By By LYDIA GRIMES – Features writer
A possible attempted armed robbery failed Tuesday, Oct. 4, when an alert business owner confronted the occupants of a vehicle.
According to East Brewton Police Chief B.C. Cooper, the department received a call on Tuesday morning from S &J Grocery, located on Shoffner Street, reporting a suspicious vehicle. An employee was carrying the trash out and noticed the car tag was covered up and the female driver was trying to keep her face covered with a camouflage cap. The employee returned to the store and reported to the owner, Richard Maxwell, what she had seen.
Chief Cooper began a search for the vehicle and late that afternoon it was spotted. The tag was expired and when the vehicle was stopped, the officer asked to see a license and he noticed a gun lying on the floorboard behind the passenger seat. He also saw some empty containers. While the car was detained, a search was made for previous charges and it was discovered the man had a record in Texas. A search was then made of the vehicle and drugs and drug paraphernalia, in addition to the gun, were found.
The Drug Task Force was called in to investigate and to make the charges. Randall Carmichael, 22, was charged with possession of marijuana, second degree, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a forbidden firearm. He was booked and taken to the Escambia County Detention Center. The woman was not charged, according to the sheriff's reports, but Chief Cooper said it would be up to the Drug Task Force to determine the charges.