Speeding prison guard’s passengers had marijuana, alcohol: TCPD

By DEUCE NIVEN

    A prison guard from Lumberton, assigned to the Columbus Correctional Institution near Brunswick, faces traffic charges following a Thursday night vehicle stop where two of his passengers were charged with marijuana and alcohol violations, Capt. Russell Conway of the Tabor City Police Department said Friday.
    James Alvin Hunt Jr., 36, of Old Whiteville Road, Lumberton, was charged with speeding 79 miles per hour in a 55 MPH zone and having expired vehicle registration, the citation issued by Conway said.
    A female passenger was charged with simple possession of marijuana, a male with having an open container of alcohol, citations showed.
    Hunt was hired by the NC Department of Public Safety as a Correctional Officer at Columbus Correctional, DPS spokesman Keith Acree said Friday. There was no change in his employment status as of Friday, and it was not clear if supervisors were yet aware of the charges, Acree said.
    For more on this story see the Oct. 22 Tabor-Loris Tribune in print and online.