DA wants bond raised for ex university employee arrested on campus with cache of weapons, ammo

Jefferson County District Attorney Bob Wortham advises that a bond hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Monday, April 5, for a terminated Lamar University employee who was arrested last week with a bevy of firearms and ammunition near the college. Ex employee Mark Smith was arrested by Lamar University police on March 29, and charged with driving while intoxicated, unlawfully carrying a weapon, failure to identify and resisting search or transport. As of April 5, Smith was being held on a total of $4,400 in bonds.

According to an affidavit for arrest filed on Smith, LU officer Kiara Thomas encountered Smith on campus, “hanging out the driver’s side window asking her if she had kids.” Thomas called for, and received, backup.

“I could smell the odor of alcohol emitting from his breath,” Smith swore, the driver identifying himself as “Will Dickem.” “While speaking with Smith, I observed his bodily movements which indicated he was agitated and very nervous.”

Smith then “slightly” reached towards his passenger seat where Officer Thomas “observed an assault rifle laying on the floorboard.”

A search of the vehicle and its driver would eventually yield $3 in cash, three debit cards, a handful of bullets in Smith’s pocket, a partially used gallon bottle of Black Velvet whisky, five loaded handguns, two unloaded assault rifles and a Ziplock bag of ammo on the passenger side.