Miss Louisiana Teen USA loses crown after pot bust

Reigning Miss Louisiana Teen USA Lindsey Evans has been stripped of her crown after being arrested for marijuana possession and skipping out on a restaurant tab.

“Lindsey Evans has been part of an organization that believes in opportunities when earned and consequences when warranted,” Paula Miles, president of pageant sponsor RPM, said in a statement. “Due to recent circumstances, Lindsey has been relieved of her duties as Miss Louisiana Teen USA 2008 effective immediately.”

Evans, 18, and three of her friends walked out on a $46.07 bill at the Posados Café in Bossier City, La., on Saturday night. But Evans made a crucial misstep — she left her purse behind.

Police were called, and according to them, they found not only her driver’s license, but also a bag of marijuana in her purse.

Evans and her friends — Jordan James, 18, Jennifer Martin, 22, and Morgan Goleman, 18 — returned to the restaurant to retrieve the purse, just as officers were about to leave the scene.

“One of the officers recognized Evans from her identification, and they were subsequently arrested,” police spokesman Mark Natale told TODAYshow.com

Natale said that the women admitted that they purposely left without paying their bill, though at least one of the women blamed the restaurant.

“The service was so slow, we just said, ‘Screw it,’ and left,” Martin told the New York Post.

All four were booked on charges of theft and possession of marijuana. Martin and James were also booked for possession of drug paraphernalia.

The women were released after posting bond early Sunday morning, and Natale said they are expected to be arraigned in Bossier District Court in January.

Evans, of Blanchard, La., is a student at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La., and won the 2008 crown after being first runner-up in 2007.

Since the pageant’s 2008 first runner-up will be competing for the 2009 crown, there will be no one to fill Evans’ shoes. Michelle Berthelot, the current Miss Louisiana USA, will crown both the winners of the Miss Louisiana USA and Miss Louisiana Teen USA pageants.

Evans lost the crown 10 days shy of completing her reign, which would have ended November 1.

— Vidya Rao, with reporting from the Associated Press.