By Patrick Yost
Editor

An 18-year-old Madison teen was arrested in the driveway of  the Morgan County Elementary School after an officer secured a .380 caliber handgun from his backpack. The arrest occurred at approximately 7 p.m. According to City of Madison Police Department reports, an off–duty Morgan County Sheriff’s Office deputy was jogging in the area and reported to police that she had just run past four young males and smelled the odor of burnt marijuana.
   

A city of Madison Police Department officer responded and after a search of a backpack belonging to Robert Bonner, the officer located the weapon with a single bullet in it’s chamber.
   

A 15-year-old male with a Monticello address was also arrested at the site after backup officers allegedly found a marijuana grinder and a small bag of suspected marijuana in his pocket. Two other teens, both 18, were also searched and officers found a black air pistol in each of their backpacks.
   

Bonner was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a pistol without a license and possession of a weapon within 1,000 feet of a school.
   

The 15-year-old juvenile was charged with possession of marijuana, less than an ounce, possession of a drug related object and possession of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school. The other two men were not charged.
   

The youths told authorities they were walking to Heritage Park.