By Staff

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Early this morning, 33-year-old Darinton Raheem Tawan Rim was taken into custody after a police officer allegedly discovered 218.5 grams of marijuana during a routine traffic stop. In addition to this, Rim was reportedly wanted for three outstanding warrants related to previous traffic offenses where he failed to appear in court.

The incident unfolded around 12:53 a.m. on December 22 when a Gainesville Police Department officer noticed a vehicle on Newberry Road that failed to lower its high beams while passing other cars. The officer followed the vehicle but refrained from using lights or sirens initially. Suddenly, the vehicle turned into a parking lot near an elementary school on NW 55th Street, prompting the officer to activate his lights and initiate a traffic stop.

Rim was identified as the front-seat passenger during the stop. Upon presenting his Florida ID, the officer discovered Rim had three active warrants. These were linked to a hit-and-run case and two separate incidents where he was cited for driving without a valid license. This marked his fourth failure to appear in the hit-and-run case, and he had been previously arrested and released on recognizance twice for the same case.

Following the warrants, the officer arrested Rim, who allegedly admitted to possessing marijuana. A subsequent search reportedly revealed a small quantity of marijuana and multiple denominations of cash in his pocket. Additionally, his backpack allegedly contained approximately 218.5 grams of marijuana and a box of empty sandwich baggies. Based on the volume of marijuana, the baggies, and the cash, the officer suspected Rim of intending to sell the substance.

Post Miranda, Rim reportedly said the marijuana was his, but he did not intend to sell it. He said he uses the baggies at work.

Rim has been charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He has two misdemeanor convictions (non-violent) and is facing four misdemeanor traffic charges. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $600 on the traffic warrants and $55,000 on the new charges.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.