The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department March 14-19, 2024.
March 14
He doesn’t do meth
Dep. Brown was on shift when he was approached by an individual that advised him of a vehicle sitting in the roadway on GA Hwy. 49.
The individual advised the deputy that the person may be stuck or dumping something in the woods.
Brown was close by the scene, so he went to check it out. The deputy found the vehicle located about 15 to 20 feet off the roadway parked parallel to the road. The deputy pulled up beside the vehicle with his blue lights on and let down his passenger side window to speak to the driver. The male driver advised the deputy that he was ok, but Brown noticed the male had a very slurred speech. At that time, Brown got out of his patrol car and approached the vehicle. The male subject had a considerable amount of body movement and the deputy found it difficult to hear and understand what the male was saying. The male then asked the deputy if he could get out of his vehicle and Brown advised the male that he could. While getting out of the vehicle, the male driver struggled getting his door open and to stay open while he got out. Brown asked the driver for his ID and the male seemed to be struggling removing his ID from his wallet and at one point forgot what he was looking for. Brown had to remind the male he was looking for his ID. The deputy asked the male driver if he could run him through a Standardized Field Sobriety Test and the male agreed. During the test, the male driver could not stand up straight without losing his balance and was unable to do the Walk and Turn portion of the test without almost falling. Brown asked the male subject how much he had to drink, and the male replied that he “had a couple of swallows.” The deputy then asked the male if he had smoked any marijuana and the male replied “yes,” “about four good hits” that he and his friends were passing around. Brown then asked the male when was the last time he had done meth, and the male replied “I do not do meth.” Brown was trying to determine if the male driver was mentally handicap verses impaired. The deputy noted that the male never showed signs of being confused with any questions, and when the deputy could understand what the male was saying, he made good sense.
At that time, the male was placed in handcuffs and read the Implied Consent Notice for Suspects over the age of 21. Brown asked the male if he would consent to a blood test and the male agreed. Brown began to search the male subject and in the male’s wallet was a small clear plastic baggie with half of a white in color oval shaped pill.
In the same pouch in the wallet was a blue folded piece of paper that contained a white powdery substance. At that time, Brown transported the male to the Jones County LEC. Once at the LEC, the male was turned over to the nurse for a blood draw and then turned over to jail staff. Brown tested the white powdered substance, and it came back positive for methamphetamine. The male was charged with DUI and Brown applied for a warrant for Possession of Controlled Substance.
March 16
Active warrant and marijuana
Dep. Elrod was on routine shift when he noticed a vehicle in front of him stop and turn its emergency flashers on. Elrod pulled in behind the vehicle and activated his blue lights. The deputy made contact with a female driver and female passenger. Elrod ran both of the female’s information through dispatch and that indicated that the driver had an active warrant out of Bibb County for failure to appear. Both occupants were asked to exit the vehicle at that time. Sgt. Humphries arrived on scene to assist with the stop. Once both occupants stepped out of the vehicle, Elrod detected the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. The deputy asked both of the female subjects if there was any marijuana inside the vehicle and the female passenger stated there was some. Elrod found a green glass jar containing marijuana in the pocket of the passenger’s jacket that was laying on the passenger seat of the vehicle. The deputy also located a small amount of marijuana in the female driver’s purse inside a cigarillo wrapper.
The female passenger also advised Elrod there was a pistol in her purse.
Elrod located the pistol and ran a check of it. The pistol had no record. Both female occupants were placed in Sgt.
Humphries’ patrol unit and transported to the Jones County LEC. Elrod issued both of the females a citation for possession of marijuana less than one ounce. The female driver was also taken in for her outstanding warrant.
March 19
Open container and marijuana
Dep. Elrod was on routine patrol when he noticed a vehicle in front of him emitting a strong odor of marijuana. The odor of marijuana was so strong it was coming through the air vents into the deputy’s vehicle. There were no other vehicles in front of Elrod or the vehicle he was following. Elrod activated his blue lights and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. When the deputy made contact with the male driver, the male admitted that there was a small bag of marijuana in the vehicle.
Sgt. Walker arrived on scene to assist.
Elrod did a probable cause search of the vehicle and located a bag of marijuana in the center console. There were also several freshly drank bottles of an alcoholic beverage in the cup holders inside. The male stated those belonged to him and that he had just left a bar and drank two beers. At that time, the male subject was placed in handcuffs and Sgt. Walker transported the male to the Jones County LEC. The male was issued citations for possession of marijuana and open container, then turned over to jail staff for booking.
