Man arrested for toting AK-47 on SEPTA subway

A NORTHBOUND trip on the SEPTA Broad Street Line came to an abrupt, terrifying halt Tuesday evening after a passenger was discovered with an AK-47 at the Fairmount station.

A woman saw part of a gun poking out of the man's bag, stepped off the train at City Hall and alerted authorities, said Heather Redfern, a SEPTA spokeswoman. Police pulled the man off the train and found a dismantled AK-47, a stock, a bayonet, a 40-round clip, a .38-caliber handgun, about 25 Percocet pills, a bag of marijuana and $700 in cash, they said.

Jermal Michael Ponds, 28, of Fern Rock, was charged with illegal possession of a firearm, drug possession and other offenses, according to court documents. He is to be arraigned Aug. 17

Ponds was arrested in June for alleged marijuana possession, and in September 2011 on charges of aggravated assault, illegal possession of a firearm and recklessly endangering another person. CBS 3 reported that the 2011 charges were filed after Ponds allegedly fired three shots at his ex-girlfriend, then severely beat her. The charges were withdrawn after a witness failed to appear.