Early this week, authorities in Georgia arrested Dralin Carswell after a high-speed chase.
This is serious for multiple reasons, including that his minor girlfriend — Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson — was in the car.
In light of this arrest, longtime Mama June: Road to Redemption fans are taking a hard look at Dralin’s criminal history.
And they are not liking what they are seeing. This wasn’t his first arrest, and Alana wasn’t his first younger teen girl.
On Tuesday, February 28, police arrested 21-year-old Dralin Carswell.
Prior to his actual arrest, he allegedly fled from authorities for a three-mile, high-speed car chase.
The Monroe County SHeriff’s Office has noted that one of the charges was a DUI — specifically, for driving under the influence of marijuana.
17-year-old Alana, who has been dating him for roughly two years now, was a passenger in the vehicle.
(Yes, you did that math correctly. It’s not great, is it?)
Additionally, a 24-year-old man was in the car. Police arrested Julian Malik Divon Williams on outstanding warrants.
Authorities did not charge Alana with any crime. She is, however, a witness in the case. Police transported her to Monroe County Jail, where Lauryn “Pumpkin” Shannon picked her up.
Apparently, it all began with an attempted traffic stop. This is when Dralin allegedly sped to the north for about three miles.
Police employed a PIT maneuver (which is a tactic for stopping a fleeing car, not a sex act). Hopefully, this means that Dralin’s “high speed” flight was at less than 35 miles per hour. Why? Because above that, the PIT maneuver is potentially lethal to occupants of the vehicle.
All told, Dralin’s charges include DUI, fleeing police, following too closely, failing to maintain lanes, and speeding.
He received a bond of $25,000. And he reportedly obtained release the following day, on Wednesday, March 1.
Cash bail and similar systems turn poverty into incarceration well ahead of any trial. It is of course good that this did not happen to Dralin.
Naturally, those concerned for Alana after this harrowing ordeal are recalling reports about Dralin’s criminal history.
On May 29, 2019, police arrested Dralin for statutory rape. That charge can be complex, as it could apply to anyone from a serial predator who grooms minor teens for abuse or it could apply to high school classmates with disapproving parents the moment that one of them has a milestone birthday.
Bigotry, including racism and homophobia, can be motivating factors in the latter situation. These laws also vary widely by state.
Less than a year before Dralin and Alana began dating, the then 18-year-old reportedly had sex with a 15-year-old in the girl’s bedroom.
The girl’s mother brought her daughter to the police. The minor told police that she and Dralin had engaged in consensual sex.
Considering that Dralin and his consensual sex partner were both high school aged and all of three years apart at the time, it sounds like only the mother objected.
Dralin’s attempt at an alibi did not hold up. Instead, he completed a diversion pretrial diversion program.
Like we said, it’s complex. 18- and 15-year-olds date all of the time. Often, they are classmates, with the 18-year-old having just celebrated a birthday.
But there could be details of this story that didn’t make it into reports. And two teens falling for each other is a little different from Dralin falling for a new 15-year-old a year later. Maybe it’s chance, or maybe it’s a pattern.
