The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department May 15-21, 2024.
May 15
“I’m not driving”
Deputy Brown had pulled into a local business near GA Hwy. 11 to put coolant in his patrol vehicle when he noticed a truck pulling in the parking lot of the station and noticed that a female got out of the truck and walked over to him asking if he was alright. Brown advised the female that he was fine. The female asked what was wrong with his vehicle and as she did, Brown detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from the female’s breath. Brown asked the female if she had been drinking and she replied “no.” The deputy advised the female subject that she reeked of alcohol. The female subject then stated she was “done” and that she was “not driving anymore if she smelled like alcohol.” Brown asked the female if she had a driver’s license and she advised the deputy that she did have one, but she “was not driving.” Brown observed the female subject in the driver’s seat of the truck when it pulled into the business. The deputy walked with the female to her vehicle to obtain her driver’s license. The female got in the driver seat and again started telling the deputy that she was not driving the vehicle, that she was just checking on him. Brown called the tag number into dispatch, and while he was doing so the female subject started saying over and over, “don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me.” Brown advised the female that he was not going to hurt her he just needed her to get out of the vehicle. The deputy advised the female multiple times to exit the vehicle before she finally did so. Brown advised the female that he was going to run her through the Standardized Field Sobriety Test to check her for driving under the influence. At first, the female subject would not cooperate with the deputy, then she finally calmed down. The deputy asked the female to be honest with him and tell him how much she had to drink. The female only stated she went to a place and had some drinks. At that time, the female again stated to the deputy that she was just checking on him. The female stated she wanted to call someone and again stated she was just checking on the deputy and that she cannot believe the deputy was doing this to her. After a couple of minutes, the deputy got the female to calm down again and proceeded to do the Walk and Turn test. The female could not stop herself from beginning the test before the deputy even gave her the instructions. The female became very argumentative again during the test and again stated she wanted to call someone. Brown knew he was getting nowhere with the female and advised her he was going to read her the Implied Consent card. The female began saying, “no, no, no.” The deputy asked the female if she was refusing consent to a blood test, and she replied, “yes.” The female started walking back to her vehicle refusing commands for her to stop. At that point, Brown drew his Taser. The female began to comply with the deputy. Sgt. Johnson arrived on scene and placed the female in the backseat of his patrol vehicle. Again, the female started saying she was not the driver of the vehicle, the driver was now gone.
The female was transported to the Jones County LEC.
May 18
Wanted person
Officer Pointer was patrolling the area of West Clinton St. when he ran a tag number on a vehicle to verify insurance and registration.
When the information came back from the GCIC system, it showed the tag was expired. At that time, Pointer conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. Pointer made contact with the driver and advised him the reason for the stop. The male driver advised the officer that the vehicle belonged to his girlfriend.
The officer gathered the male’s driver’s license and returned to his patrol vehicle to enter the information into his computer. The results came back to show that the male driver had a warrant for his arrest out of Baldwin County for a traffic offense/ failure to appear. Pointer returned to the male driver and advised him of the warrant. Pointer verified that Baldwin County wished to put a hold on the male.
Officer Pointer issued the male a citation for expired tag and had the male sign the court copy. The male subject was placed in the rear of Pointer’s patrol vehicle and transported him to the Baldwin County Sheriff’s office where he was turned over to jail staff.
May 21
Refusing a criminal trespass notification
Officer Joiner was dispatched to a local business in reference to shoplifting. Once Joiner arrived at the business, he met with the store manager that stated he observed a female subject place unpaid items in her bag along with items that she paid for. The female was at the register while Joiner was speaking to the store manager. Joiner made contact with the female subject at the cash register. The officer asked the female for identification, and she advised him that it was in her vehicle. The female gave the officer her name but due to her wearing a face mask it was hard to understand her.
Joiner advised the female the reason for the contact was that she was caught with unpaid items in her bag with other paid items. When the officer confronted her about the issue, the female advised that she had just “forgot” to pay for the other items, then she stated she had a receipt for the unpaid items in her vehicle.
The female was escorted out of the business with the items that she had paid for at that time. Officer Astyk arrived on scene to assist. Joiner issued a citation for shoplifting and a criminal trespass notification.
The female signed the citation but refused to sign the criminal trespass notification. Joiner advised the female several times that if she came back to the property she would be arrested. The female advised the officer that she disagreed with that and stated she would be back at the business. Joiner advised the female again that if she returned she would go to jail.
