Teens cruising around Barrington early in the morning always tend to catch the eyes of patrol officers on the overnight shift. 

Two East Providence boys, both 17, didn’t escape that attention last weekend. One now faces a marijuana possession charge. 

Patrol Officer Walter Larson spotted a 2004 Hyundai Elantra driving on County Road about 2:12 am on Saturday, Feb. 23. He noticed a license-plate light was not working. 

The officer pulled over the vehicle near Newport Creamery on County Road. As he approached the car, he smelled the distinct odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, according to the arrest report. 

A search of the boys and the vehicle found a marijuana cigarette in the ashtray of the car and a couple of small baggies of marijuana in the car as well.

The passenger in the vehicle told the police officers that the marijuana was his. That’s how the driver escaped a possession charge. 

Both boys were taken to the police station on Federal Road, where the passenger was charged and given a District Court date before being released to his parents.

The driver received a traffic citation and was sent home.