West Ashley High School student arrested on drug and weapons charges

A West Ashley High student was arrested today on drug and weapon charges after police said they saw a sheathed knife lying in plain view on the passenger seat of his truck.

Police searched the white Ford F-150 and found a hatchet, three pocket knives and a bigger knife with a case inside, according to the incident report from Charleston police.

Police also said they found about 20 grams of marijuana, a silver scale and several small plastic baggies.

They also found another machete and a loaded shotgun inside an unlocked toolbox in the bed of the truck, according to the report.

Colby Alan Rawson, 18, of Wild Plum Road on Johns Island was arrested and charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute near a school, one count of possession with intent to distribute, two counts of unlawful carrying a weapon on school property and one count of possession of a firearm on school property.

He is being held in the Charleston County jail.

Two officers said they spotted the knife in the truck while patrolling the student parking lot about 10 a.m. The officers informed school officials, who pulled Rawson out of class. They all went out to his truck, where Rawson consented to a search, according to the report.

Reach Dave Munday at 937-5553 or twitter.com/dmunday.