The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department April 10-13, 2023.
April 10
He ate the evidence
Officer Joiner was monitoring traffic at the intersection of the Gray Bypass and Gray Highway when he ran a tag number on a vehicle to check for valid insurance and registration. The GCIC system came back to show the vehicle registration was expired.
At that time, Joiner activated his emergency lights and siren to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle. When Joiner made contact with the male driver, he detected the strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. While the officer was speaking to the male subject, he noticed the man was chewing on something and there was something in his mouth. Joiner asked the male what was in his mouth, but the subject would not open his mouth at all. It appeared the male was attempting to eat the marijuana. Lt. Hunnicutt arrived on scene to assist with the traffic stop. Joiner noticed that the subject’s breath smelled like marijuana and the officer saw a green leafy substance on the corner of his lips and on the male’s tongue. Joiner and Hunnicutt searched the vehicle and found a piece of green leafy substance on the driver’s floorboard. The male was issued citations for expired registration and possession of marijuana less than an ounce and released from the scene.
April 11
My car is no longer stolen
Officer Joiner was patrolling the area of Dolly St. when he was alerted by the flock camera system to a stolen vehicle. Joiner ran the vehicle’s tag through the GCIC system and verified the vehicle was stolen out of Bibb County. The officer continued to patrol the area but there was no contact made with the vehicle. A second flock camera at a nearby business alerted to the vehicle, and at that time Joiner spotted the vehicle at the intersection of Gray Hwy. and the Gray Bypass. Joiner activated his emergency lights and siren then initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. Lt. Hunnicutt arrived on scene to assist with the stop. Joiner and Hunnicutt made contact with the female driver, and she advised that she was the owner of the vehicle, and it was no longer stolen. The female subject seemed upset and told Joiner and Hunnicutt that she had contacted Bibb County Sheriff Office and spoke with an operator that advised her the vehicle would be removed from the GCIC as stolen. The female driver advised that the vehicle was recovered the same day it was reported. While speaking with the female, Joiner detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Officer Farley and Lt. Thaxton also arrived on scene to assist with a probable cause search due to the odor. There was marijuana found throughout the vehicle and inside the female subject’s purse. Three pills were found loose in a clear plastic baggy in the purse also. At that time, the female was placed under arrest and transported to the Jones County Jail where she was issued citations for driving vehicle with a suspended license, suspended registration, no valid insurance and possession of marijuana less than one ounce. A warrant was also secured for possible possession of methamphetamine and ecstasy.
April 14
Taillight violation leads to arrest Deputy Caldwell was on patrol on Gray Hwy. when he observed a vehicle with a taillight out. The deputy activated his emergency lights and conducted a traffic stop on Gray Hwy. at Braswell Lake Road. Caldwell made contact with the female driver and advised her the reason for the stop.
The female told Caldwell that she was aware of the taillight being out and that she, her husband, and another subject were in the process of getting it fixed. The female gave the deputy her license and he learned that her license was suspended for a super speeder violation, and she now had an outstanding warrant in Putnam County for a traffic offense. Dispatch confirmed the warrant. The female driver advised Caldwell that she thought she paid her super speeder ticket she got from Georgia State Patrol, and she had moved since the super speeder violation. Caldwell advised the female that she would be placed under arrest for driving on a suspended license as well as the warrant in Putnam County. The female was transported to the Jones County Jail and given a warning for the taillight violation and a citation for driving on a suspended license, then turned over to jail staff.
April 17
Need for speed?
Deputy Caldwell was on patrol at Hwy. 57 and Masseyville Rd. when he observed a high pitch sound come from his in-car Raptor RP-1 radar. Caldwell checked the radar system, and it showed the vehicle traveling at 79 mph in a 55 mph speed zone. The deputy activated his blue lights to conduct a traffic stop at which time he made contact with the male driver. The driver advised Caldwell that he was unaware of the speed limit and that he was on his way home to Warner Robins. Once Caldwell obtained the subject’s driver’s license, he ran the information through the GCIC/ NCIC system, and it came back to show that the male’s license was suspended for serious violations for subjects under the age of 21. The subject advised the deputy that he had gotten a super speeder ticket in the City of Warner Robins and the judge told him that his license would not be suspended if he completed driving classes. Caldwell advised the male driver that he would be placed under arrest at that time. The subject was transported to the Jones County Jail where he received a citation for driving on a suspended license and a warning for speeding, then turned over to jail staff for processing.
