By Joe Johnson
A paroled convict reportedly was arrested in Athens as the result of a traffic stop of a vehicle that had broken brake lights.
On the night of Jan. 12, an officer stopped an SUV in the area of Baxter Drive because two of its brake lights were not working, according to an Athens Clarke County police report.
A passenger identified himself only as Joe, but as the officer was writing the driver a warning ticket for the brake lights, another officer arrived and recognized the passenger as Jermerious Patroski Collins.
A criminal history check on Collins showed that the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole had issued a warrant for Collins’ arrest for a parole violation stemming from an aggravated assault conviction, according to the police report.
Collins was arrested, and during a subsequent search of him officers found fentanyl and suspected ecstasy pills, according to the report, and a .40 caliber handgun was on the SUV’s floorboard where Collins had been sitting, putting the weapon within his reach during the traffic stop.
Collins was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ecstasy, and possession of fentanyl.
“I ran a criminal history on Mr. Collins and there were multiple felony cases against him, including aggravated assault, burglary 1st degree, and possession of a controlled substance to name a few,” an officer wrote in the arrest report.
Collins is detained without bail at the county jail.