The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department April 18-25, 2024.
April 18
In a hurry
Dep. Robinson was alerted by dispatch to be on the lookout for a vehicle traveling West on GA Hwy.
22 E that was driving all over the roadway and failing to maintain its lane of travel. Robinson drove to the area of GA Hwy. 22 E. at the intersection of Altman Road and pulled off on the right shoulder of the highway. Dispatch gave the description of the vehicle and tag number. Robinson observed the vehicle pass by him and noticed the vehicle leave its lane of travel crossing over the lane. The deputy proceeded to get behind the vehicle and activated his blue lights and siren. The driver turned on his right turn signal but continued to travel for several hundred feet.
The vehicle was traveling 38 to 41 mph in a 55-mph speed zone.
The vehicle finally turned onto Savannah Drive and made a wide turn crossing into the opposite lane before coming to a stop. As Robinson stepped out of his vehicle, the driver turned his vehicle off then started it back up as Robinson was walking up. Robinson made contact with the male driver and asked for his driver’s license. The male handed the deputy a US passport. Robinson noted that the driver appeared to be staring off into space and not focused on the traffic stop. Robinson asked the male where he was coming from, and the male could not remember. The deputy asked the male subject why he gave a US passport instead of his driver’s license. The male stated he got a DUI and was in trouble with that and he was just going to the pharmacy to get medication for a girl. The male appeared to be very confused and Robinson asked if he had consumed any alcoholic beverages, and the male stated he had not. Robinson asked the male to step out of the vehicle and when he did, he was very unsteady on his feet. While the deputy and the male walked over to the patrol car, Robinson noticed the male was very unbalanced and unsteady on his feet and had to use the patrol vehicle for balance. At that time, Robinson asked the subject if he would perform a standardized field sobriety test and the male agreed. Before the deputy started his exam, he asked the male driver why he could not maintain his lane of travel and the male advised the deputy that he was “in a hurry.”
Robinson told the male that he was only driving 41 mph in a 55-mph speed limit and the man appeared puzzled and again stated he was going to get medication for a girl.
Robinson started the roadside test. During a portion of the test, the male lost his balance and almost fell over and the deputy had to reach out to catch the subject before he fell. Robinson asked the male if he had taken any medications and the male advised the deputy that he did, but he could not remember what he had taken.
Robinson placed the male driver in handcuffs at that time. Deputy Astyk arrived on scene to assist.
The male was read the Implied Consent for subjects over the age of 21 and asked for chemical testing of his breath and the male gave consent. While Deputy Astyk was placing the male in patrol car, the male stated he had three DUI’s and this would make number four.
When they arrived at the Jones County LEC, Robinson again read the subject the Implied Consent asking for his blood. At that time, the male asked for his attorney and refused the blood test. Robinson obtained a search warrant from Magistrate Court for the subject’s blood.
When served with the warrant, the male agreed to the blood test. The male was issued citations for DUI refusal and failure to maintain lane. While in the booking area at the jail, the male advised the deputy that the only thing that would be in his blood would be pain medication.
132 mph in a 55-mph speed zone
Deputy Shurley was on routine patrol when he was approaching Childs Road and observed a vehicle pass by him at a very high rate of speed. Shurley quickly activated his in-car radar and it showed a reading of 132 mph in a 55-mph speed zone. Shurley noticed that the vehicle hit the brakes then quickly accelerated.
The deputy also could hear the exhaust from the vehicle as if the vehicle’s engine was “red lined” or reached the maximum RPM. Shurley immediately informed other units of the situation and the description of the vehicle and to be on the lookout for it coming into Gray.
Sgt. Johnson was just up the road near the GA Hwy. 18 Recreation complex.
Shurley had lost sight of the vehicle at that time but continued the pursuit. As he was traveling down Hwy. 18, Shurley would catch a glimpse every so often of the top of the vehicle, so he knew he had not turned off. As the deputy was approaching Morton Road, he did not see the vehicle anymore, so he thought the vehicle may have turned down Morton Road. Shurley took a chance and decided go down Turnerwoods Road. As soon as the deputy turned on Morton Road, going towards Turnerwoods Road, a man driving his pickup truck pointed behind him as if he knew the deputy was after the vehicle. Shurley actually caught up to the vehicle in the S curves of Morton Road and the vehicle was traveling at a normal speed, but the deputy knew that was the offender’s vehicle. The deputy followed the vehicle for a short distance and then got on his PA speaker and instructed the driver to pull over. The driver finally came to a stop. As Shurley was approaching the vehicle, the driver was getting out of the car and the deputy quickly detained him in handcuffs.
The deputy read the male driver his Miranda Rights and the male did not acknowledge anything the Shurley said, however the male did deny he was going that fast and stated his clutch went out.
Sgt. Humphries arrived on scene and transported the male to the Jones County LEC where he was issued citations for reckless driving and speeding.
April 22
Possession of meth and oxycodone
Sgt. Carr was monitoring traffic on GA Hwy. 49 near Pecan Drive when he observed a vehicle pass in front of him with a tinted tag cover on the vehicle. Carr was unable to make out the tag number on the vehicle due to the tint of the tag cover. At that time, the sergeant pulled out behind the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. When Carr approached the male driver, the male advised the sergeant that he was not aware of the tag cover law, but he would remove it from the vehicle. Carr asked the male driver for his driver’s license and the male handed the sergeant his bank card. Carr noticed that the male was sweating and his hands were shaking uncontrollably. The male realized he handed Carr his bank card then gave the sergeant his driver’s license. Carr asked the driver where he was going, and the male replied to a friend’s house but could not provide Carr with the name or location of the friend. At that time, Carr asked for Deputy Elrod to be enroute to his location. The male was asked to exit the vehicle and cleared of any weapons. Carr asked the male if there was anything illegal inside the vehicle and the male advised there was not.
Carr noted that the male kept pausing while trying to speak to him and that his bottom lip was twitching. When the sergeant asked the male what was wrong with his lip, the male advised that he was just nervous. Carr asked for consent to search the vehicle and the male denied the consent for the search.
Deputy Elrod and K9 Nesa arrived on scene. Elrod deployed Nesa and the K9 alerted to the odor of narcotics. Carr advised the male he would be doing a probable cause search of the vehicle.
Carr located a nicotine pouch in the glove box and inside the pouch he found loose shards of methamphetamine.
Also in the container were two blue pills with the imprint M30. Carr returned to the male subject and advised him he was under arrest. The male was placed in Elrod’s patrol vehicle and transported to the Jones County LEC.
Carr secured warrants for possession of methamphetamine and possession of a schedule II (oxycodone) on the male.
The warrants were served, and the male subject turned over to jail staff for booking.
April 25
Warrant and expired tag
Officer Jones was on routine patrol when he ran a tag number on a vehicle to check for valid tag and registration. A check through the GCIC system showed the tag was expired. At that time, Jones conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle.
The officer made contact with a male driver and asked for his driver’s license.
Jones ran the male subject’s license information through dispatch and his license came back suspended and it also showed an active warrant out of Bibb County. Bibb County confirmed the warrant. The male advised Jones that he just received a ticket from GSP. Jones transported the male subject to the Jones County LEC where he was given a citation for driving on a suspended license and held for the warrant out of Bibb County.
