Second rental links UNC's P.J. Hairston to Haydn Thomas

Eric Prisbell | USA TODAY Sports

North Carolina's leading scorer last basketball season, P.J. Hairston, was cited for speeding May 13 while driving a Hertz rental car that was paid for by a woman who shares a Durham address with Haydn Thomas, a convicted felon whose rented sports utility vehicle Hairston was driving when he was arrested last month.

Hairston was cited for speeding while driving a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro SS with Virginia license plates, a Durham County District Court clerk said. The Camaro was paid for by a woman named Catinia Farrington, whose Durham address matches that of Thomas, according to the Hertz receipt obtained by USA TODAY Sports.

The license plates on the Camaro that Hairston was driving match the ones on the rental receipt for Farrington, as does the make and model of the vehicle. And the address Farrington lists on the rental receipt matches the address Thomas lists on his voter registration.

Thomas told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday that he did not know Hairston, who was arrested June 5 on possession of marijuana charges while driving a 2013 GMC Yukon that Thomas rented. Thomas said that he rented the Yukon for himself and that a friend, Miykael Faulcon of Durham, had borrowed the car to go to a store when the arrest occurred. Thomas said in a telephone interview that Hairston followed him on Twitter only because "I promote parties."

Thomas said Wednesday that neither the NCAA nor officials from North Carolina had reached out to him to talk with him about his relationship with Hairston. He added that he is not a University of North Carolina athletic booster nor is he connected to a sports agent.

Farrington rented the Camaro from April 25 through June 17, a period of 54 days, according to the rental receipt. Farrington was billed $3,249.00. Thomas rented the same vehicle March 25 through April 15, incurring charges of $2468.47, according to a rental receipt obtained by USA TODAY Sports.

Calls to Thomas and Farrington on Saturday were not returned.

Hairston is due in court in Durham on Aug. 2 for the speeding charge, according to the citation. He was stopped on Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. for driving 54 mph in a 45 mph zone, the clerk said.

The police report from Hairston's June 5 arrest revealed that a 9-millimeter handgun and a magazine with nine rounds of ammunition were seized during a traffic stop that led to Hairston's arrest on possession of marijuana charges. Three cigars and a plastic baggie that contained a half-ounce of marijuana also were seized.

Durham Police public information officer Kammie Michael had said by phone that the pistol, magazine and ammunition were all found outside the vehicle.

Hairston, 20, was driving Faulcon and Carlos Sanford in the silver Yukon, according to the police report. All three were arrested and charged with drug possession. Hairston also was charged with driving without a license.

Hairston, Faulcon and Sanford were each released on $1,000 unsecured bonds.

Thomas said he knew Faulcon from "partying at clubs." Thomas said he did not own the gun that was seized, and also that the marijuana found in the car was not his.

Thomas rented the Yukon at 10 p.m. June 2 at the Hertz location at Raleigh Durham International Airport, and the car was returned at 10:30 p.m. June 5. Thomas was charged $1261.64, according to the receipt. The license plate number on the rental receipt matches the one listed on the Durham (N.C.) police report of Hairston's arrest, as does the year, make and model of the vehicle.

Thomas has had numerous run-ins with the law dating back to 2002. In 2006, he was convicted on the felony charge of accessing computers. He has also pleaded guilty to four counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Eric Prisbell, a national college basketball reporter for USA TODAY Sports, is on Twitter @EricPrisbell.