Name of Accused:
Black, Dana Thrift
Date of Arrest:
06/26/2023
Charges for Arrest:
Open Container Violation Beer/Ale/Proter/Stout/Other Similar Beverages
Driving while License Suspended or Revoked – 1st Offense
DUI-Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol to the extent that it is less safe for the person to drive
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
On the above date and time, I was conducting a security check in Seaparc Circle. While at the stop sign at the intersection of E King Ave and Seaparc Circle, I had a silver Nissan Altima with a GA tag of [REDACTED] stopped in front of me.
While waiting for the roadway to clear to travel westbound, I noticed that the driver was intensely staring at my patrol vehicle in her driver’s side mirror. I was able to identify the driver from interactions on previous calls as Dana Black. To my knowledge, Dana Black had a suspended driver’s license for a DUI refusal case that I had worked on earlier this year.
I ran her name through NCIC/GCIC and confirmed that she had a suspended driver’s license. After turning westbound onto E King Ave, I got behind the vehicle and activated my emergency lights and siren to conduct a traffic stop. Black stopped at the intersection of N Grove Blvd and E Pinewood Ave.
I approached the vehicle and explained to Dana Black that she was being stopped for driving on a suspended license. Black then proceeded to hand me her forty-five day temporary driving permit from her DUI refusal on 02/18/2023. I explained that the permit was no longer valid and that the Department of Driver Services had suspended her license on 04/05/2023.
I requested an additional unit to be en route. I also asked dispatch to send me a driver’s history. Dana Black was then asked to step out of the vehicle so I could speak with her. When she got out of the car I smelled a heavy odor of alcoholic beverage coming from her person.
Black was also sweating profusely and advised that it was because the A/C in her vehicle was broken. I asked her if there was anything illegal in the vehicle and she advised that the only thing she had was an open container of beer. I asked for consent to search the vehicle and she granted it.
Cpl. Tippins arrived and searched the vehicle while I conducted Standardized Field Sobriety Testing. Cpl. Tippins told me that she found a styrofoam cup in the center cup holder of the vehicle containing beer. We asked Dana Black what it was and she stated that it was Busch Light. There was an additional Busch Light tallboy in the vehicle.
I asked Black if she consented to participating in SFST and she said she would do it. Below are the results:
Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN):
I started HGN by asking Dana Black if she had any medical conditions with her eyes or if she wore contacts. Black stated that she only wears glasses. I observed six out of six clues for horizontal gaze nystagmus. I also observed vertical nystagmus on Dana Black.
Walk and Turn:
I asked Dana Black if she had any medical conditions with her legs and she advised that she had bad knees. I asked if she was willing to participate in the walk and turn and explained that if she felt like she could not do it because of her knees to let me know.
Black expressed that she wanted to try to do the test. I observed four out of eight clues on the walk-and-turn portion of SFST. Black could not maintain the starting position, missed heel-to-toe steps, made an improper turn, and utilized her arms to balance.
One-Leg Stand:
Following the walk and turn Black started to complain about her legs hurting so I told her we would not be doing the one-leg stand for safety reasons.
Cpl. Tippins then asked Black if she was willing to do a preliminary breath test and she consented. When Cpl. Tippins gave her the PBT test she did not provide a sufficient sample and we were unable to get a reading. After the DUI investigation was completed, I allowed Black to call someone to retrieve her vehicle.
I then placed her under arrest in double-locked handcuffs and checked for fit. I searched Dana Black incident to arrest and then read her implied consent for persons 21 and over. Black consented to the state-administered chemical test of her blood. She was then secured in the back of my patrol vehicle with a seatbelt. The backseat was checked prior to ensure no contraband had been left behind.
Officer Ravinet stayed with Black’s vehicle and I transported her to Station 3 for the blood draw. Station 3 paramedics did the blood draw without further incident. I then re-secured Dana Black back into my patrol vehicle with a seatbelt and transported her to the Camden County Sheriff’s Office located in Woodbine, GA. Following transport the backseat of my vehicle was checked again.
Based on Dana Black’s driver’s history she was charged with driving while suspended (first offense), DUI less safe (2nd offense), and open container. Her three charges were put on citations and signed by Black in the booking area of the jail. After leaving the jail I went to the police station and submitted the GBI blood kit into evidence.
[End of Narrative]
