GOOD DEED LANDS 2 TEENS IN TROUBLE FOR MARIJUANA

ADRIAN - A good turn turned bad for two do-gooders.

The two young men were driving along Gady Road in Lenawee County Monday
afternoon. At the corner of Occidental Highway, they saw a car battery in
the middle of the road.

They stopped, got out, and moved the heavy battery off the road, heaving it
into a ditch, "to prevent other vehicles from striking the object," one man
later told Michigan State police.

But another motorist, Barton Brown of Adrian, watched the incident and
followed the car to record the license number. Thinking the men were
illegally dumping, he then called state police to report a case of littering.

State trooper Dale Hinz arrived at Mr. Brown's residence to make a report.

Mr. Brown said he "only wished the men to be warned," Officer Hinz said.

Back on the road, Officer Hinz spotted the car on Occidental Highway. He
followed it and stopped it on Sutton Road.

The driver explained to Officer Hinz that he wanted to be helpful to other
motorists by removing the battery from the road.

That closed the case of littering.

But when the driver stepped from the car, a silver marijuana pipe fell to
the road.

Trooper Hinz arrested the 19-year-old driver for possession of marijuana.
Marijuana later was discovered in the man's shoe.

The 18-year-old passenger also was taken into custody when police discovered
that he was carrying a bag of marijuana.

Records showed the driver was on probation for a previous conviction for
possession of marijuana. Unable to post bond, he was still in jail yesterday.

The passenger was released on bond. Both will appear later in district court
in Adrian.

State police would not release the names of the two men, pending further
investigation.