The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department March 3-9, 2023.
March 5
It’s my birthday
Deputy Brown was on the Bypass at Greene Settlement Road, when he observed a vehicle approaching from behind at a high rate of speed. The rear radar showed the vehicle traveling at 78 mph and maintained that speed as they passed him. At that time, the deputy activated his blue lights and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. When Brown made contact with the female driver and male passenger, the deputy asked her for her license, and she advised that she did not have a license on her. Brown asked the female where her license was, and she told him that her license had been suspended. The deputy was informed that the male passenger was her boyfriend, and he had a valid driver’s license. Brown asked the female “why she was driving instead of her boyfriend?”
The driver then told the deputy that she “wanted to drive so they could get on to the house because today was her birthday and they were on their way home from the beach.” At that time, Brown placed the female driver under arrest for driving with suspended license and transported her to the Jones County LEC. The boyfriend was allowed to drive the vehicle and followed his girlfriend to the LEC to post bail and be on their way.
March 7
Bad luck
Officer James was on patrol when he noticed a vehicle with no tag light. The officer ran the tag number on the vehicle through his in-car GCIC/NCIC system and it came back to show the registered owner had a suspended license.
At that time, James initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. Once the officer made contact with the driver, he immediately smelled the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. James had the driver to exit the car at that time, and read the male subject his MIRANDA rights, and the male driver advised he did not wish to speak anymore. Deputy Harden arrived on scene to assist. During a search of the vehicle, Harden found a backpack with a green leafy substance suspected to be marijuana inside a pocket of the backpack. Further search of the vehicle revealed a clear baggy with a green leafy substance located in the back seat passenger side.
The driver was transported to the Jones County LEC where he was issued a citation for driving while license suspended, no tag light and possession of marijuana less than one ounce, then turned over to jail staff for processing.
March 9
Running late gets you in TROUBLE Lt. Pennamon was on routine patrol on GA Hwy. 11 inside the Gray city limits, when he observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. Pennamon activated his in-car radar unit, and it showed the vehicle in question traveling at 86 mph in a 65-mph speed zone. The lieutenant caught up to the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop at that time. Pennamon made contact with the female driver and asked for her driver’s license. The female subject stated she did not have them on her at the time.
The female gave Pennamon her name and date of birth and advised the lieutenant she was running late for work. When Pennamon ran the female’s information through the GCIC system, it came back to show that the driver did have a valid license, however she had warrants out of Bibb County, suspended registration and no valid insurance. The female advised Pennamon she was going to take care of the insurance once she got her taxes back.
The female subject was transported to the Jones County LEC where she was issued citations for speeding 86 mph in a 65-mph speed zone, driving with suspended tag, no proof of insurance/no insurance. Jones County LEC jail staff took possession of the female at that time because Bibb County wanted a hold on her, however, did not have any units to pick her up at the county line at that time.
