The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department Feb. 16-18, 2024.
Feb. 16
Blunt in her bra
Officer Josey was patrolling the area of Gray Hwy. and Lite-N-Tie Road when he ran a GA tag through his in-car system to check for valid registration. The information came back to show the vehicle in question had an expired registration from Nov. 2023. At that time, Josey got behind the vehicle and activated his blue lights to conduct a traffic stop. The officer made contact with the male driver and a female passenger and identified both. While speaking with the driver, Josey detected the odor of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle. Josey had the driver and female passenger exit the vehicle at that time and advised due to the odor of marijuana he would be conducting a vehicle search. The female passenger then advised the officer that she had a partial blunt in her bra and she then gave it to Josey. A further search of the vehicle revealed no further drugs. Josey then issued the male driver a citation for expired registration and the female passenger was issued a citation for possession of marijuana less than one ounce. The two were released from the scene upon signing the court copies.
Feb. 17
Impaired driving and DUI refusal
Deputy Elrod was on assigned patrol traveling down Griswoldville Road when he came up behind a vehicle that was driving slowly, and then started to drive at an even slower speed, and then pulled off the roadway in front of him. Elrod pulled up next to the vehicle to see if the occupants were ok. The male driver turned towards Elrod and in a very slurred speech said that the deputy was “riding his rear end” and that’s why he pulled over. Elrod could immediately tell the driver of the vehicle was very impaired. Along with the male driver’s slurred speech, the deputy noticed that his physical appearance was of someone that had been drinking alcoholic beverages and that his eyes were barely open when he was making statements to the deputy. Elrod advised the driver to stay put and then backed his patrol car up to get behind the vehicle and initiated his blue lights to conduct a traffic stop. When Elrod made contact with the male driver and male passenger, he observed that the male passenger also appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
The deputy noticed that the driver had a yellow color band on his arm that stated over the age of 21.
These bands are common with establishments that serve alcoholic beverages. Elrod then asked the driver if he had anything to drink and the driver would not answer the question. The male passenger then spontaneously stated that the driver indeed had an alcoholic beverage. Elrod then asked the male driver if he would perform a Standardized Field Sobriety test and he agreed. During the first portion of the test, the male driver initially had trouble following directions and Elrod had to explain the test again to him several times.
During the walk and turn portion of the test, Elrod had to explain those instructions to the driver several times and even went as far as demonstrating how to walk the fog line of the roadway for the male. The male subject had trouble standing still and would sway and raise his arms to try and keep his balance. Elrod then asked the male driver to give a breath sample on his Portable Breath Test device, but the male refused to provide a breath sample. At that time, the male driver was placed in handcuffs and read his Georgia Implied Consent Notice for suspects age 21 or over. Elrod then requested a blood sample from the male driver, and he refused to answer the question for Implied Consent. Elrod re-read the male the Implied Consent again and asked yet again for a breath sample and the male refused once more to answer the question for Implied Consent. Deputy Astyk arrived on scene and transported the male driver to the Jones County LEC for booking. Elrod then conducted an inventory search of the vehicle incident to the arrest and found a Ziploc bag in the center console that contained an amount of marijuana inside it. There was also a marijuana grinder in the center console. Deputy Robinson arrived on scene and the male passenger was given a ride by the deputy to his residence.
Elrod issued citations to the male driver for DUI Less Safe Combination, DUI Refusal and possession of marijuana less than one ounce.
Feb. 18
Another DUI refusal
Deputy Elrod was on assigned shift traveling northbound on Highway 49 when he observed a vehicle in front of him that was failing to maintain their lane and riding with the blinker continuously on. Elrod, at that time, activated his blue lights and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. The vehicle then turned right into the rec center and continued to drive. Elrod observed the driver throw out a silver in color package from his driver’s side window. The glint of the silver package illuminated off the deputy’s blue lights on his patrol unit. Elrod then advised dispatch that the driver just threw something out the window.
The vehicle finally came to a stop at the bottom of the parking lot. Elrod made contact with the male driver and male passenger. The deputy immediately noticed the male driver had crumbs of marijuana on his lap. The male was wearing black pants and it was very apparent the crumbs on him were green in color consistent with the color of marijuana. Elrod asked the driver if there was any more marijuana in the vehicle and the male replied there was not. The deputy then asked the male driver what he threw out of the window, and the male advised it was only a “cigar.” Elrod observed there was a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle, and also the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the driver’s breath. The deputy then asked the male driver if he had anything to drink and the male advised the deputy, he had a small beer at a bar. Deputy Astyk arrived on scene to assist with the stop. Elrod then walked back to the location where the driver had thrown out the silver in color package. The deputy found a silver in color cigarillo pack. Inside the package, there were two new cigarillos and a half-burnt marijuana cigar blunt that still had marijuana inside of it. Elrod then went back to the vehicle and had the occupants step out and cleared them of any weapons. The deputy then asked the male driver if he would perform a Standardized Field Sobriety Test and he agreed to do so. During the test, the male had some trouble performing.
Elrod then asked the male driver to provide a breath sample on his roadside Portable Breath Test. The male did, however, he could not provide an adequate sample and kept putting his tongue on the tip of the straw blocking the air flow. At that time, Elrod placed the male driver in handcuffs and read him the Implied Consent for suspects aged 21 or over. Elrod requested a blood sample, and the male could not decide on how to answer. The deputy re-read the Implied Consent and again asked the male subject for a blood sample. The male advised Elrod that he did not want to provide any type of sample. The male driver was then transported to the Jones County LEC by Deputy Astyk for booking. Elrod issued the male driver citations for DUI Less Safe Combination of A1-3, DUI refusal, failure to maintain lane and possession of marijuana less than one ounce.
