Police blotter

The following accounts were taken from reports filed with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

Woman injured

A deputy responded to a call at about 2 a.m. on Sept. 6 about an injured and possibly intoxicated woman at the Circle K, 449 Old Evans Road in Martinez.

When the deputy arrived he found Deora Shawn Strickland of Lincolnton lying on the ground with a cut on her face and Allison Rose Bentley of Appling sitting next to her, according to a police report. He also saw a black Ford Ranger parked next to them with the driver's side rear window shattered, the report stated.

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The deputy stated that less than an hour before the incident he had encountered both women at the same location and arranged for them to be picked up by a sober driver.

Bentley told the officer that while she was waiting to be picked up, she and Strickland started arguing. Strickland then hit and broke the truck's window, the report stated.

Strickland agreed that the women were arguing but said it was because Bentley kept insisting that they drive themselves home, the report stated. She said she took the keys from Bentley so she couldn't drive, and they continued to argue.

Strickland told police that said she then got mad and head-butted the truck's window, causing it to shatter.

Both women were issued citations for disorderly conduct.

Suspicious vehicle

While responding to a call about a fight Tuesday night, a Columbia County sheriff's deputy saw a vehicle that matched the description of a car seen leaving the skirmish, according to a police report.

The deputy turned around and pulled the car over, the report stated. Once backup arrived, officers ordered the men to get out of the car at gunpoint.

When the men were handcuffed, both the driver, Jabori Shomari Covington of Augusta, and the passenger told officers that they did not know of weapons in the car. Deputies conducted a search and found a 9 mm handgun inside a purple Crown Royal bag that was hidden behind the back seat, the report stated.

Covington was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, said Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris.

Wanted driver

A deputy stopped to check on what he though was a broken-down truck parked in the emergency lane of Interstate 20 at about 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

After running a routine check on the driver, Antonio Jose Calderon of Jennings, Fla., the deputy discovered that Calderon was wanted in Florida for car theft, according to a police report. The disabled truck that police found was stolen, the report stated.

Calderon was taken into custody to await extradition to Florida.

Outstanding warrants

A Columbia County sheriff's deputy stopped a green GMC Jimmy with a broken headlight while patrolling Columbia Road early Monday morning.

The deputy spoke with the front passenger, who said his name was Phillip Tart, according to a sheriff's office report. The deputy ran a check on the man and found out his real name was Phillip Leach and that he had an arrest warrant on him in Richmond County.

After the driver, who told police he did not know any of the three passengers in the vehicle with him, consented to a search of his SUV, the deputy found guns underneath the Leach's seat, the report stated.

Another passenger told the deputy that his name was Qujuan Hardoman. The man was later identified as Qujuan Harkins, who also had an active warrant out for his arrest in Richmond County, according to the report.

Leach is being held at the Columbia County Detention Center and is charged with carrying a concealed weapon and giving false identity to law enforcement, said Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris.

Harkins also was detained and charged with giving a false name. He posted $1,050 bond at the detention center before being picked up by Richmond County officers on a statutory rape charge, Morris said.