Name of Accused:
Carlton, Clay Cowart
Date of Arrest:
06/08/2023
Charges for Arrest:
DUI – LESS SAFE
FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE
POSSESSION OF OPEN ALCOHOL CONTAINER
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 06/08/2023 at 12:41 hours I, D/S Chaney, was dispatched to the area of [200 BLOCK] Wolffork Road in reference to a one vehicle wreck that had occurred. I was notified while in-route by the Rabun County Dispatch Center that the caller stated that the driver of the vehicle may be intoxicated.
Upon my arrival, Cpl. Hooper, was talking to the driver of a green Chevy Silverado that had struck a power pole breaking it in half. Cpl. Hooper was trying to get him to step out of the vehicle due to the power pole that had been struck looked as though it could fall on the vehicle at any moment.
I observed Cpl. Hooper ask for the Drivers license. I observed the driver fumble with his wallet for a few moments trying to get his license before handing the wallet to Cpl. Hooper. Cpl. Hooper removed the license from the wallet with ease and handed the driver his wallet back. Cpl. Hooper handed me the license and asked me to take a look.
I went to the driver window where the driver, Clay Carlton, was sitting and I asked him to step out of the vehicle. Carlton would not exit the vehicle saying that his back was hurting. Carlton was asked if he wished for an Ambulance to come and check him out, he stated no. I could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the vehicle. I also observed that Carlton’s eyes were bloodshot and glassy.
Carlton was asked how much he had to drink today, he stated he had a Diet Coke. Carlton was asked several more times to step out of the vehicle. Each time he would get closer and closer to stepping out before he would fall back in the truck saying his back hurt. Carlton was asked again if he wanted a med unit, to which he stated no.
I called for Rabun EMS to come to the scene just in case. Cpl. Hooper went to the passenger side of the vehicle and retrieved a walking cane and stood it up in front of Carlton. Carlton was asked two more times to step out of the vehicle, on the second time Cpl. Hooper and myself assisted Carlton out of the vehicle.
With both deputies holding on to him Carlton still could not get his balance exiting the vehicle, he grabbed both the open door and the closed rear passenger door to balance himself. I then instructed Carlton that we were going to walk over to the patrol vehicle that was nearby that we were not standing under the power pole. While walking Carlton stumbled several times and I had to hold onto his shirt to keep him from falling to the ground.
Once at the front of the patrol vehicle I instructed Carlton to lean against the front push bumper. However, Carlton continued walking to the passenger side. I asked him what he was doing and he stated, I’m going to sit down in this vehicle. I informed Carlton that he needed to come to the front of the vehicle and lean up against it. Carlton came to the front of the vehicle and placed booth hands on the hood of the vehicle.
I instructed Carlton to turn around and lean up against the bumper, Carlton remained in the same position. I asked Carlton if he heard me, he stated yes, I’m leaning against the car. I informed Carlton to turn around and to place his back against the bumper. Carlton slowly complied. Carlton’s speech was slurred and he was slow to respond to my questions. I could still smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Carlton.
I asked Carlton how much he had to drink today and he stated just a little bit. I asked Carlton what a little bit was to him. Carlton held his index fingers approximately two inches apart and said just a little bit. I asked Carlton what he had been drinking and he stated liquor. I asked Carlton if he would be willing to conduct Standardized Field Sobriety testing to make sure he was ok to be driving. Carlton stated that he would do Field Sobriety testing.
The Med Unit arrived on-scene and I let the medics check over Carlton. I informed Cpl. Hooper that I was going to be placing Carlton under arrest for Driving Under the Influence. Cpl. Hooper advised me that he found an open Liquor bottle in the rear driver side floor board of the truck. I went and found a half empty bottle of Lord Calvert Canadian Whisky sitting on the tool box of the truck. I asked Cpl. Hooper if he would be willing to transport Carlton while I remained on-scene with the vehicle, Cpl. Hooper stated yes.
When the Med Unit had received a refusal for treatment from Carlton Cpl. Hooper placed him inside the rear seat of his patrol vehicle. I informed Carlton that he was under arrest for Driving Under the Influence. I asked Carlton if he was over 21 years old, to which he stated yes. I read him the Implied Consent Notice for Suspects Age 21 or Over for blood from my green card. Carlton stated, let’s do it. I asked him if he was saying yes. Carlton stated yea let’s do it.
Cpl. Hooper transported Carlton to Mountain Lakes Medical Center for the blood draw and then to the Rabun County Detention Center for booking. I remained on-scene for the power company and the wrecker service. The on-call wrecker service Sutton’s was requested and responded to the scene and took possession of the vehicle.
Georgia Power responded to replace the damaged pole at [200 BLOCK] Wolffork Road, while I conducted traffic direction for them.
Carlton was issued citations for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Failure to Maintain Lane, and Possession of Open Alcohol Container.
[End of Narrative]
