ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — After a week dotted with violent crime in the Asheville area, it may come as a relief to hear about a dangerous situation mitigated by the Asheville Police Department.
During a crime prevention rotation on Haywood Road, APD detectives noticed two individuals sitting in their vehicle drinking tequila, using illegal drugs and holding a gun.
The two men, Derontrez Coleman, 33, and Marlon Beatty, 42, were stopped on Bradley Street after their vehicle was observed driving the wrong way down Granada Street and weaving in and out of lanes.
After officers conducted the traffic stop, it was discovered that Beatty and Coleman were carrying firearms. They were taken into arrest without further incident.
Coleman was booked into Buncombe County Detention Facility under a $55,000 bond and charged with felony possession of a firearm by a felon, carrying a concealed gun and possession of schedule VI drugs.
Beatty was booked into Buncombe County Detention Facility under a $52,000 bond and charged with felony possession of a firearm by a felon, carrying a concealed gun, possession of schedule VI drugs, driving while intoxicated, driving while license revoked, open container and a tint violation.
According to an APD press release, the arrest “underscores APD’s commitment to public safety and proactive measures to reduce violent crime.”