The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department May 31 – June 2.
May 31
“Not doing much”
Deputy Morris was patrolling the area of Hwy. 49 near Pamela Drive when she observed a vehicle bearing an Alabama license plate in the parking lot of Jones County Sheriff’s Office South Substation.
The vehicle was sitting still and parked in two parking spaces with the occupant of the vehicle asleep in the driver’s seat. Morris activated her body camera as she approached the vehicle and began knocking on the driver side window in attempt to wake the female up. After knocking several times, the female roused and said something unintelligible.
Morris noticed that the female appeared to be very disoriented by her eyelids remaining partially closed and not seeming to understand Morris was trying to speak to her. The deputy asked the female driver to open the door which she did slowly. When the door opened, Morris observed the smell of marijuana. Morris asked the female if she was ok, and the female advised she was very sleepy, so she pulled over. The female driver stated she “wasn’t trying to do much.” When the female spoke, the deputy observed the smell of alcohol. Morris asked the female for her ID or driver’s license, and she provided an Alabama license. Morris walked to the rear of the female’s vehicle and advised dispatch of the license plate number. When the deputy returned back to the female, the subject had taken out some paperwork from a plastic bag and attempted to hand Morris the paperwork. When the female removed the paper from the bag, two clear baggies containing a green leafy substance fell into her lap. Morris recovered the two baggies as evidence. The deputy then asked the female where she was coming from or headed to, and the female advised she was visiting her daughter that lives with her ex in Milledgeville. The female then told the deputy again she “wasn’t trying to do much.”
Morris asked the female if she knew where she was, and the female subject replied “Milledgeville.” Morris advised the female subject that she was not in Milledgeville but approximately 30 minutes down the road.
Morris asked the female about her day, and the female was not able to provide a clear timeline. The female driver stated she “came to Georgia from Alabama and gone to her ex’s house, then was in Augusta, then went back to her ex’s house in Milledgeville and then had to leave Milledgeville.” The female told Morris that she had last consumed alcohol while in Augusta around noon. At that time, Morris had the female step out of the vehicle. When the female got out of the vehicle, the deputy noticed that she stumbled and had difficulty standing and recovering her balance. Morris asked the female if she would consent to a Standard Field Sobriety Test and the female gave consent. During the test, Morris asked the female when the last time she consumed alcohol was and the female stated she went to a “sip and paint” event in Milledgeville about three hours prior and drank some cocktails, margaritas and some wine. Morris then placed the female in handcuffs and placed her in the rear seat of the deputy’s patrol car. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted, and a zippered case was found that contained a small scale, a grinder containing a green leafy substance and a roller. The female was transported to the Jones County LEC where a nurse was awaiting a blood draw based on Implied Consent and issued a citation for DUI-less safe.
June 1
DUI and reckless driving
Deputy Ribeiro was patrolling the area of Griswoldville Road when suddenly a truck came around a curve at a high rate of speed heading directly into his patrol car. Ribeiro slowed down and swerved into the right lane to avoid an accident. The driver then lost control of the vehicle and went off the road into a ditch. Immediately, the driver put the truck in reverse and tried to get away as the deputy radioed dispatch. Once the driver realized he was stuck, he got out of the vehicle and apologized for the incident.
As the male driver approached the deputy, Ribeiro smelled a strong odor of alcohol emitting from the driver. Ribeiro asked the male driver how much he had to drink, and the male stated a few shots of 100. Ribeiro asked how many shots and the male advised two. The deputy asked the male driver to stay in front of his patrol vehicle while he checked on a female passenger in the vehicle. The female was crying and slurring her words then stated they were drinking prior to getting in the vehicle. The deputy then conducted a Standard Field Sobriety Test on the male. After the test, Ribeiro asked the male driver if he had kids and the male stated yes. The deputy then asked the male if he felt that his kids would be safe in the car with him, and the male stated, “no.”
Ribeiro then placed the male driver under arrest for driving under the influence/less safe. Ribeiro then read the Georgia Implied Consent Notice for suspects aged 21 or over and requested blood. The male driver agreed to the blood draw. Deputy Patterson arrived on scene and transported the male to the Jones County LEC. The male driver received citations for DUI less safe, reckless driving and too fast for conditions.
June 2
Gift of marijuana
Sgt. Walker was monitoring traffic on Hwy. 49 when he observed a vehicle with dark tinted windows. Walker conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and made contact with the female driver and male passenger.
While speaking with the driver, the sergeant smelled the odor of marijuana. The female driver and male passenger advised Walker that they smoked marijuana inside the vehicle recently. Walker had both occupants exit the vehicle in order to conduct a probable cause search. During the search a misdemeanor amount of marijuana was located inside a duffel bag on the passenger side floorboard. The male passenger stated that the marijuana was a “gift” from a relative and that he forgot it was inside the duffel bag. The passenger was arrested for possession of marijuana less than one ounce. After checking the female driver through the GCIC/NCIC system, it was determined that the vehicle did not have valid insurance coverage and the registration was expired. The driver was then arrested for no insurance and also issued two warning citations for registration and tinted windows. Both occupants were transported to the Jones County LEC.
DUI, hit and run, no pants
Deputy Dennis was dispatched to a motor vehicle versus four-wheeler collision in the area of Sun Valley Drive. While the deputy was en route to the location, it was reported that a female driver was laying in the street wearing no pants, she had gotten up and walked away from the scene stating that she was going home. The female was also reported to be intoxicated. Deputies Elliot and Patterson responded to the scene to assist. Upon arrival, Dennis made contact with Deputy Patterson and the female who was not wearing any pants and sitting in the grass. Patterson stayed with the female while Elliot and Dennis went to the scene of the collision. There was a four-wheeler parked off the roadway and unoccupied at the time of the collision. After striking the four-wheeler, the vehicle collided with a tree on the opposite side of the road, then crossed back over the roadway and came to a rest.
Witnesses on the scene explained what they heard and saw. One witness stated that he helped the female out of the vehicle and saw she was not wearing pants. When the witnesses were asked if they saw any pants, they stated no. Dennis later located a pair of legging style pants covered with grass in the passenger seat floorboard. Dennis removed the female driver’s purse and pants and turned them over to Deputy Elliot before transporting the female to jail. While Dennis was processing the wreck scene, Elliot met with the female and asked her if she would take a Standard Field Sobriety Test and the female refused. Elliot later told Dennis that even though the female refused the SFST, she agreed to Implied Consent for blood testing. Elliot transported the female to the Jones County LEC and met the oncall nurse for the blood draw. Once Dennis arrived back at the LEC, he issued the female driver citations for DUI, failure to maintain lane, hit and run, and public drunkenness.
