The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department April 7-15, 2022.
April 7
Lt. Hunnicutt was sitting at a traffic light at the intersection of Gray Hwy. and the Gray Bypass when he saw a driver passing pick up a tall can of Colt 45 Malt Liquor and put up to his face. Hunnicutt activated his blue lights and conducted a traffic stop at that time. The driver slowed down, however did not immediately stop. Hunnicutt could also see that the passenger in the vehicle was leaning forward in the seat. The driver finally pulled to the right side of the road and stopped. As soon as Hunnicutt approached the vehicle, he could smell a strong odor of green marijuana. The driver advised Hunnicutt that the beer was in the floorboard of the vehicle. Hunnicutt asked the driver and the passenger about the odor of marijuana, and both denied having any marijuana in the vehicle. The passenger was asked to step out of the vehicle, and Hunnicutt noticed a red zig zag wrapper on the floor. When he opened the rapper, there were two large clumps of a substance believed to be marijuana. At this time, a probable search was done and Hunnicutt found a Taurus G3C with an extended magazine under the passenger seat. The gun was not listed as stolen through the GCIC database and both occupants denied ownership of the gun at first. The passenger then advised the lieutenant the gun belonged to him, and he was a convicted felon, in which at that time he was placed under arrest. The passenger was transported to the Jones County LEC and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of marijuana less than one ounce, open container, and safety belt violation. The driver was charged with possession of marijuana less than one ounce and safety belt violation, then released on his citations. A warrant for possession of firearm by a convicted felon was served on the passenger along with his citations.
April 9
Deputy Joiner was conducting a walk through at a local business when the store manager stated that she had a shoplifting incident. The manager stated that an unknown male subject came into the store seeming very suspicious, however she was unable to keep watch on the subject. The manager advised Joiner the suspect took washing powders, paper towels, tissue, approximately three packs of socks and approximately three packs of shirts. The total cost was estimated to be around $60-$70. When the suspect left the store, he went next door to a local business and got in a vehicle. The store manager was unable to get a clear description of the vehicle the suspect left in. Joiner observed the camera footage from the business that recorded the incident and he saw a male entering the store, he walked around and placed the items in a basket and walked out. Joiner will forward the information to the IT department so they can download the footage of the incident for further investigation.
April 10
Lt. Lovick noticed a suspicious person at a local business with a large box truck. When Lovick turned around, he noticed there were items no longer in site that he saw before. Lovick initiated a traffic stop at this time. Contact was made with the driver and Lovick asked him about the missing items. The offender advised the lieutenant that since the items were close to the trash can, he thought he could take them. At this time, the offender was placed under arrest for theft by taking. Lovick then conducted an inventory of the vehicle and found a backpack with a Ruger 22 revolver with four bullets and a “Sticky’s Moonrocks” plastic jar containing what was believed to be marijuana. The offender was transported to the Jones County LEC and two warrants were acquired for theft by taking and possession of marijuana less than one ounce. The warrants were served, and the offender was turned over to the jail staff for booking.
April 11
Deputy Kile was conducting traffic enforcement when his License Plate Reader in his patrol car alerted to a vehicle for expired tag. At this time, Kile conducted a traffic stop on the car. When Kile made contact with the driver, the offender advised the deputy his license had been suspended for child support. The offender was placed under arrest and a local wrecker service was called to tow the vehicle. During the vehicle inventory check, Kile located a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun he collected for safe keeping due to the car being towed. The offender was transported to the Jones County LEC where he was cited for driving on suspended license and for expired registration.
April 12
Corporal Carr was conducting routine patrol when he observed a vehicle pass in front of him at which time, he recognized the driver and was familiar with the offender for having suspended driver’s license. At that time, Carr pulled out behind the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. When Carr approached the driver, the driver advised that his license was still suspended, and he knew he should not be driving. The driver was placed under arrest, transported to the Jones County LEC where he was issued a citation for driving while license suspended, then turned over to the jail staff for booking.
April 14
Lt. Hunnicutt was on patrol when a look out was given on a F-150 truck that was driving all over the roadway and running off the road. Hunnicutt pulled in behind the truck and the driver then quickly accelerated and then drove off the road and into the median almost striking a street sign. The driver finally came to a stop at a red light and Hunnicutt quickly exited his vehicle and went to the offender’s vehicle quickly opening the driver’s side door. The driver was instructed to turn his vehicle off but struggled to turn the ignition and fumbled with the keys several times. The lieutenant asked the driver how much he had to drink, and the driver replied he had five beers. Hunnicutt assisted the driver out of the vehicle and as soon as his feet touched the ground, he was having trouble standing. Hunnicutt was going to do a Field Sobriety Test, however due to the extreme intoxications and the area of the traffic stop, he felt it was not safe for the driver. The driver was transported to a local physician’s office where a legal blood draw was performed and sent to be tested at the GBI Crime Lab. The driver was then transported to the Jones County LEC where he was cleared by EMS and charged with DUI, DUI less safe, reckless driving, driving on the wrong side of the road, failure to maintain lane, open container, and driving in a median. The offender was turned over to the jail staff for booking.
April 15
Deputy Kile was patrolling GA. Hwy. 49 when he observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed go over the white line and back over the yellow line. Kile activated his blue lights and conducted a traffic stop. The Raptor Radar unit in his car appeared to show the vehicle traveling at 84 mph. Kile observed four occupants in the vehicle and a lot of movement going on as he approached to rear of the vehicle. When the deputy asked the driver to step out, he noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle. While speaking to the driver, Kile noticed he seemed to respond in a very confused manner and noticed a strong smell of alcohol on the driver’s breath. While Kile was getting information from the passengers, he noticed a strong smell of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. The deputy at this time called for a backup unit. The driver admitted to having one beer and agreed to do the Standard Field Sobriety test, however the offender did not do very well and also the portable breath test indicated a positive response to alcohol. The offender refused the state chemical test of his blood. The passengers were asked to exit the vehicle and a probable cause search was done. One of the passengers admitted to having a blunt in his cigarette box. As the search continued, a Glock Model 22 gun was found in the glove compartment. An open container of a fifth of Hennessey alcohol was also found in the rear seat area along with a small plastic bag containing 29 pink, blue and gray pills. A field test was conducted on a small piece of one of the pills and it indicated it was positive for MDMA (Ecstasy). The driver and one passenger were arrested and transported to the Jones County LEC. Kile completed an application for a search warrant for the driver’s blood work. The driver refused to cooperate with the search warrant. Charges for the two offenders included DUI refusal, speeding, failure to maintain lane, open container law, obstruction of an investigation and possession with intent to distribute of a schedule 1 narcotic. Further investigation revealed the driver is currently out on bond from Baldwin County Sheriff’s office for murder and is being held without bond at this time.
