The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department July 9-15, 2024.
July 9
Speeding and warrant
Deputy Marcum was patrolling Highway 44 and noticed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. He activated his department issued Radar and it showed the vehicle was traveling 78 mph in a 55-mph zone. Marcum activated his blue lights and the driver pulled over. The deputy made contact with the driver and checked her license number through GCIC. The GCIC return showed the driver had a warrant out of Bibb County. Bibb County advised to place a hold. She was arrested per the warrant and released to Jones County jailers with a ticket for speeding.
July 12
Wanted for aggravated assault and false imprisonment
Sgt. Walker was monitoring traffic on Hwy. 49 when he ran a tag number on a vehicle to check for valid insurance and registration. The information came back to show that the registration on the vehicle was suspended and there was no insurance. A check on the registered owner of the vehicle also showed that he was wanted in Bibb County for aggravated assault and false imprisonment. At that time, Walker conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. Due to the history that came back on the male subject, Deputy Marcum participated in the stop. The officers made contact with the male driver and placed him under arrest. When Walker conducted a vehicle inventory search, he found a Smith and Wesson 40 cal. firearm located in the glove box. The vehicle was towed by a local wrecker service.
July 14
Driver and passengers served warrants
Deputy Sullivan was on patrol traveling southbound on Hwy. 49 and Joycliff Road when a vehicle in front of him suddenly jerked to the right lane into the turn lane and turned into the parking lot of a local business. Sullivan pulled in behind the vehicle and ran the license plate. The GCIC check came back to show the vehicle had no valid insurance. At that time, Sullivan initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. Three male subjects then exited the vehicle and began checking the vehicle out. The subjects stated that the tire had blown and that was the reason for the sudden turn into the business. Sullivan did notice that the rear tire had gone flat on the vehicle. The deputy identified the male passengers and the male driver and advised the driver that the vehicle had no valid insurance on it. The driver stated that his brother had given him the car and that he was still working on getting everything straight with the vehicle and he knew it did not have insurance. Sullivan then asked the three male occupants if there were any guns, knives, or weapons in the vehicle. One of the male passengers advised the deputy that there was a gun in the rear seat of the vehicle. Sullivan then asked the occupants if there were any drugs in the vehicle. The same male passenger advised Sullivan that there was marijuana in a monster box in the rear floorboard of the vehicle near the gun.
Sullivan retrieved a Smith and Wesson M&P 9 9mm and a glass jar with loose marijuana and marijuana wrapped in a plastic grocery bag. The other male passenger immediately told the deputy that his information should already be in the system due to him being on house arrest for previous charges in Houston County. Deputy Elrod arrived on scene to assist. Sullivan asked the three male occupants whose marijuana it was and one of the male’s advised it was his. The male was secured in handcuffs and placed in the rear seat of Sullivan’s patrol car. Once inside the car, the male subject stated that all of the marijuana did not belong to him, some of it belonged to the other male passenger. Sullivan then asked the male driver and the other male passenger about the marijuana and both subjects said that it was not theirs. At that time, Sullivan placed the male driver and the other male passenger under arrest due to not being able to prove who the marijuana belonged to. Corp. Sullivan also arrived on scene and transported one male subject to the Jones County LEC. Deputy Sullivan transported the male driver and the other male passenger to the Jones County LEC.
The male driver was issued a citation for knowingly driving with no insurance.
Once at the LEC, Corp. Sullivan and Deputy Sullivan weighed the marijuana and it came out to weigh more than one ounce. Upon reviewing one of the male passenger’s history, it was found that he was a convicted felon. Deputy Sullivan sought and secured warrants for all three subjects for possession of marijuana more than one ounce and warrants for one male passenger for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
July 15
Warrant and stolen vehicle
Lt. Hunnicutt received a call from Deputy Middlebrooks of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department about a wanted person. The Monroe deputy stated that he had a warrant for a person that lived in Gray and that the offender was in possession of a stolen vehicle.
Deputy Middlebrooks gave Hunnicutt a description of the vehicle and a photograph of the offender. Hunnicutt advised the Monroe County deputy that he would do a “ride by” of the residence to see if he could see the vehicle or the offender. When Hunnicutt rode by the residence, he saw the vehicle he had been given a description of and a male subject that looked like he was getting ready to get in the vehicle that matched the photo.
Hunnicutt turned around and pulled in the driveway of the residence. When Hunnicutt pulled in, he no longer saw the male subject at first, then saw the male walk from one side of the vehicle to the other. Hunnicutt advised the male to show his hands and the male replied “no.”
The deputy pulled his service weapon and ordered the suspect to show his hands and go to the ground. The suspect then stopped and laid face down on the ground. Hunnicutt holstered his weapon and placed the male subject in handcuffs.
Lt. Pennamon arrived on scene and the suspect was placed in the back of his patrol car. Hunnicutt then confirmed through the GCIC system that this was the wanted person and the vehicle was indeed stolen. Middlebrooks with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Dept. was contacted and advised that the suspect was in custody and the vehicle had been recovered. The vehicle was towed, and the suspect was turned over to the Monroe County deputy.
