The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department May 4-10, 2023.
May 4
Should have known better
Officer Josey was dispatched to a local business in regards to a male subject attempting to cash a fraudulent check. Upon arrival, Josey made contact with security personnel that escorted him to a male subject, and then they went to a separate room to have some privacy. The clerk at the business showed Josey the check that was in the amount of $6,665.00 and made out to the male subject. The check had been drafted from a business account, and the business was contacted. Personnel from the business advised the officer that the check was intended for another business in Weidner, GA. The male subject said he figured the check was fraudulent and that he was dropped off by a male subject to cash the check and was to meet back up with that male once he did so. The offender was asked to give a description of the male subject that dropped him off and also a description of the vehicle he was driving. The description was given to all units in the area, and they located the vehicle nearby. Josey placed the subject in handcuffs and secured him in the back seat of the patrol car and they drove to the location the second male subject had been apprehended at.
Upon arrival at the location, Josey observed Lt. Hunnicutt as he pulled a small plastic bag of a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana from the back seat of the vehicle.
Capt. Maynard had the driver of the vehicle in custody at that time.
The subject that Josey transported advised that the offender Maynard had (the driver) was not the same man that dropped him off, however later changed his statement and verified the driver and the vehicle was the one that dropped him off to cash the check. Both subjects were transported to the Jones County LEC. The first subject that tried to cash the check had a warrant secured for forgery in the third degree. The driver of the vehicle had two warrants secured: one for forgery in the third degree and possession of marijuana less than one ounce. Both of the males were at that time turned over to jail staff for booking.
May 7
Stopped to talk to mom
Sgt. Walker was on Hwy. 18 on patrol when he noticed a vehicle on the side of the road with the engine running and its lights on. Walker stopped to check on the motorist and observed a male subject slumped over in the driver’s seat.
Walker identified himself and began tapping on the window to wake the subject or determine if he was still alive. After several attempts to wake the male, the subject rolled down his window and turned the engine off. Walker immediately smelled a strong odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle when the subject rolled down the window.
The sergeant asked the male driver where he was going, and the male told Walker he was headed home but had just stopped to talk to his mother and fell asleep. Walker asked the male about the odor of alcohol and the male advised that he had just got off work hours prior to the traffic stop, and he took a female companion to a bar in downtown Macon. Walker then asked the driver how much he had to drink, and the driver replied that he only had one beer. There was a cup containing alcohol in the cup holder by the driver’s seat, but the male advised Walker that belonged to the female, and she had gotten out of the vehicle earlier. Walker also noticed two open bottles of Gin and Tequila in the vehicle. Concerned for the driver and others safety, Walker asked the subject if he would be willing to take a standardized field sobriety test, and the male agreed.
The male appeared confused, had blood shot eyes and ultimately messed up several times during the process of the sobriety testing. The sergeant learned that the male’s driver’s license was suspended for a DUI and was driving on a limited permit. The subject did not give a sample of his breath in the roadside test, but he did admit to drinking prior to the incident. At that time, the driver was arrested for DUI and read the implied consent and agreed to giving his blood for a sample.
The driver was transported to the Jones County Sheriff Office and when the nurse arrived to draw his blood sample, he refused to do so.
The male was issued citations for DUI, open container and suspended license.
May 8
3 strikes - no license, no insurance and no registration Deputy Robinson was patrolling the area of Joycliff Road when he was alerted by the Flock camera system of a vehicle showing suspended registration. Robinson ran the vehicle tag information through the GCIC/NCIC system, and it came back to show the vehicle had suspended registration, no valid insurance and the registered owner had a suspended driver’s license.
At that time, Robinson conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. When the deputy made contact with the driver, he asked for the driver’s license, and the male subject advised the deputy he did not have a license and he did not have insurance.
Along with the male subject was a child passenger and the subject was allowed to call the child’s mother to come pick him/her up. At that time, the male was transported to the Jones County LEC where he was issued citations for no proof of insurance, suspended driver’s license and suspended registration.
May 10
Don’t know why my license are suspended Deputy Caldwell was on patrol when he conducted a random license plate check on a vehicle with a GA tag. Caldwell learned that the registered owner had a suspended driver’s license. At that time, the deputy activated his emergency lights and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle.
Caldwell made contact with the female driver and the driver advised the deputy she did not know why her license was suspended. Caldwell had dispatch run the driver’s information and it verified the license was suspended for out of state reasons. The deputy asked the female driver if she had received any citations previously that she failed to pay. The driver then advised that she had received a ticket in the mail when she lived in Louisiana, and she failed to pay it. Caldwell advised the female she would be placed under arrest and transported her to the Jones County jail where she was issued a citation for driving on a suspended driver’s license then turned over to jail staff.
