By Joe Johnson
An alleged dealer was recently arrested during an investigation of a reported crack-for car deal at a hotel, Athens-Clarke County police said.
At about 4:30 a.m. Thursday a man flagged down a police officer at RaceTrac on West Broad Street to report that his car had been forcibly taken from him by a man who was in the vehicle’s driver’s seat, according to police.
He said the incident originated at Microtel Inn & Suites on Ultimate Drive where he indicated that he had swapped his car for some crack cocaine in a transaction with a different man, according to police.
When officers went to the hotel room, they found it was occupied by a woman and a man who identified himself as Dametrius Sarden, police said. When searching the room, officers found identification documents that had the man' true identity, 22-year-old Tremayne Kentavious Smith of Dublin Street.
The officers also located a half-smoked blunt, mason jars, marijuana, crack, a scale and lighters.
Smith was arrested for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and giving a false identity to police.
At the time of his arrest, Smith was on probation for previous convictions on burglary, theft criminal trespass, and family violence battery charges, according to Clarke County Superior Court records.
As of Sunday, Smith continued to be held at the county jail without bail being set for the felony probation violations, according to the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office.