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Page 3 • The OGLETHORPE Echo • Thursday, October 14, 2021
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FLOCK alert results
in drug arrest, expired
vehicle tag or decal
On October 3 at 9:07 pm,
Cpl. Colt Young was alerted
from the FLOCK System on a
blue Chrysler Town & Country
van with a license plate that ex
pired on 08-03-2021 which was
verified through Dispatch. He
ran the plate through GCIC and
it came back to a subject out of
Woodville. Young sat stationary
in the BP gas station parking lot
on Athens Road and when the
vehicle passed him, he pulled out
behind it activating his emergen
cy lights. The vehicle turned onto
South Broad Street and continued
300 yards before finally stopping
in front of the Lexington Fire De
partment. As the officer followed
behind the vehicle, he observed
a large cloud of smoke exit the
vehicle’s passenger side front
window.
After the vehicle stopped, Cpl.
Young made contact with the
driver, Deirdre Smith. As Young
walked to the vehicle, he could
smell a strong odor of burnt
marijuana in the area. He advised
Ms. Smith of the reason for the
traffic stop and asked for her
driver’s license. While speaking
with the subject, the officer could
still smell the odor of burnt mari
juana as well as the odor of raw,
unsmoked marijuana coming
from inside the vehicle. Smith
had rolled down all front and rear
windows.
Cpl. Young asked Ms. Smith
to exit the vehicle and meet with
him at the rear of her vehicle. She
would not exit the vehicle and
began questioning why when he
asked her to exit the vehicle. He
advised that he would explain it
to her when she complied and
she finally exited the vehicle. At
the rear of her vehicle, Young
advised Ms. Smith that he could
smell the odor of bums and raw
marijuana and asked if there was
any marijuana in the vehicle. She
stated she was smoking a blunt
when the officer stopped her and
she put it out in her ash tray.
The officer searched the ve
hicle and located a half-smoked
blunt with a green leafy sub
stance in the ash tray. He also
located a green Crown Royal bag
containing a clear glass jar be
tween the front driver’s seat and
passenger’s seat. Young removed
the jar from the bag and saw sev
eral clear plastic baggies inside.
He removed the baggies and ob
served a green leafy substance in
each bag with a strong odor of
raw marijuana. Young counted
13 individual baggies containing
a green leafy substance. Twelve
of the baggies had the letter “G”
written on them with a black
marker. He also located a small
black digital scale in the center
area of the front of the passenger
compartment.
Ms. Smith was placed under
arrest for possession of marijua
na with intent to distribute. The
van was towed. Ms. Smith was
transported to the Oglethorpe
County Jail and issued a citation
for expired registration. The of
ficer was actively seeking a war
rant for possession of marijuana
with intent to distribute. The sus
pected marijuana was placed into
evidence.
Lexington woman
arrested for public
drunkenness. Oct. 3
Cpl. Colt Young and Deputy
A. J. Wiles were dispatched to
Mellinese’s Apartments at 8:31
pm on October 3 to a possible in
toxicated driver suspected to be
Gail Cobbins. On scene, the offi
cers made contact with Ms. Cob-
bins in her apartment. She was
slumped in a recliner, clothes
disheveled, slurring her words
and crying hysterically. She was
in a dispute with her husband. He
stated she was drunk and want
ing to argue; he wanted to sleep.
Neighbors came by asking Ms.
Cobbins to get away with them
outside to calm down and escape
the situation.
She agreed and walked outside
in her socks not wanting to put on
shoes. While inside talking with
the female, Col. Young found a
smoking device with green leafy
residue inside. The officers de
stroyed the device.
They left Ms. Cobbins with the
understanding she would calm
down and not cause any more
problems.
At 10:04 that same evening,
the officers were dispatched
again to the same apartments in
reference to Ms. Cobbins. Her
husband called stating she was
walking back and forth, continu
ing to yell and curse at him.
The officers began looking for
Ms. Cobbins who was not in the
immediate area but was found
slumped at the back door of an
apartment. She again was very
disheveled, slurring her words.
She began to yell at and curse her
husband.
Due to Ms. Cobbins’ current
impaired state, she was placed
under arrest for public drunken
ness. She was placed in the back
of the patrol vehicle where she
began to threaten her husband
who was inside the house. She
was stomping the floor and cry
ing. Deputy Wiles tried to calm
her down but she continued to be
hysterical all the way to the jail
and continued with jail staff'.
Motorcyclist wrecks
on Smithonia Road
after fleeing officers
While Cpl. Colt Young and
Deputy A. J. Wiles were check
ing traffic safety in the area of
Collier Church Road and Smi
thonia Road, Colbert way, on
October 4, Deputy Wiles ob
served a motorcycle come to a
complete stop at the 4-way stop
sign. It continued straight down
Smithonia Road and appeared
to not have a license place af
fixed to the rear. Wiles pulled
onto Smithonia Road, activated
his blue lights, and tried to catch
up to the motorcycle. Wiles saw
only the taillights and the vehi
cle did not appear to be slowing
down. Wiles activated his siren
to get the subject’s attention.
The motorcycle’s driver contin
ued to gain speed. Deputy Wiles
reached speeds over 90 mph and
was still unable to gain on the
motorcycle.
During pursuit, due to the
road conditions and fog at times,
the officer had to slow down to
maintain road visibility. He lost
visual of the motorcycle just in
side Madison County. He con
tinued in an attempt to regain
sight of the motorcycle until he
reached the stop sign on 8 th Av
enue. When he reached the stop
sign, Cpl. Young advised he saw
the motorcycle wrecked in the
woodline in the sharp curve.
Wiles made contact with Cpl.
Young at the wreck scene and
located the subject laying face
down on the ground with the mo
torcycle beside him.
The officers radioed for EMS
to come quickly (10-18) because
the subject was not making any
movement or responding to com
mands. The subject began moan
ing in pain but not talk or answer
questions. The officers believed
the bike was on top of his right
arm so they picked the bike up
and turned it over on its other
side.
Madison County EMS arrived
and was able to put the subject
on a backboard and move to a
stretcher. EMS personnel cut
off the subject’s jacket and Cpl.
Young searched the pockets find
ing a hard zipper case. Inside
were two clear baggies with a
clear crystal-like substance that
later field-tested positive for the
presence of methamphetamines.
A digital scale in the form of a
key FOB was discovered with
crystal-like residue on it. A cell
phone was also located near the
subject. A black wallet was tak
en from the subject’s right back
pocket in an eff ort to ID the rider.
When further examining the mo
torcycle, it was found there was
a license plate affixed to the rear
but the tag light was too dim to
read the license plate from 50
feet away. The license plate was
covered in black rubber dust
from the rear tire.
Madison County EMS ad
vised they had to use 4 mg of
Narcan while enroute to the hos
pital and the subject began to talk
and answer medical questions.
Madison County deputies
were on scene to assist with
scene safety. Georgia State Pa
trol was also requested to work
the wreck.
Deputy A. J. Wiles would be
seeking warrants for the arrest
of the subject for the following
charges: reckless driving, pos
session of methamphetamines,
possession of drug-related ob
jects, felony fleeing or attempt
to elude, driving on revoked li
cense, and tag light requirements.
Man wanted for fel
ony warrant found
in garage on Sandy
Cross Road
On October 5 at 10:44
am, Sgt. Andrew Brooks and
Cpl. Allan Krish were attempt
ing to serve a felony warrant on
Sandy Cross Road, Lexington,
on a Mark Loving. Deputies
were out at this address the night
before in reference to Loving be
ing impaired, cutting the grass
of several neighbors on a riding
lawnmower without their per
mission. The deputies located the
lawnmower but not the subject.
While pulling into a drive
way on Sandy Cross Road, Sgt.
Brooks noticed a white male
coming from the back porch
area. The man stated he was just
trying to get Loving to come to
the door to let him know he was
on the property. The man stated
he was storing his camper at the
residence and needed to place
some items in the camper. The
man denied entering the resi
dence.
The back door was open in the
same area the man was coming
from. Cpl. Krish and Sgt. Brooks
cleared the house to make sure
the house wasn’t broken into
and there were no subjects were
inside. The officers announced
themselves before entering the
home and advised anyone in
the house to show themselves.
The officers continued through
the residence. The residence ap
peared to be normal with dogs
everywhere along with dog feces
and urine all on the floor. While
walking out of the residence,
Brooks noticed what appeared
to be a human leg sticking out
of a bunch of items in the en
closed garage. He ordered the
subject to come out or be tased.
The subject continued to lie still
as Brooks made his way over to
the area where he located Mr.
Loving hiding. Loving stood
up, acting abnormal, shaking his
shorts and continue to do so until
Cpl. Krish handcuffed him. Cpl.
Krish asked Loving if he had
something “stuffed in your butt”
to which Loving stated, “No.”
Sgt. Brooks looked where Mr.
Loving was laying and noticed
in plain view a large bag of a
crystal-like substance and a glass
smoking device that also had
a crystal substance inside. The
crystal-like substance weighed
28.2 grams equal to 1.2 ounces
and field tested positive for meth
amphetamines by Sgt. Mathe.
Mr. Loving was transported to
Oglethorpe County Jail charged
with obstruction, trafficking
methamphetamines, tools of the
crime, and Agency Assist.
Mr. Loving gave permission
to the man at the residence to
feed and water the dogs.
Unlicensed speeder
arrested on
Washington Road
Cpl. Colt Young observed a
black Volvo S40 traveling west
on Washington Road at Arbor
Place at a high rate of speed
on October 7 at 5:04 am. He
checked the vehicle’s speed us
ing his Raptor Radar unit to be
73 mph when the posted speed
limit was 55 mph.
He conducted a traffic stop on
the vehicle on Washington Road
near the Stevens Grove Church
Road. The officer made contact
with the vehicle’s driver, identi
fied as Dremeca Reid, and ad
vised him of the reason for the
traffic stop. When asked for his
driver’s license, Mr. Reid advised
he did not have a license and his
class “C” had been suspended for
child support obligations. The li
cense suspension was confirmed
through Dispatch.
Mr. Reid was placed under
arrest and transported to the
Oglethorpe County Jail where he
was issued citations for speeding
and driving while license sus
pended. The Volva was towed.
Fairground Road
man faces charges
of elder abuse, bat
tery, assault
On October 9 at 8 am, Sgt.
Andrew Brooks was dispatched
to Fairground Road, Lexington,
in reference to a domestic that
had been physical during the
night. Brooks met with the vic
tim’s grandson who stated that
his uncle, Melvin Bryant, jumped
his grandfather, pulled a knife on
him, took the phone preventing a
911 call, pushed him down and
poured urine all over his bed.
The grandson stated he lives with
his grandfather and was at work
at the time of the incident but
called 911. The grandson stated
Bryant lives in a building behind
the house.
The victim stated that he
goes to the pain clinic, got his
prescription yesterday, and Bry
ant wanted the pills to sell. The
victim stated he gives all his
medications to his daughter just
so Bryant doesn’t take them.
The victim reported that Bry
ant came in drunk demanding
the pills and cursing at him. The
victim refused to give Bryant
the pills and was pushed to the
floor. The victim stated he called
a next door neighbor to get him
up. Once she came over and got
him back on his walker, he tried
to call 911. The victim stated
Bryant took the black cordless
phone away from him prevent
ing the 911 call and poured a full
urinal onto his bed. The victim
stated Bryant continued cursing
him. The victim stated he made
his way to the kitchen to unplug
the cord that runs to Bryant’s out
building. He said Bryant grabbed
a butcher knife from the kitchen
drawer coming towards him and
threatening him. Several people
were able to get Mr. Bryant out
of the house. The victim stated
that later the Oglethorpe deputies
showed up but he refused to talk
for fear of what Mr. Bryant might
do. The victim also stated that his
daughter came over and changed
his bedding at 2:30 am due to the
urine that was poured on it.
Sgt. Brooks spoke with Mr.
Bryant in the outbuilding and the
subject had a strong odor of an
alcoholic beverage coming from
his breath. Brooks also noticed
an opened bottle of Paul Mos-
saun by the TV. Bryant denied
anything happening and did state
the victim got his pills yester
day and owed him some but the
victim refused to give them up.
Bryant denied pushing the victim
down, taking his phone, pull
ing a knife and pouring urine on
the bed. Mr. Bryant was told to
wait on the porch while the offi
cer spoke with the victim. When
Brooks came out of the residence
Mr. Bryant was gone.
Sgt. Brooks spoke with the
victim’s daughter and she stated
that Bryant said he wasn’t going
back to jail.
Sgt. Brooks reported he has
spoken with the victim on sev
eral occasions and stops by to
check on his welfare. The victim
always complains about Bryant
using his power, having people
coming in and out of his house
all hours of the night and drug
use on his property. The victim
always asks Brooks if he sees a
crowd to stop by and see him so
they would leave and he could
get some sleep.
Sgt. Brooks planned to take
warrants on Mr. Bryant for elder
abuse, battery and aggravated as
Whoever guards his
mouth and tongue keeps
his soul from troubles.
Dennis Peter Helmreich
Attorney-at-Law
120 W. Main Street - Lexington, Georgia 30648
706-743-3410
sault.
Man charged with
multiple offenses
after not using turn
signal
Sgt. Andrew Brooks made a
traffic stop on a gray Chevy Mon
te Carlo at 12:25 pm on October
8 in reference to not using a right
turn signal to turn off of GA-10
into Oak Tree Plaza. The black
male driver immediately exited
the vehicle and Brooks met him
at the back passenger door. The
officer could smell a strong odor
of marijuana coming from the
subject’s vehicle and person.
Cpl. Allan Krish and Deputy
A. J. Wiles arrived on scene.
Deputy Wiles detained the male
subject identified as Dewayne
Fanning. Sgt. Brooks located a
bag of marijuana on the pave
ment where the subject was
standing. Fanning stated that the
turn signal didn’t work on the car
and that his license was suspend
ed. Brooks verified the license
through GCIC. The license plate
on the vehicle out of Georgia be
longed to a 1997 Honda Accord.
Mr. Fanning stated he bought the
car a while ago but didn’t register
it. The car also had no insurance.
Mr. Fanning was placed under
arrest for no turn signal, driving
while suspended, concealing the
identify of a vehicle, possession
of marijuana, no insurance and
operating an unregistered vehi
cle.
The vehicle was towed and
Mr. Fanning was transported to
Oglethorpe County Jail.
No headlight leads
to arrest of two for
drug-related offenses
On October 8 at 7:35 pm,
Sgt. Andrew Brooks was travel
ing east on Hargrove Lake Road
when he noticed a silver Honda
Accord with a headlight out
turning right off of Beaverdam
Road onto Hargrove Lake Road.
Brooks turned around on the ve
hicle and it sped up turning right
onto Senior Lane heading back
to Beaverdam Road. The vehicle
finally stopped just past Carter
C emetery Road.
The driver was identified as
Alan O’Bryant and the front
passenger, Kirby Warden. There
was also a back seat passenger.
Brooks was familiar with all
three from past drug arrests. The
back seat passenger was on fel
ony probation and had a Fourth
Amendment Waiver. The officer
recently arrested O’Bryant and
Warden on drug charges and
they were currently out on bond
and signed a Fourth Amend
ment Waiver as part of their bond
condition. Due to their suspi
cious activity and being known
for drugs along with the Fourth
Amendments, Sgt. Brooks de
cided to get all subjects out of
the car. O’Bryant gave consent
to search the vehicle denying any
drugs or weapons on the car. The
See Sheriff’s report Page Five
Obituaries
Daisy Bagwell
Daisy Melton Bagwell, 90, of
Winterville, died October 8, 2021.
A lifelong resident of this area,
Daisy was a daughter of the late
Henry Gordon Melton and Amettie
Bradley Melton and was preceded
in death by her husband of fifty-
eight years, Louis F. Bagwell.
She retired from Dairy Pak after
thirty-five years and was a member
of Johnson Drive Baptist Church.
Graveside services was Tues
day, October 12, at 2:00 PM at Ev
ergreen Memorial Park. The fam
ily received friends from 1:00 until
2:00 PM at the graveside.
Survivors include a son, Kenny
(Leigh) Bagwell; two sisters, Joyce
Bonner and Bonnie LaCount; a
granddaughter, Ashley (Jared)
Carter; and three great-grandchil
dren.
Memorials may be made to
Johnson Drive Baptist Church, 145
Johnson Drive, Athens, GA 30605.
Lord and Stephens Funeral
Home, EAST, Athens, was in
charge of arrangements.
Letha McDonald Booth
Letha Gail Hancock McDonald
Booth, 70, of Watson Mill Road,
Comer, passed away on Tuesday,
October 5, 2021, at her residence.
She was twice married, first for
36 years to the late Henry Harmon
“Honkey” McDonald and second
for 16 years to Byron Pope “Bo”
Booth who survives.
Letha was bom in Athens on
April 13, 1951, daughter of the late
Henry Amos Hancock and Flor
ence Allie Nation Hancock.
She was a retired supervisor
from the sewing industry and had
also worked as a bus monitor for
the Oglethorpe County School
System. She was an active member
of Collier Baptist Church and en
joyed riding motorcycles with the
Christian Motorcycle Association.
She also enjoyed making arts and
crafts as well as being a salesper
son for Premier Designs Jewelry.
In addition to her husband Bo,
she is survived by her son, Wesley
and Teresa McDonald of Comer;
siblings: Linda and Watson Ar
mour of Washington and David
and Helen Hancock of Comer;
grandchildren: Ashley and Adam
Akridge, Caleb and Rebecca Mc
Donald, Cody McDonald, Tiffany
High, Tabitha and Bricen Brad-
berry, and Emily McDonald; great
grandchildren: Jaxon, Jaron, and
Arion; and numerous other rela
tives and friends.
In addition to her first husband
and parents, she is preceded in
death by her brother, Johnny Han
cock; and an infant sibling.
Graveside services were held on
Sunday, October 10, at 3 o’clock at
Collier Cemetery.
Contributions may be made in
her memory to the charity of one’s
choice.
Berry Funeral Home & Crema
tory of Elberton was respectfully
in charge of arrangements for Mrs.
Letha Gail Hancock McDonald
Booth.
Arnoldsville Volunteer
Fire Department
Bar-B-Que
When: October 30,2021
Where: Arnoldsville Volunteer Fire Dept
436 Yancey Road
Time: 11:00 - 3:00 OR until sold out
Bar-B-Que Pork $10/lb
Stew $10/Quart
*No tickets being sold*
*First come, First serve*
He/p us continue to do the things
needed to keep your/SO rating low.
Thanks for your support/