Lake City crash leads police to packaged pot

Columbia County Sheriff's Office booking photos of Cristian Odom (left to right), Jack Johnson, Robert Prescott and Albert Lane.

LAKE CITY, Fla. – Four 18-year-old boys were arrested after a crash Saturday in Lake City led police to a stash of packaged marijuana, the Lake City Police Department said.

About 9 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a traffic crash at U.S. 90 and NW Bascom Norris Drive and found a blue Pontiac Bonneville parked in a travel lane.

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Police said an officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and saw what appeared to be marijuana in the center console while talking to the driver, Jack Johnson.

The driver nervously informed the officer that he was not involved in the crash and was just watching, police said.

While other units completed the crash investigation, the occupants of Pontiac were questioned. They said they were on their way to Fort White from Jacksonville when they saw the crash and stopped to observe. All occupants of the vehicle admitted to smoking marijuana, police said.

Further search of the vehicle uncovered a scale, a grinder containing marijuana residue, a bag containing a second scale and a box of small empty plastic baggies, a bag of loose marijuana, and a mason jar containing marijuana packaged into small individual baggies. The items were found in various places throughout the vehicle, police said.

Johnson and two of his passengers -- Robert Prescott and Albert Lane -- were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police said the last passenger, Cristian Odom, admitted that the scale, baggies, and individually packaged marijuana were his. He was additionally charged with possession with intent to sell.

All four were transported to the Columbia County Jail and the vehicle was placed into impound. All suspects have since been released on bonds ranging from to $2,000 to $12,000.