LORIS, S.C. (WBTW) — A man arrested Sunday by Loris police on drug charges is the son of the town’s mayor.
Jared Harrelson, 35, was in a car with another man and woman that was pulled over by an officer who recognized the driver and knew he did not have a valid license, according to a police report obtained by News13.
The police report said Harrelson initially was defensive and didn’t want officers to search him after police stopped and searched the vehicle after seeing an open car of beer inside. However, he later admitted to having heroin and marijuana.
Harrelson was charged with manufacture, distribution and possesion of narcotics and simple possession of marijuana and booked into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center, online jail records showed. He was released after posting a $10,000 bond.
After their investigation, police cited the driver for having an open container of beer and first-offense driving without a license, the report said. The woman was given a citation for drug paraphernalia.
Mayor Todd Harrelson told News13 on Tuesday that he fully supports the town’s police department and his son. His Facebook page has numerous posts about the impact of drug addiction on families.
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Dennis Bright is a digital producer at News13. Dennis is a West Virginia native and graduate of Marshall University. He has won copyediting and journalism awards in West Virginia and Ohio. Follow Dennis on Twitter and read more of his work here.
