Officers with the North Charleston Police Department's (NCPD) North Nights Team 2 Wednesday responded to a crash around 12:30 a.m. at NAD Road and Highway 78. When they approached the vehicle involved, they smelled Marijuana, which gave them probable cause to search the car.

During the search, officers found a loaded 9mm handgun (12 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber) hidden behind the front passenger seat.

The suspect, 53-year-old David Leander Mitchell from Walterboro, was identified as a convicted felon after a criminal history check. Because of his prior convictions, he is prohibited from possessing firearms.

He was arrested and charged with:

• Felon in Possession of a Firearm
• Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

Mitchell was taken to the Al Cannon Detention Center.