A wreck in a stolen car on U.S. 80 Thursday night left a Vicksburg man in a Jackson hospital.

Marlon J. Robinson, 20, 2129 Military Ave., was in critical condition this morning at University Medical Center, a hospital spokesman said.

Deputy Tim Ware reported Robinson was traveling east on U.S. 80 in a Dodge Stratus around 10 p.m. when he ran a red light at the Beechwood intersection at Mississippi 27. The car driven by Robinson collided with a southbound vehicle, causing it to spin around.

Robinson kept going, nearly reaching Amberleaf Drive about 3 miles east, when his vehicle veered onto the right shoulder. He appeared to overcorrect, Ware reported, and the car crossed U.S. 80, struck a dirt berm and then crashed into a utility  pole.

Sheriff Martin Pace said Robinson refused to identify himself, first to rescue workers and later to hospital staff at River Region Medical Center where he was taken initially.

Around midnight, as Robinson was about to be transferred to UMC, a family member visited the hospital and identified Robinson, Pace said.

A check of the tag on the Dodge showed it belonged to a resident of  Bienville Apartments, 4223 N. Frontage Road. It was found to have been stolen Thursday afternoon or evening.

The driver of the 2005 Nissan Frontier that had been hit at the intersection, Carmelo Guzman, 54, 138 Choctaw Circle, was not injured. His truck was damaged.

Drugs, forgery land

three in area jails

Two Vicksburg men were arrested Thursday on drug charges, police Lt. Bobby Stewart said today.

Chauncy Rankin, 18, 2991 N. Washington St., was arrested at 8:18 p.m. by Vicksburg police and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. He was charged with possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of a stolen firearm and possession of marijuana.

Stewart said Rankin was stopped for a traffic violation in the 1400 block of Hayes Street, when officers smelled marijuana and saw the drug in the car. Rankin was arrested. A search of the car turned up the cocaine and a Ruger .40-caliber handgun determined to be stolen Jan. 2, 2008.

Rankin was being held without bond in the Warren County Jail pending his initial hearing.

At 12:52 p.m., George Davenport, 50, 60 Curry St., was arrested at North Washington Street and Johnson Drive and charged with selling cocaine, Stewart said. He was being held in the Issaquena County Jail on $5,000 bond.

Police also arrested a Louisiana man Thursday at 10:30 a.m. on forgery charges, Stewart said.

Joseph Reed, 44, 613 Main St., Delhi, was charged with two counts of uttering of forgery, based on Sept. 21 and Oct. 11 incidents in the city.

Reed was extradited from Louisiana after being arrested there on unrelated charges. He was being held in Issaquena County Jail on $15,000 bond.