3 charged with possession of drugs near police station

A 19-year-old Columbia man and two companions were looking for the Howard County police station Thursday night so he could turn himself in for a violation of probation warrant, police said.

A plainclothes police officer was walking in the parking lot of the Northern District station in Ellicott City when the men asked him where the police station was, police said.

The officer noticed "a heavy odor of burning marijuana," according to police reports, and called other officers to the scene.

Charged with possession of marijuana and driving under the influence of drugs was Bryant Maple, 30, of Baltimore.

Ernest Maple, 19, of Columbia was charged with possession of marijuana. Maple also was served with a warrant for allegedly violating his probation on a theft scheme conviction.

Edward A. Lee, 23, of Baltimore was charged with possession of marijuana.