A North Carolina man has been accused of drug violations and other charges after he was found on the property of a convenience store with his face covered in clown makeup. Authorities say that they also found a hatchet in his book bag.
The arrest happened at approximately 5:45 p.m., last Sunday after the Union County Sheriff’s Office received a call from an Indian Trail convenience store. The caller informed officers that a suspicious individual was on its premises. When authorities arrived at the convenience store, however, the individual was nowhere to be found.
According to the convenience store clerk, a man dressed as a clown had entered the store and was starting to scare one of the customers. After investigators performed a search on the area around the convenience store, they found a 20-year-old man close by. Allegedly the man had a hatchet and some marijuana on his person. The man allegedly told officers that he planned to frighten his friends. Police arrested him, charged him with carrying a concealed weapon, trespassing and possession of drug paraphernalia and marijuana.
Drug-related arrests can come about in a variety of circumstances, but they are not always what they appear to be. Indeed, going by newspaper reports alone, individuals might appear to be guilty of the crime, so it is important to remember that often the media is only able to report on the event based on the information it receives from the police who have arrested and accused the individual involved. It is also important to remember that everyone accused of drug crimes in North Carolina will have the legal right to defend themselves against the criminal charges in court.
Source: myfox8.com, “NC man wearing clown makeup, carrying hatchet arrested,” Oct. 12, 2016