The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department May 19-21, 2023.
May 19
Over the legal limit
Sgt. Carr was working a road safety check point when he observed a vehicle approaching the check point making an abrupt turn before he came to the road check point. Carr immediately got in his patrol vehicle to catch up with the subject. At that time, the vehicle made an illegal U-turn in the middle of the road. Carr activated his emergency blue lights and conducted a traffic stop. When Carr made contact with the subject, the male advised the officer that he was only driving at the time because he was looking for a family member.
While speaking to the subject, Carr noticed the odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle.
The Sgt. also noticed the subject’s eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred. Carr called for Lt. Ransom to the location to conduct a field sobriety test on the subject. While waiting on Lt. Ransom to arrive, Carr asked the male to exit the vehicle, and he noticed the male subject was struggling to maintain his balance and several times had to grab on to Carr’s vehicle to hold himself steady. Carr then noticed the odor of alcohol coming from the male’s body. After Ransom arrived and conducted the sobriety test, it was determined that the male was unsafe to operate a vehicle. The male subject was transported to the Jones County LEC where he provided two breath samples that indicated the subject was over the legal limit for alcohol. The male was issued citations for illegal U-turn and driving under the influence and turned over to jail staff for booking.
Open container and more
Deputy Caldwell was conducting an approved license check when he made contact with a female driver that indicated to the deputy, she did not have a valid driver’s license and that her license was suspended. Caldwell ran the vehicle VIN number via the NCIC/ GCIC database, and it came back to show that the vehicle registration had been canceled and no valid insurance. Caldwell also observed an unrestrained child in the back seat of the vehicle and a partially consumed bottle of Pinnical Vodka wedged between the driver seat and center console. The female subject was at that time transported to the Jones County LEC where she was issued citations for driving on a suspended license, canceled registration, no insurance, open container and seat belt violation for failing to restrain the minor passenger.
May 21
Two for one
Deputy Caldwell was sitting stationary on Hwy. 49 when he heard a high pitch tone coming from his Raptor RP 1 radar unit.
He observed a vehicle traveling 72 mph in a 55-mph speed zone.
Caldwell proceeded to fall in behind the vehicle and activated his emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop. Caldwell made contact with the female driver and a female passenger. The deputy obtained the female’s driver’s license ran a check through the GCIC/NCIC database and it confirmed that the females license had been suspended for failure to appear as well as the vehicle registration was suspended.
Caldwell informed that female driver that she was being placed under arrest. The deputy then checked the information on the female passenger and that information came back to show she had an outstanding warrant in Fulton County for failure to appear. The warrant was confirmed, and the passenger was also placed under arrest.
Both the driver and passenger were transported to the Jones County LEC. The female driver was issued citations for speeding, suspended registration and driving on a suspended license.
The female passenger was only arrested for the outstanding warrant out of Fulton County.
