By Joe Johnson
An Athens teen was arrested Thursday for allegedly shooting a motorist in the eye with a pellet gun.
According to an Athens-Clarke County police report, a Jeep Wrangler with three occupants was at the intersection of Baxter and South Rocksprings streets at about 4 p.m. when the window of a Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled down and someone inside began shooting pellets at the Wrangler with an airsoft rifle.
One of the Wrangler’s passengers reportedly told police that all three occupants of the other vehicle had airsoft guns, but the only one who shot at the Wrangler had dreadlocks and sat in the front passenger seat of the Grand Cherokee.
The Wrangler’s driver, an 18-year-old female from Miami, FL, said she was struck by a pellet in her eyelid, and that she followed the other vehicle to the intersection of Rocksprings and West Broad streets, where an officer made contact with the driver and her passengers, according to the police report.
The alleged shooter was identified by a Clarke Central High School resource officer as 19-year-old Qymaine Lernard Smith of Cole Manor Drive because the officer saw Smith get into the Grand Cherokee at the high school a few minutes prior to the incident, according to the report.
Police obtained warrants for Smith’s arrest on charges of aggravated assault, terroristic threats and acts, and reckless conduct.
Smith was booked into the county jail Thursday afternoon, and as of late Friday morning, he remained incarcerated without bail being set.