North Augusta High School quarterback Loranzo Hammonds and his father, Loranzo Hammonds Sr., were involved in an incident with North Augusta police Friday night that resulted in the father's arrest.
The rising high school senior was given a citation for minor in possession of beer and for not wearing a seat belt and was issued a warning for not using his turn signal but was not arrested, according to an incident report from the North Augusta Department of Public Safety. Hammonds Sr. was arrested for disorderly conduct.
"I don't necessarily think I did anything wrong," Hammonds said.
The incident report said Hammonds, 18, was pulled over at McDonald's on Knox Avenue for driving "without signaling turns." After Hammonds consented to a search of his vehicle, "a cold Bud Light beer was found under the passenger seat near the back floorboard," the report said.
Hammonds told The Augusta Chronicle the beer wasn't his and it belonged to either his dad or his dad's friend. He said he had just dropped off his dad's 22-year-old friend at his dad's house when he was pulled over.
The incident report said Hammonds did not respond to verbal commands from the officer after the beer was found and was handcuffed "for officer safety and seated on the ground."
Hammonds Sr., who was not in the vehicle, arrived on the scene later "in a loud boisterous manner" and repeatedly shouted obscenities at the officers, which led to his arrest.
Hammonds led North Augusta to a 10-1 regular-season record in 2009 as the only area quarterback to throw for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards.
North Augusta football coach Dan Pippin declined comment when reached Wednesday afternoon, but Hammonds said he expected to be "disciplined on the field" for his conduct.
Hats off to North Augusta Police. Both Hammonds think they can do anything they want just because he is the quarterback for North Augusta. Sick of their pushy and nasty treatment of others. I only hope the judge helps this young man out and show him football is only a game not a free passage in life to abuse others
Sooo he made his "Dad's" friend ride in the back seat?
Handcuffing an 18 year old after finding a beer in the car? Initially the policeman knew basically what the situation was. He knew the kid did not act as if he were under the influence (obviously no citation) no weapons...knew who he was because he saw his license...NAPD has been over the top for as long as anyone can remember and that is a FACT....However having said that... a beer in the car of an 18 yr old is something his parents should get to the bottom of and the court should determine and discipline accordingly. IF THE BEER DID NOT BELONG to young Mr. Hammonds and the dad KNEW IT DID NOT...then if i see my son handcuffed for no reason i inquire with extreme prejudice the "officer" who has handcuffed him. If the dad is allowing the son to drink then that is another problem....(HUGE PROBLEM) If this young man is another in a too long list of pampered athletes then this needs to be "nipped in the bud" as the saying of a famous TV sheriffs deputy used to say...I suspect the mom is the best person to handle ALL OF THIS...she will know what the truth is and how to handle it....
So it takes a QB getting arrested and coaches going to eat out for the Augusta Chronicle to finally talk about football? Wow. There was a HC fired this offseason; where is the article? Big news in football counties that matter. No coverage of Spring Games. Not one article about the numerous 7-on-7 scrimmages, off-season workouts, and OL-mini camps that take place. Just a basketball All-Star game made up of old people and outsiders.
When you are still talking about basketball and baseball in July, you cannot expect this county to have enough support for local teams to advance deep in the playoffs on a regular basis. This is why schools out side the area (Burke, Lincoln, Washington Co, Thomson, etc.) usually stomp the living daylights out of our local teams, why the bands are usually what people come to see for football games, and why "region" championships are about the best thing teams hope for in this area.
Our paper just reflect this area's commitment to being successful in football. Nothing compared to our commitment to basketball and baseball. If you don't believe me, ask almost every HC in the RCSS what's the problem off the record. They'll all point toward the county's AD, George Bailey.
Not only does Richmond County schools suck in academics; their football is mostly garbage too, with two to three schools killing everyone in the area and struggling outside of the area.
By the way, horrible mistake for the NAHS QB. Even if he is not guilty, appearance is everything. Not the way you want to make news for your school. Got to be more careful.
Hammond's Sr. will try to make a racial case out of this. Believe me!!!
In order to search a car when an officer is alone, he has to handcuff the subject, to prevent being attacked from behind while he continues to search the car, as he doesn't have a partner to watch the subject.
I didn't read whether the beer had been opened or not.
Question, why was the car searched for the kid not wearing a seat belt and not using his turn signal?
In addition an unopened alcohol container in a car that's not registered to the kid is possession of alcohol by a minor?
What is so hard about buckling your seat belt. In life, football and when stopped by the police your attitude is vey important if you desire a positive outcome.
Coach you nailed it again..i have been looking for AC coverage on football also...i am told that there is not enough resources to do so...however Matt, Billy, Chris, and the other writers at AC do a GREAT JOB of covering MOST (public of course) all the football teams in CSRA during season..The video they have posted each week is awesome & they have promised more and longer this year. The fact that a possibly negative story is what it took to get some coverage for local early football is very discouraging however. i saw nothing on the 7 on 7 scrimmages or any interviews or write ups of LOCAL COACHES or schools so far. Check the Hilton Head paper or Sumter or Orangeburg or Summerville or the State (Columbia) or the Greenville SC or Florence SC papers - they ALL give far more coverage of their local high school football than our AC does. These are all in SC but they put emphasis on LOCAL area and try not to spread themselves too thin...THE CSRA IS HUGE and the AC should cover the teams in that area that DO NOT GET COVERAGE ELSEWHERE but it does leave the Richmond Co and Columbia Co schools with FAR LESS COVERAGE THAN ANY OTHER SCHOOLS THEIR SIZE MOST LIKELY IN THE ENTIRE SOUTH. That is an absolute fact. BUT WHAT WE DO GET is the ad nauseam coverage of golf and TW in particular...following him around as if he were a god (Michaux et al) reporting on his every bowel movement...pathetic and sad...These guys really are missing the market. They really believe that to save the AC they need to try to compete with ESPN, the Golf Channel, etc..i am sure they will trot out numbers some marketing study consultants that guide their subject matter say they must give all this golf news but COMMON SENSE tells you that the best chance to SELL PAPERS LOCALLY is to INCLUDE MORE LOCAL SPORTS STORIES...duh...i can see charging for on line reading of news..i get that..but i will not subscribe to that service any more than i will subscribe to the paper unless MORE LOCAL COVERAGE OF OUR LOCAL ATHLETES AND COACHES IS MADE A PRIORITY.. and the lack of emphasis and coverage on our local high school football is a BIG PART of why augusta high school football is a joke around the state and OFF THE RADAR OF TOO MANY COLLEGE COACHES...one last comment. a GOOD coach at the high school level (NO MATTER THE SPORT) will do more to help shape the POSITIVE OUTLOOK, ATTITUDE, & ultimate success in life of a young athlete than any other person outside of their parents. (and as we ALL KNOW IN RICHMOND CO THAT LAST GROUP IS PITIFULLY LACKING - so coaches are a far greater influence in their lives) Do the right thing AC...bring more local football coverage now - but in general MORE LOCAL ATHLETE COVERAGE...highlight the good news about our children there is a LOT OF IT IF YOU JUST LOOK AROUND...
It is probably a great thing that this kid spends more time a day with his football coaches than with his father. He is lucky he has role models in his life due to his talents at football. Most kids with parents like this just have to live with them as their sole mentor; however, Lorenzo is lucky he has positive influences in his life. He should thank the football coaches at NAHS for giving him a chance at a successfull life, because he parents obviously didn't provide that.
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