KANE — Two Virginia women were arrested following a traffic stop on U.S. Route 219 in Hamlin Township late Thursday night, one for DUI and one for possessing a stolen gun.
Mary Jones-Prince, 51, of Petersburg, Va., and Tiara Clemons, 23, of Richmond, Va., were both charged by Lewis Run-based state police after a traffic stop at 11:37 p.m. Thursday south of Lantz Corners near Don’t Know Lane.
According to the criminal complaints, a vehicle driven by Jones-Prince was traveling north on Route 219 with a passenger headlight out. State troopers stopped the vehicle, and when they approached the vehicle, smelled marijuana. Police asked Jones-Prince and her passenger, Clemons, to step outside the vehicle. Police conducted a sobriety test on Jones-Prince in which signs of impairment were detected.
A trooper asked for and was given permission to search the vehicle. Found inside the vehicle were a handgun, a marijuana cigarette and two grinders. Inside Clemons’ purse, troopers found brass knuckles and more marijuana. Police ran the serial number on the handgun and learned it had been stolen, the complaint stated.
Clemons was charged with receiving stolen property, a second-degree felony; firearms not to be carried without a license, a third-degree felony; possessing an offensive weapon, a first-degree misdemeanor; possession of marijuana and of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanors.
She was arraigned early Friday morning by District Judge David Engman and released after posting $10,000 monetary bail.
Jones-Prince was charged with DUI and several summary offenses, and was arraigned early Friday before Engman. She was released on $2,500 unsecured bail.
Both are scheduled for preliminary hearings on Jan. 25.
