Name of Accused:
Trantham, Jacob
Date of Arrest:
06/15/2023
Charges for Arrest:
OPERATING W/SUSPENDED LIC – MISD
OWNING OR OPERATING AN UNREGISTERED VEHICLE
DUI – LESS SAFE
OPEN CONTAINER ALCOHOL IN VEHICLE
SPEEDING
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 Thursday, June 15, 2023, at approximately 0045 hours, I, Officer B. Sams observed a driver of a moving motor vehicle traveling at 61 miles per hour, in a 45 miles per hour zone, at Highway 92 and Dials Drive. I activated my emergency lights and sirens and began catching up to the vehicle.
The white Ford Focus Station Wagon quickly turned a wide left onto West Wiley Bridge Road and then took a quick wide right onto Pioneer Drive, where a gate stopped him from continuing. I exited my vehicle, called for back-up, and approached the passenger side of the car. I asked the driver to exit the vehicle and asked for his driver’s license, and he provided it.
I requested an inquiry via the Georgia Crime Information Center, which returned with the driver having a suspended license for D.U.I. I asked the driver, Jacob, if he had any alcoholic-type beverages. He stated he had consumed two (2) shots of whiskey at around 2300 hours. I smelled the odor of an alcoholic type beverage emitting from his person, he was swaying, he had slow slurred speech, and had red watery eyes.
Field Conditions:
Brief Description of the Current Setting- Driveway to a Neighborhood
Road Characteristics- (Level)
Weather Conditions- (Clear)
Light Conditions- (Dark with Ambient Setting Light)
Medical Clearance:
Jacob wears glasses, they were removed for the HGN portion.
Did the Subject state any medical conditions?
Equal Pupil Size (Present)
Equal Tracking (Present)
Resting Nystagmus (Not Present)
Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus:
– Lack of Smooth Pursuit (Present)
– Distinct and Sustained Nystagmus at Maximum Deviation (Present)
– Onset of Nystagmus prior to 45 degrees (Present)
– Vertical Gaze Nystagmus (Not Present)
Total Clues Observed: 3 out of 3 (6 out of 6 considering each eye)
Walk and Turn Evaluation:
– Cannot balance during instructions (Present)
– Starts to soon (Not Present)
– Stops while walking (Not Present)
– Misses heel to toe (Present)
– Steps off the line (Present)
– Uses arms to balance (Not Present)
– Improper turn (Present)
– Incorrect number of steps (Present)
Total Clues Observed: 5 out of 8
One Leg Stand Evaluation:
– Sways (Not Present)
– Uses arms to balance (Not Present)
– Hops (Not Present)
– Puts foot down (Not Present)
Total Clues Observed: 0 out of 4
I placed Jacob in handcuffs, behind his back. I ensured the handcuffs were double-locked, and properly fitted, by visually inspecting the gap between Jacob’s wrists and the restraints. I conducted a search incident to arrest, revealing personal property.
I read the Georgia Implied Consent Notice for Suspects Aged 21 or over and requested the state-administered test of their blood, which Jacob refused. I placed Jacob in the back seat of the patrol vehicle and secured them in a seatbelt.
I transported Jacob to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Adult Detention Center and released custody over to the jail staff. I searched the rear compartment of the patrol vehicle before and after the incident. Revealing no contraband.
Officer Sams charged Jacob with the following Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) violations;
O.C.G.A. 40-5-121 Driving with a Suspended License, Misdemeanor, said accused knowingly and willingly operated a moving motor vehicle, on the roadway, with a suspended license (Suspension Date – 03/30/2023) for a D.U.I., First Suspension All. This was charged on a Uniform Traffic Citation. This was discovered by an inquiry via the Georgia Crime Information Center.
O.C.G.A. 40-2-8 Expired Registration, Misdemeanor, said accused operated a moving motor vehicle, on the roadway while having an expired registration, since 12-03-2022. This was charged on a Uniformed Traffic Citation. This was discovered via the Georgia Crime Information Center.
O.C.G.A. 40-6-253 Open Container, Misdemeanor, said accused committed the above offense, by knowingly and willingly operating a motor vehicle on the roadway, with an open, almost empty alcoholic type beverage in the back seat behind the front passenger seat. This was charged on a Uniform Traffic Citation. This was discovered during a search incident to arrest the vehicle and inventory search for impound.
O.C.G.A. 40-6-181 Speeding, Misdemeanor, said accused committed the above offense by knowingly and willingly operating a motor vehicle, at speeds of 61 miles per hour in a 45 miles per hour zone. This charge was taken on a Uniform Traffic Citation. This was determined by Officer B. Sams utilizing a LiDAR unit (Serial Number – LA004668) (Visible from Approx. 1661 Feet).
O.C.G.A. 40-6-391 D.U.I., Misdemeanor, said accused operated a moving motor vehicle on the roadway, while being impaired by an impairing substance. This charge was taken on a Uniform Traffic Citation. This was determined by the physical manifestations, driving manifestations, and clues observed during the Standardized Field Sobriety Testing.
A Department of Driver Services 1205 and 1150 forms were submitted.
[End of Narrative]
