The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department May 23-28, 2024.
May 23
Stolen vehicle
Deputy Pruitt met with a complainant at the Jones County Sheriff’s Office stating that he had gotten up that morning to go get some breakfast and noticed his vehicle was missing. The complainant advised it was a Silver 2008 Ford Edge. The complainant also stated that he usually leaves his keys inside the vehicle and had no idea who would have taken it, and that he wanted it reported as stolen and will prosecute. Pruitt entered the stolen vehicle’s information on the GCIC database as stolen.
May 27
I have nothing on me
Deputy Astyk was on patrol when he observed a vehicle fail to maintain lane striking the fog line.
Astyk positioned himself behind the vehicle and ran the tag information. Upon receiving the tag information back, it showed that the registered owner of the vehicle had a suspended license. At that time, Astyk conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. Astyk noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and had the male driver and male passenger exit the vehicle. The male driver advised the deputy that he had nothing on him. Astyk searched the male driver and found a green leafy substance wrapped in newspaper. The deputy immediately placed the male driver in handcuffs at that time and advised he was under arrest. Astyk asked dispatch to send another unit to his location. Corp. Sullivan and Deputy Sullivan arrived on scene, and they began searching the vehicle. In the center console, a blue bottle containing the words marijuana was retrieved along with what appeared to be residue from a leafy substance inside the bottle. Upon further search, a brown bag which is referred to as a barber’s bag belonging to driver was located and it also had a loose green leafy substance inside. Astyk advised the driver that he was being placed under arrest for possession of marijuana less than an ounce, driving on a suspended license and failing to maintain lane and then was transported to the Jones County LEC. The passenger was released.
Multiple warrants
Deputy Astyk was on patrol in the area of Gray Hwy. when he got an alert from the license plate reader that a vehicle was entering Jones County from Bibb County that had active warrants. Astyk continued to patrol the area until he was able to observe the vehicle, and when he did so the deputy also noticed the vehicle had a headlight out. Astyk initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle at that time. Astyk confirmed the driver was indeed the registered owner of the vehicle and the warrants were valid out of Reynolds, GA for traffic violations and drug possession charges.
When the deputy made contact with the female driver and advised her the reason for the stop, she became verbally combative. Astyk asked the female driver to exit the vehicle and at that time he noticed a strong smell of marijuana. Deputy Langston arrived on scene to assist with the stop. The female driver continued to be verbally combative with the deputy and approached her vehicle multiple times after being told not to. Since the female was being combative, the deputy placed her in handcuffs and advised her she was not being placed under arrest until the warrants were confirmed. While searching the vehicle in the passenger seat multiple open containers of small vodka shot bottles were located in a black bag. The passenger in the vehicle advised the vodka bottles belonged to her therefore she was cited for open container violation. As the deputy continued searching the vehicle, dispatch confirmed with Reynolds PD that the female’s warrants were still valid and outstanding.
At that time, the female driver was transported to the Jones County Sheriff’s Office without further incident and held for Reynolds County along with being cited for the headlight.
May 28
No American driver’s license
Deputy Langston was patrolling the area of Hwy.
49 when he observed a vehicle pass another vehicle in a no passing zone. Langston immediately conducted a traffic stop. The deputy made contact with a male driver and the male handed Langston a Guatemalan ID card. The deputy asked the male if he had an American driver’s license and the male replied “no.”
Langston had the male exit the vehicle and had dispatch run the driver’s information. Dispatch advised the deputy that the male had a warrant through Houston County. Houston County advised dispatch that they wanted the male subject. The male subject was transported to the Jones County Jail and arrested for driving without a license and passing in a no passing zone.
