Police blotter
Two arrested after marijuana seized
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Authorities arrested two Aiken County men Friday on drug charges after seizing 400 pounds of marijuana from a Martinez storage unit.
Police charged Isaac Lamont Lewis, 31, of the 1300 block of Hampton Avenue, and Rufus Rukhan Hamilton, 30, of the 700 block of Oriole Street, with marijuana trafficking.
They were held without bond Tuesday at the Columbia County Detention Center, according to jail records.
The Columbia County Sheriff's Office narcotics unit issued a search warrant Friday.
The drugs, with a street value of $250,000, were found at the Flowing Wells Industrial Park storage units at 472 Flowing Wells Road, Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris said.
Sixteen bags, each containing 25 pounds of marijuana, were seized, he said.
The storage unit was rented by Lewis, according to Morris.
Friday's arrests culminated a monthlong investigation involving the sheriff's offices of Richmond, Aiken and Columbia counties and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Aiken County authorities searched Lewis' house Friday.
No drugs were found, but police seized a Ford Explorer and a utility trailer, which they say were used to transport the marijuana, and a stolen motorcycle, said Aiken County sheriff's Capt. Troy Elwell.
DEA authorities referred questions to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. Morris said the investigation is ongoing.
The following accounts were taken from reports from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. Additional reports are available at www.columbiacountyso.org:
Couple are mugged outside apartment
A Martinez couple called police Saturday and reported that they were robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot of their apartment complex.
They said they were walking in the lot of Shenandoah Ridge Apartments at 4101 Old Petersburg Road just before 10 p.m. when they noticed three men following them. The woman said three masked men approached and one demanded money.
When her husband responded in Chinese, one of the men punched her in the face. Another pointed a handgun at the couple and demanded money.
Shesaid her husband gave the men money from his wallet and they ran toward the Shenandoah Ridge community pool.
The robbers were wearing dark masks, and were described as a white man, 6 feet, 4 inches tall, 180 pounds in a blue hooded jacket; a black man, 5 feet, 6 inches tall, 160 pounds, wearing dark clothing; and a black man, 6 feet, 2 inches tall, 180 pounds, wearing a white jacket.
Intruder uses cell phone to text man
A Martinez woman said she was awakened by an intruder in her bedroom.
The 32-year-old told police that when she woke up about 1 a.m. Saturday, the man said, "Hey," and picked up her cell phone.
The intruder went downstairs to her kitchen table and sent two text messages to her ex-boyfriend, then left.
The woman said the man was in her home for 15 to 20 minutes.
She described him as white, unshaven, with shaggy hair, wearing blue jeans and a black T-shirt.
Woman reports theft of identity
An Evans woman told police Friday that her checking account was overdrawn because someone had used her debit card to make an online purchase.
The 47-year-old said she was contacted by her bank about her checking account's being overdrawn.
When she checked her account activity, she found a $154.05 online purchase from Victoria's Secret using her debit card number.
4 report their lawns damaged overnight
At least four residents of High Chaparral subdivision called police Saturday after someone damaged their lawns.
Four residents of the Martinez neighborhood off The Pass told police someone had driven a vehicle through across the grass late Friday night or early that morning.
One resident said he heard a vehicle outside his home about 12:30 a.m. Saturday.
When he looked out the front window, he saw a red Chevrolet S-10 pickup with a lift kit spinning out on his lawn.
Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue Activity Report for the week of Feb 22-28:
Structure fires, three; vehicle fires, two; wood/brush/grass fires, four; controlled/unauthorized burns, five; activated fire alarms, 14; activated carbon monoxide detector, one; gas line rupture, one; medical incidents, 21; vehicle accidents, 14; investigate various incidents, five; assist residents, three; and mutual aid/public safety assistance, four.