Oconee Blotter: Suspect complains that he nearly drowned trying to escape deputies
The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office reported the following incidents:
SHOPLIFTING CHARGE: On Feb. 10, Deputy Annessa Glenn was dispatched to Walmart, where a 19-year-old Decatur woman was seen shoplifting Ramen noodles and flowers. The deputy spoke to the woman, who tried to push past the officer, but the deputy put her to the floor. The teen, who said she was pregnant, was taken to jail.
MARIJUANA SMELLED: On Feb. 10, Deputies Scottie Bodie and Dustin Mines were patrolling on West Monroe Highway, Bogart, when they stopped a Chevrolet Suburban with a cracked windshield. The officers smelled marijuana, but the 32-year-old Monroe man explained he had smoked the pot the day before. However, a search revealed two pills of Hydrocodone in the vehicle. He was taken to jail.
NEAR DROWNING: On Feb. 11, Deputy Dustin Pulliam was on patrol at the Oconee Connector when he saw a Kia Optima run a stop sign. When it drove toward Costco the officer attempted a traffic stop. The Kia kept going at a speed up to 75 mph. It traveled to the Zoom Bait location, where it crashed into the tree line. The driver and his two passengers fled into the woods. Backup officers and a K-9 unit from Athens-Clarke County arrived for a search. The search carried them to a nearby apartment complex, where the deputy confronted the driver. The suspect’s clothing was soaking wet and he explained that he fell into a creek and almost drowned. The 17-year-old man from Columbus explained he ran because he didn’t have a driver’s license. The passengers were not apprehended, but deputies acquired names of possible suspects, both who live in Athens.
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FLORIDA MAN CHARED: On Feb. 11, Deputy Bradley Vaughn was traveling on Experiment Station Road in Watkinsville when he saw a Toyota Camry roll through a stop sign at Main Street and proceed to cross the yellow line. A stop was made, and the officer smelled alcohol on the 20-year-old man from Lutz, Florida. The man, with glassy eyes, explained he was not paying attention. He refused to do a sobriety test, but was charged with DUI and other traffic violations.
SHOPLIFTER RUNS: On Feb. 13, Deputy Chris Haag was dispatched at about 11:15 p.m. to Walmart for a shoplifting in progress. The suspect, who was getting batteries, ran and the officer spotted him at a trash bin behind the Flying Biscuit. The deputy shouted at him, but he ran again dropping his cell phone in the process. More deputies arrived and the suspect was caught in the parking lot of Zaxby’s. The man, who said he was from North Carolina, was found to have given a false name. He was identified as a 56-year-old man from Lexington. He was also wanted on warrants from two other counties.
CARDS TARGETED: On Feb. 14, Deputy Steven Heckler was dispatched to Walmart, where a 32-year-old Athens man was caught stealing two sets of 2023 NLF trading cards. The cards were recovered and the man went to jail.
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POT ODOR: On Feb. 15, Cpl. Pat Holl was in the area of Aiken Road and Dials Mill Road. looking for a reckless driver when a pickup passed and he could smell burning marijuana. He then saw the driver blowing smoke out of the window. A stop was made and the 40-year-old Statham man explained he usually smokes his marijuana in the afternoon after eating lunch, but he occasionally smokes in the morning. The officer found bags of marijuana in the vehicle, along with vape pens and a pistol. The man was charged with DUI.
LAMP STOLEN: On Feb. 16, Deputy Scottie Bodie and Cpl. Lex Ogan met with a 30-year-old Watkinsville woman, who explained someone entered her storage unit at Oconee Storage Westside on Mars Hill Road, Bogart. A vintage glass lotus flower lamp that is a family heirloom was missing. She said it was valued at $650, but is irreplaceable.
JEWELRY STOLEN: On Feb. 16, Deputy Matthew Lariscy was dispatched to Flex Storage on Atlanta Highway, Bogart, where a 39-year-old Athens woman reported she found her storage unit burglarized. There was no sign of a forced entry. She said a .380-caliber pistol and jewelry, all valued at $1,275, were stolen.
STOLEN GUN: On Feb. 17, Deputy Dustin Mines was monitoring traffic on Georgia Highway 316 when he saw a black Ford Crown Victoria cross a lane and make a turn without using a turn signal. After a traffic stop, the officer smelled marijuana and saw the driver had bloodshot, glassy eyes. The man explained he is on probation and that a gun under the seat actually belongs to his cousin. A check on the gun showed it was stolen in Forsyth County during a burglary. The 29-year-old Atlanta man had also served prison time in Florida. He was taken to jail on several charges.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Oconee Blotter: Suspect says he nearly drowned in escape attempt
