Nine UNC parking tickets tied to cars rented by Thomas

Rachel Axon and Eric Prisbell | USA TODAY Sports

Four rental vehicles that are linked to Haydn Thomas, the convicted felon who rented the sport utility vehicle that North Carolina leading scorer P.J. Hairston was driving when he was arrested last month, have received a total of nine parking citations on the university's campus since February.

Between Feb. 22 and May 28, the nine citations were issued for four rental vehicles that either Thomas or a Catinia Farrington, a woman who shares his Durham, N.C., address, rented from the Hertz location at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

Rental receipts obtained by USA TODAY Sports that were crossed referenced by license plate with UNC parking tickets show:

A 2013 GMC Yukon rented by Thomas from Feb. 14 to March 3 received tickets for an expired meter on Feb. 21 and lack of a valid parking permit on Feb. 22.

A 2012 Camaro SS rented by Thomas from March 25 to April 15 received a ticket on April 15 for lack of a valid permit.

A 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe rented by Thomas from April 18 to May 2 received a ticket on May 1 for lack of a valid permit.

The Camaro was rented again from April 25 to June 17 by Farrington. The Camaro received a parking ticket on May 28 for lack of a valid permit.

A 2013 Mercedes Benz 350 rented by Thomas from May 8 to May 30 received four parking tickets, one each for an expired meter on May 22 and 23 and one each for lacking a valid permit on May 23 and May 28.

Unpaid fines for the tickets total $315. USA TODAY Sports contacted UNC's department of public safety seeking more information about the citations on Tuesday and was referred to the university's general counsel's office.

Between Feb. 14 and June 25, Thomas and Farrington spent $15,020.35 on vehicle rentals from the RDU Hertz. Farrington rented the Camaro from April 25 through June 17, a period of 54 days, according to a rental receipt obtained by USA TODAY Sports. Farrington was billed $3,249.00. Thomas rented the same vehicle March 25 through April 15, incurring charges of $2,468.47, according to the rental receipt.

USA TODAY Sports first reported Saturday that Hairston received a speeding ticket in the Camaro SS on May 13. Hairston's connection to Thomas first came into question when USA TODAY Sports reported July 3 that Thomas was the person who rented the silver Yukon that Hairston was driving when he was arrested by Durham police at a license checkpoint on June 5.

In two telephone interviews on July 3, Thomas, 39, told USA TODAY Sports that he did not know Hairston and that Hairston followed Thomas on Twitter only because "I promote parties." Thomas said that he rented the car for himself and that a friend, Miykael Faulcon, borrowed the car June 5 to go to a store when the arrest occurred.

Thomas said he is a friend of Faulcon from partying with him at clubs. When asked in a phone interview Tuesday about her son's relationship with Thomas, Faulcon's mother, Trudy Ransom, said the two have no relationship.

"I don't know why he says he has a relationship with my son," Ransom said. "I won't comment about PJ Hairston. I will let this play out in court and I hope the innocent will remain innocent."

Thomas rented the Yukon at 10 p.m. June 2 at the airport Hertz location, and the car was returned at 10:30 p.m. June 5. Thomas was charged $1,261.64, according to the receipt.

The police report 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.

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 July 3 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.

Rachel Axon, a projects reporter for USA TODAY Sports, is on Twitter @RachelAxon.

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