The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department April 22-24, 2023.
April 22
Useless excuse
Deputy Shurley was on routine patrol of GA Hwy. 18 East when he observed a vehicle traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed.
Shurley activated his in-car Raptor radar, and it gave a reading that the vehicle was traveling 85 mph in a 45 mph speed zone. The deputy activated his emergency light and siren and started to pursue the vehicle at that time. Shurley made contact with the male driver and the subject gave him a Venezuelan driver’s license. The driver informed Shurley that Venezuela was his home, and he was traveling from Atlanta GA, which is where his mother lives, to Miami, FL.
The deputy obtained the driver’s license and returned to his patrol car to run the information given to him and to also see what type of documents the driver would need with his license being from Venezuela. Shurley learned that the male subject would need to have a temporary Visa or Passport along with his license. The deputy decided to run the driver’s information through the GCIC database just to see if he got any alerts. The information that was ran through the Georgia database came back to show that the male’s license was suspended for a DUI offense back in 2022. Shurley also ran the driver’s information through the State of Florida, and that also showed his license was suspended for failure to pay or appear on a traffic offense. That happened back in 2016; so, the Venezuela driver’s license was a useless excuse as the offender had been in the United States for a long time and had a previous driver’s license issued in the US. The driver began to plead with Shurley to let him go back to Miami and he would pay for everything then and there. Officer Pointer had arrived on scene to assist, and Deputy Shurley advised the male driver that he could not legally drive without a valid driver’s license. The deputy called for the next available wrecker service to tow the vehicle. When Shurley did a vehicle inventory, he found a cold, partially consumed can of Bud Light that had been stuck behind the passenger seat in the floorboard. Officer Pointer transported the offender to the Jones County LEC where he was issued citations for speeding, no proof of insurance, driving while license suspended, and open container then turned over to Jail Staff.
Loads of dirty laundry?
Deputy Marcum and Lt.
Ransom were dispatched to a local business in regards to shoplifting in progress. They arrived on scene and made contact with the store manager who advised that the subjects had just left the business.
The manager also let Marcum and Ransom know that the shoplifting incident was actually unsuccessful as they left a shopping cart full of laundry detergent. The manager gave a description of the offending parties and the vehicle they were in, and advised they left heading towards Shurling Drive. Marcum and Ransom returned to their patrol vehicles and quickly headed north on Shurling Drive when they spotted the vehicle at another business. The deputy and lieutenant made contact inside the business with the first suspect who was trying to push past the store manager with a shopping cart full of laundry detergent. The first suspect was placed in handcuffs at that time.
Lt. Ransom held the first subject and motioned for Marcum to get the second suspect from the car.
Marcum ran around the corner of the business and ordered the second suspect to get out of the vehicle and then placed the subject in handcuffs. While Ransom and Marcum were questioning the two suspects, a third suspect, a female subject, got out of the car and approached the officers and identified herself. A NCIC check of the second male suspect and the third suspect, the female, showed both to have warrants for their arrest from various departments.
Corp. Sullivan arrived on scene and placed the second suspect in his patrol car, and the female was placed in Marcum’s patrol car while the first suspect was still being questioned. The officers determined through information and questioning from several businesses, these three suspects had been part of a shoplifting spree at several locations in Jones and Bibb County. At least three business had identified these subjects. A search of the vehicle the subjects were in was conducted and there were several possible stolen bottles of shampoo, and conditioner located in a bag that belonged to the female subject.
All three of the subjects were transported to the Jones County LEC. While in route, the first subject told Corp. Sullivan that he had a dime bag of marijuana in his sock, and Sullivan recovered the marijuana. When the first subject was being booked, he actually threatened Lt. Ransom with profanity and told him he would “beat him” so added to his charge was also terroristic threats.
All three subjects were arrested for shoplifting.
April 23
I never had a license before Deputy Sullivan was on patrol when he observed a vehicle traveling East on Shurling Drive suddenly swerve into the turning lane in front of him. The vehicle then came to a sudden stop in front of Sullivan and then tried to enter the lane almost causing an accident with an oncoming vehicle. The deputy initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. When Sullivan made contact with the female driver, he asked for her driver’s license. The female advised the deputy she did not have her driver’s license and in fact she has never had a driver’s license. Sullivan verified the female’s information and then placed her under arrest and transported her to the Jones County LEC where she was given a citation for unlicensed driver and failure to yield.
The female was turned over to jail staff for booking and then released on her citations.
April 24
Wrong tag, wrong car
Officer Josey was patrolling the area of West Clinton St. when he observed a vehicle with a Nevada tag run a stop sign. Josey ran the tag information, and it came back to show that the tag was for a completely different vehicle and the tag actually expired in 2021.
Josey conducted a traffic stop at this time. When the officer made contact with the driver, he could smell the odor of green marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Josey asked the male for his driver’s license and the offender told the officer that he did not have a license. Josey got the driver’s name and date of birth and ran a check through the Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania systems, and it came back to show the male had a suspended driver’s license through Pennsylvania as well as a warrant for probation. Due to the odor of marijuana a probable cause search was done but no contraband was found. The male was transported to the Jones County LEC where he was issued citations for failure to stop at stop sign, expired registration, tags: removing/affixing to misrepresent, tag: registration required, no insurance and driving while license suspended then turned over to Jail Staff to be booked and released on his charges.
