Newspaper Page Text
Friday, December 22,2017
Lake Oconee News
Page A9
Holidays will bring increased DUI enforcement
Don’t wreck Christmas and New Year’s before you can deck the halls
••
'•51
of drunk drivers say
they drink more
during the holidays
compared to the
rest of the year
The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
is teaming up with the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration and law
enforcement officers this holiday season to
remind all motorists that drinking and dr iv-
ing will not only get you on Santa’s naughty
list, but it will also send you straight to jail.
That means that from Dec. 15 to Jan. 2 in
Georgia, law enforcement all over the state
will be looking to prevent tragedy before it
strikes duringtheholidayenforcementcam-
paign of Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over.
While Georgia’s impaired driving laws
are enforced 24/7/365, the holiday season
brings extra emphasis because of the
increased number of travelers hitting the
road to see friends and family.
Why the continued emphasis on drunk
driving?
In 2016, Georgia experienced 368 alco
hol-impaired fatalities, which is 10 more
than 2015, for a total of 24 percent of all
traffic fatalities.
This means nearly a quarter of all traffic
deaths in Georgia involve an impaired
driver.
“Theholidaysshouldbeatimefor celebra
tions and making memories, not a time of
tragedy,” GOHS Director Harris Blackwood
said. “Not only do we want people to get a
designated driverto begin with,butwe want
them to know that if they fail to do so, they
will go to jail. No warnings, no excuses.”
According to NHTSA, 37,461 people
were killed in trafficcrashesin20l6,and28
percent of those fatalities involved a driver
with a blood alcohol concentration above
the legal limit of .08, which is the current
limit in all 50 states.
These crash deaths affect motorists,
passengers and pedestrians alike.
“Unfortunately, alcohol at many holi
day events contributes to the number of
impaired drivers on our roads,” Blackwood
said. “When you are planning what you are
going to wear, what time you are going to
arrive and what you are going to bring, also
plan ahead for your sober ride home with a
designated driver, ride service or a friend.”
Drinking and driving should never be
combined.
It’s essential to plan a sober ride in
advance if the holiday celebration will
include alcohol.
The alternative could change your life,
not to mention the lives of your passengers,
or of other pedestrians or drivers and pas
sengers nearby.
GOHS and NHTSA suggest the fol
lowing safety tips to enjoy a safe night
out this holiday season:
• Plan ahead. If you plan to drink, plan
for a sober driver to take you home. If it’s
your turn to be the designated driver, take
the responsibility seriously.
• Remember that it is never okay to
drink and drive. Even if you’ve only had
one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober
driver or plan to use public transportation
to get home safely.
• Use rideshare programs like Uber or
Lyft.
• Download GOHS’ ‘Drive Sober, Georgia’
smartphone app for a list of sober ride
programs and taxi services in your area or
program taxi company phone numbers into
your phone ahead of time.
• Be prepared to take keys away from
someone who is impaired, and if you see
an impaired driver while on the road, call
9 -1-1 or dial *GSP from your cell phone to be
connected to the nearest state patrol post.
“We want to keep Georgia’s roads safe this
holiday season and help people understand
thattheonlytimethey should bebehind the
wheel is when they are sober,” Blackwood
said. “Alcohol affects people differently and
you do not have to be feeling or acting drunk
to be too impaired to drive.”
For more information on the impaired
driving program at the Governor’s Office
of Highway Safety, go to www.gahighway-
safety.org or visit us on social media at
www.facehook.com/gaMghwaysafety and
@gohsgeorgia on Twitter.
INCIDENT REPORTS
These vacuums don't suck
The Coach and Buggy Car Wash located 1544 Eatonton
Road reported an unusual problem to the Madison Police
Department.
Customers were complainingthatequipmentatthebusiness
didn’t suck.
According to an employee of the car wash, multiple cus
tomers called to complain about low suction in the vacuum
cleaners on Dec. 13.
An inspection of the vacuum cleaners revealed that the
service doors on several units had not been properly closed.
The service doors, which require a key to be opened, didn’t
appear to be forced open. Further inspection revealed that
six of the vacuum cleaners were missing refuse collectors,
valued at $40 each.
Areview of surveillancevideo showed a 1997 Honda Accord
moving from vacuum cleaner to vacuum cleaner at approx
imately 1 a.m.
The Madison Police Department followed up with the tag
number and has identified the owner of the vehicle.
The incident was still under investigation at press time.
- T. Michael Stone
Rifles stolen in Buckhead
According to the Morgan County Sheriff s office, two rifles
have been reported stolen from a residence on Saffold Road
in Buckhead.
The rifles were reported missing by owners on Dec. 11. They
were last seen behind the back seat of a silver 2007 Dodge
Ram truck.
The owner of the guns was hospitalized and asked his son to
remove the guns from the vehicle and put them in a gun safe.
When he tried to retrieve the rifles, they were gone.
The rifles were identified as a .243 Winchester bolt action
model, blue with a brown stock with serial number G1751709
and a Marlin .22 bolt action long rifle, dark blue with a black
stock, serial number 91481003.
The estimated value of the two rifles is $850.
-T. Michael Stone
Lake Country Crime Reports
MORGAN COUNTY
SHERIFF'S OFFICE
Carnell Porter, 60, of Madison was arrested
Dec. 14 and charged with obstruction of an
officer.
Tyquan Maurice Harris, 22, of Hephzibah
was arrested Dec. 14 and charged with
possession of marijuana (less than one
ounce), improper passing and failure to
maintain lane.
Nyeisa Goodman, 22, of Madison was
arrested Dec. 16 and charged with driving
with a suspended license.
Michelle Hepburn Crumbery, 51, of River-
dale was arrested Dec. 16 and charged with
driving with a suspended license.
GREENE COUNTY
SHERIFF'S OFFICE
Larodus Demetric Jackson, 39, of Union
Point was arrested Dec. 12 and charged
with DUI, possession of a firearm by a
convicted felon, criminal use of an arti
cle with an altered ID, no insurance and
impeding the flow of traffic.
Darren A. Ware, 50, of Bluffton, South
Carolina, was arrested Dec. 12 and charged
with driving while his license was sus
pended or revoked.
Matthew Neil Whitton, 35, of was arrested
Dec. 14 on a probation violation.
Kerry Ladell Clemons, 37, was arrested Dec.
14. (No charges listed).
Nathan Ortez Broadus, 29, of Greensboro
was arrested Dec. 14 and charged with DUI
(drugs).
Darlene Ward Mitchell, 51, of Siloam was
arrested Dec. 15 and charged with criminal
trespassing.
Chadrick Lamont Sims, 30, of Atlanta was
arrested Dec. 15 and charged with driving
with a suspended license and giving a
false name or false information to a police
officer.
Ronald Mckely Moore, 47, of Lewis Center,
Ohio, was arrested Dec. 16 on a warrant
issued by the Atlanta Police Department.
Brandon Chico Johnson, 30, of Greensboro
was arrested Dec. 16 and charged with DUI
and speeding.
Catlyn Wendi Ward, 27, was arrested Dec. 17
and charged with simple battery.
Dustin Lee Cronan, 31, of Grovetown was
arrested Dec. 18 and charged with fleeing
or attempting to elude a police officer,
habitual violator, reckless driving license
plate and registration violations.
GREENSBORO POLICE
On Monday, Dec. 11, officers responded to
the Family Dollar located at 210 North
Main Street, Greensboro, in reference to a
possible theft by taking. The store asso
ciate stated that two empty boxes of male
cologne were left in the isle and that she
was unable to get access to the camera
at the time of the report. There was no
further incident.
On Monday, Dec. 11, officers responded to
1150 Pool Road, Lot No. 6, Greensboro,
in reference to a verbal dispute. After
speaking to both parties, they agreed
to separate for the night. There was no
further incident.
On Thursday, Dec. 14, officers responded to
1900 Old Union Point Road, Greensboro,
in reference to a fight. The complainant
said a co-worker was being assaulted by
her boyfriend, so she got into the com
plainant's vehicle where he gave her a ride
back to work. Upon arrival at their job, the
girlfriend ran into the building, and the
boyfriend tried to fight the complainant.
Officers spoke with the girlfriend, and
she stated that she normally meets with
her boyfriend during break, they got into
an argument and he began choking her.
She got away from him and jumped into
a co-worker's vehicle. The shift supervi
sor advised that he wanted the boyfriend
criminally trespassed from the property.
STEFFEN THOMAS
MUSEUM SHOP
Tuesday - Saturday 11:00 AM-4:00 PM
Steven Thomas Oriffinads and Prints
Currently featuring a wide selection of pottery
from North Carolina Potters, Interchangable
Snap Jewelry and much more!
Shop first and get free admission to Museum
with shop purchase of $10 or more!
4200 Bethany Road, Buckhead, GA 30625
706-342-7557 www.steffenthomas.org
Karl Burton of 1920 Short Road, Sparta,
was issued a criminal trespassing warning
for 1900 Old Union Point Road, Greens
boro. Burton was unable to be located at
the time of the report. The victim was
advised of the TPO process.
On Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017, Officers
responded to 203 East South Street,
Greensboro GA in reference to an alarm
activation. All windows and doors were
secured.
On Thursday Dec. 14, officers arrested James
Saunders of 1290 Green Acres Drive,
Union Point. Saunders was charged with
driving under the influence of alcohol, no
insurance, driving while license suspend
ed, suspended registration and an open
container violation. Saunders was also ar
rested on a warrant for probation violation
out of Social Circle.
On Thursday, Dec. 14, Officers arrested
Mario Sweat of 1900 Walker Church Road,
Greensboro. Sweat was charged with an
open container violation and obstruction
of law enforcement. Sweat was also ar
rested on a warrant out of Greensboro.
For the week of December 10-16, rhe
Greensboro Police Department responded
to five accidents and 10 citations were
issued.
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