Berkeley police arrested a Berkeley High alum Friday after finding him with a significant stash of drugs and more than $1,000 in cash, authorities said Monday.

Friday, an officer on patrol arrested Isiah Rice, 27, after finding him smoking marijuana in a vehicle across from Berkeley High during the BHS lunch period, authorities said.

The officer became curious about the vehicle when he or she saw “smoke noticeably emanating” from it. The occupants inside were smoking marijuana, BPD said, and police searched the vehicle.

The search turned up “75 Xanax pills, 20 Hydrocodone pills, 6 Oxycodone pills, a digital scale, and over $1000 cash,” police said Monday in a statement. BPD arrested Rice, the driver, on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance for sale.

Rice went to Berkeley High and is originally from Oakland, according to his Facebook page. BPD said Rice is now a Berkeley resident.

According to court records, Rice is no longer in custody and is set to enter a plea Nov. 9 at Wiley Manuel Courthouse in Oakland. A 24-year-old man in the car with him was arrested by BPD that day on an unrelated misdemeanor warrant. He remains in custody.

More news from BPD

Police also released brief narratives Monday about several other recent incidents of note, including two robberies.

Saturday, BPD said two people in masks ran into a liquor store in the 2800 block of Sacramento Street and held up the shop at gunpoint at 3:44 p.m. They took cash and liquor and ran out, BPD. No injuries were reported.

Sunday at 5 p.m., a teenager walking at Russell and Milvia streets was robbed at 5 p.m. BPD said the robber threatened to shoot the teen, then demanded his money. Police said the robber was described as black, 15-16 years old, wearing a dark-colored jacket and light-colored jeans.

Also on Sunday, two men snatched more than $1,000 in jackets from a sporting goods store in the 1300 block of San Pablo Avenue at 3:40 p.m.

BPD also reported that 12 vehicles in an off-street parking garage were burglarized between 11:30 p.m. Thursday and 6 a.m. Friday. The garage is located in the 2000 block of Durant Avenue and serves the tenants of a nearby apartment building.

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Emilie Raguso (former senior editor, news) joined Berkeleyside in 2012 and covered politics, public safety and development until her departure in 2022. In 2017, Emilie was named Journalist of the Year...