she had the 22-year-old male driver turn the car off and exit the vehicle. He indicated it was not his car and he was on the way to a store. Two rear seat passengers were identified as males aged 18 and 14. As Officer Gallo had a passenger from the front seat exit the car this subject reportedly began screaming and using profanity. The front passenger, identified as 21-year-old Demavia Rahfe Rice of 7387 Highway 308, Laurens, was placed into investigative detention. Fe (Fee) Rice reportedly resisted handcuffs and being placed in a patrol car. After forced inside he allegedly began kicking the back windows and was screaming. Deputies arrived to assist Laurens Police as a large crowd began gathering around the traffic stop. A check of the vehicle reportedly located a Daly .45-caliber pistol under a jacket on the front passenger floor of the car. A green leafy substance believed to be marijuana was reportedly discovered in several baggies that were inside a mason jar that Lt. Martin located in the car. Because of the gathering crowd, the driver and rear-seat passengers were released, along with the car. Demavia Rahfe “Fe” Rice was taken to the Police Department and later delivered to the Johnson Detention Center.
A check on the pistol through the NCIC indicated that Indianapolis, Indiana police have reported it stolen. The green leafy substance believed to be marijuana reportedly weighed 130.7 grams.
Four warrants for drug and firearms were to be sought today to charge Mr. Rice.