The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department Jan. 4-7, 2024.
Jan. 5
Cracked windshield leads to arrest
Sgt. Carr was monitoring traffic on Joycliff Road when he observed a vehicle pass in front of him with a cracked front windshield. Carr pulled out behind the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. Carr made contact with the male driver and the driver informed the sergeant that it started out as a small crack in the window, but the cold weather caused it to get worse and spread. While speaking to the male driver, Carr detected the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. At that time, Carr had dispatch send another unit to his location. Carr had the driver exit the vehicle and asked him about the odor of marijuana. The male driver advised Carr that he did not know what the backseat passenger had on him. Carr then had the male passenger exit the vehicle and asked for permission to search his person. The male gave consent for the search and Carr found what appeared to be a bag of marijuana in his front jacket pocket. The subject advised Carr that it was “weed.”
The male passenger was placed in handcuffs at that time and Sgt. Humphries transported him to the Jones County LEC where he was issued a citation for marijuana possession less than one ounce. The male driver was cleared at the scene and released with a warning about the windshield.
Don’t do this to me, I’m bad, really bad
Sgt. Carr was working routine patrol when dispatch sent out a BOLO for a vehicle on the Gray Bypass that was failing to maintain lane and driving 10 mph in a 60-mph speed zone.
Carr then began searching for the vehicle and found it stopped in the roadway. Carr pulled in behind the vehicle and activated his blue lights. When the sergeant approached the vehicle, he observed a female driver looking down at her phone. Carr knocked on the window of the vehicle and identified himself.
The female driver looked all around but would not look at Carr. Carr continued to knock on the window of the vehicle and make noises in an attempt to get her attention. The driver finally noticed Carr at the window and rolled it down. The driver advised Carr she was on her way to her aunt’s house in Eatonton but missed her turn. Carr asked the driver where she was coming from and she told him McDonough, but a few moments later she advised Carr she was coming from Eatonton. Carr noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. He also observed an open bottle of wine on the passenger seat and another in the cup holder. Carr asked the female driver for her identification, and she replied, “Don’t do this to me.” The female driver fumbled around for a bit trying to find her identification and while still looking, she advised Carr if he did this, her “husband would divorce her.”
Carr asked about the strong odor of alcohol and the female replied she knew she was messed up, but she was going to her aunt’s house in Eatonton to get help or detox off alcohol. The female asked Carr if he could just follow her to her aunt’s house and Carr told her he could not do that, he had to make sure she was safe to drive. Carr asked the female driver how much she had to drink, and she said, “too much.” Carr asked how much is “too much” and the female replied, “too much.” Carr noticed that the female’s speech was very slurred, and she did not make much sense. The female asked if she could call her aunt and Carr advised she could call and let her know she was ok. The female seemed to have a hard time locating her cell phone. However, Carr observed it was in her lap the entire time she was looking for it. While looking for her phone the female kept repeating she “was bad, really bad.” Sgt. Humphries arrived on scene to perform a SFT test to make sure the female was able to operate a motor vehicle. When Carr had the female driver exit the vehicle, he noticed she was very unsteady on her feet and swaying. Sgt. Humphries asked the female subject if she would perform some tests and she stated, “yes.” During the course of the test, the female would lose her balance and had to catch herself from falling several times, and she could not follow instructions. Sgt. Humphries then advised Sgt. Carr the female was indeed not safe to drive. At that time, Carr placed the female under arrest for DUI and proceeded to read her the Georgia Implied Consent. While reading the consent several times, Carr had to advise the female to stop talking and listen, but she kept trying to cut him off and interrupt. Carr then asked the female for a sample of her breath, and she declined. Sgt. Humphries then transported the female to the Jones County LEC. Carr conducted a vehicle inventory search of the vehicle to be towed and found a total of 12 small wine bottles and nine of the 12 had been opened and were empty. Carr returned to the Jones County LEC and made contact with the female in the booking area. He issued her citations for improper stopping/parking, open container of alcohol and DUI refusal.
Jan. 7
Suspended license and active warrant
Sgt. Carr was conducting routine patrol when he ran a tag number on a vehicle to check for valid insurance and registration. The in-car computer alerted that the vehicle had a suspended registration and no valid insurance. Carr activated his blue lights and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. When Carr made contact with the male driver and female passenger, the male subject advised Carr the vehicle did not belong to him.
The female passenger told Carr that the vehicle belonged to a friend of hers, but they had permission to use it. Carr asked for the female’s identification at that time. Carr returned to his patrol car and checked both the male and female’s information via the GCIC/ NCIC system. The information came back to show that the male had a suspended driver’s license. Carr also noticed that the picture that displayed on his in-car computer for the female was actually not the female subject in the car. This was a different person.
Carr returned to the female subject and advised her to be honest with him and give her correct name. The female complied and stated she may have an active warrant out of Bibb County on her. Carr had dispatch check and the female did indeed have an active warrant out of Bibb County.
The female subject was turned over to a Bibb County Deputy that arrived on scene for further handling of her warrant. The male was transported to the Jones County LEC where he was turned over to jail staff for booking and given a citation for driving while license suspended.
