The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department April 1-12, 2023.
April 1
Just passing through
Sgt. Carr was monitoring traffic on the Gray Bypass when he observed a vehicle with a drive out tag with no numbers attached to the rear of the vehicle. Carr pulled out behind the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop at that time. Carr made contact with the female driver and a female passenger. The driver advised Carr that the vehicle had just recently been purchased from a dealership in Alabama and they were on their way to Florida to complete the registration for the vehicle. While speaking to them, Carr noticed the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.
Dep. Langston was standing by to assist Carr and stand by with the females while he ran their information through the GCIC/ NCIC database. Dispatch alerted Carr that both females had active warrants for their arrest. Carr returned to the vehicle and asked the females about the marijuana odor. The female subjects told Carr they had just smoked in the car recently, but it was gone and there was none in the vehicle now. The Sgt. told the subjects he was going to do a probable cause search of the vehicle. When Carr opened the driver side door, he noticed a green container in the driver side door pocket. When he opened the container, there was a clear bag containing a crystal substance.
Carr then read both the female subjects their Miranda Warning.
One female advised Carr that the methamphetamine was not hers, and the other female said it was left in the car by a man that had borrowed the vehicle the previous day. Deputy Brown also arrived on scene and helped with the search of the vehicle. On the passenger side floorboard, a cigarillo pack was located and inside the pack was a rolled cigarillo that was filled with marijuana. A backpack was also located. The passenger advised that the backpack belonged to her.
Inside the backpack was a pouch that contained a glass pipe with a bulb commonly used for smoking methamphetamine. Both female subjects were transported to the Jones County LEC. While back at the office, Carr and Langston were logging the evidence when they found three ecstasy (MDMA) pills that were located in a zipper pocket in the backpack. Warrants were secured for the passenger for possession of methamphetamine, possession of MDMA and possession of marijuana less than an ounce. The driver was issued a citation for marijuana possession less than ounce and a warrant was secured for possession of methamphetamine. Both were turned over to jail staff for booking.
April 7
Can you just let me go?
Dep. Sullivan was on patrol when he observed a vehicle in the area of Hwy. 49 and Chambers Road and ran the license plate through the GCIC system. The information that returned from the GCIC showed the vehicle had expired registration. At that time, Sullivan initiated a traffic stop. The deputy made contact with the driver and the male subject advised Sullivan that the car was not his and that the deputy would “never see him again if he would just let him go.” Sullivan asked the driver for his license and the male advised the deputy that he did not have his license on him at the time.
Sullivan obtained the driver’s name and date of birth to run through the GCIC system and that check came back to show the driver’s license was suspended and he had warrants out of another agency. Dispatch confirmed the warrants, however, Jones County was out of the pick-up range for the warrants. The male driver was placed in handcuffs and was under arrest for driving with suspended license. The male was transported to the Jones County LEC where he was issued citations for expired registration and suspended license then turned over to jail staff for booking.
April 8
From the city to the county
Sgt. Walker and others received a be on the look-out for a vehicle traveling on Gray Hwy. driving reckless and failing to maintain his lane of traffic. Gray PD Officer Pointer observed the vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.
Walker heard over the radio that the driver would not stop for the officer when he initiated his lights and sirens. The driver finally stopped after driving several miles on the Gray Bypass. Walker made contact with Officer Pointer and took over the traffic stop as the driver was outside the city limits. Walker also made contact with the male driver and when he did so, he could smell the odor of alcohol coming from the subject and his eyes were bloodshot and watery. The Sgt. could tell the subject was obviously under the influence and was very confused as to his whereabouts. Walker asked the male if he would allow him to conduct a Standardized Field Sobriety test and the male initially said yes. Walker began the test but was not able to complete part of it because of the subject not participating. The male became verbally combative and was immediately read the implied consent, due to his noncompliance, and a refusal was noted. The subject was arrested and transported to the Jones County LEC where he was booked and processed for a DUI.
April 11
Had nothing to drink
Dep. Caldwell was alerted by dispatch along with all Jones County Sheriff’s Office and Gray Police Department to be on the lookout for a possible drunk driver. Caldwell was sitting stationary at the Gray Bypass and Oliver Greene Road when he observed a vehicle that fit the description given by dispatch. Caldwell then got behind the vehicle to observe the driving behavior. The deputy saw the driver fail to maintain his lane and straddling the solid white line. Caldwell activated his emergency lights and when he did so, the driver turned on his hazard lights and began to swerve in to two Southbound lanes of Gray Hwy. The driver then pulled off into a nearby driveway.
Caldwell made contact with the male driver and advised him why he pulled him over. The driver immediately started to argue the reason for the traffic stop. Caldwell noticed a strong smell of alcohol coming from the male, and he also observed an open can of Pabst Blue Ribbon in the cup holder inside the vehicle along with a bottle of Fireball Whiskey in the floorboard. The deputy instructed the male to exit the vehicle, and he asked the driver if he had consumed any alcoholic beverages prior to the traffic stop. The driver told the deputy that he had nothing to drink at all and that he was just trying to get home.
Caldwell asked the male if he would consent to a field sobriety test and the male refused. At that time, the deputy placed the male subject under arrest and the male was extremely argumentative the entire time Caldwell was reading him the Georgia Implied Consent. Caldwell asked the male if he would consent to a state administered blood, breath, or urine test and he refused. The driver was secured in Caldwell’s patrol car and transported to the Jones County LEC. Once at the jail, Caldwell secured a search warrant for the male subject’s blood.
The deputy informed the subject that he had a signed search warrant, and the male stated once again he would not consent to the test.
After the subject once again refused the testing, Caldwell applied for and served warrants to the male for driving under the influence of alcohol, failure to maintain lane, failure to wear seatbelts, open container violation and obstruction of an officer.
