MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – After school leaders at a Myrtle Beach charter school requested a K9 officer to perform random searches at the school, a 17-year-old student was arrested.
An incident report from Horry County Police says officers arrived at PALM Charter High School, located at 136 Rodeo Drive, around 9 a.m. Monday morning. School administration requested a K9 officer to perform random searches of classrooms and common areas. The K9 was also taken to the parking lot where the dog alerted to a white Chevrolet Silverado, the report states.
The driver of the truck, Preston Provencal, 17, of Myrtle Beach, was brought out to the parking lot and told the K9 alerted to his vehicle and it would be searched for drugs. Provencal told officers that he had a gun under the front seat and added that it was probably stolen because he purchased if “off the street.”
Officers read Provencal his rights and the teen stopped talking, according to the report.
When officers searched the truck, they found the pistol, two full magazines, and marijuana residue, the report states. The gun was a black Bersa model .380. The gun was run through NCIC and was not stolen.
Provencal was taken to jail and his father was allowed to come pick up the truck from school property. When Provencal arrived at J. Reuben, officers discovered that the teen was already in the diversion program for a previous drug charge.
Provencal is charged with carrying weapons on school property and possession of a pistol by an unlawful person. Bond is set at $2,500 for both charges, and at the time of this posting, the teen is still incarcerated at J. Rueben Long Detention Center.
