The Oconee County Sheriff's Office reported the following incidents:
DUI SUSPECT: On June 27, a citizen called to report a man had run offHog Mountain Road and his pickup was stopped on a grassy hill. The deputy found the pickup and the driver passed out behind the wheel. The man had chewing tobacco juice leaking from his mouth and down his shirt and pants. Once he was awakened, he got out, but the truck rolled back into the deputy's patrol unit. The man had a strong odor of alcohol, bloodshot eyes and didn't know where he was. He said he drank three Tropicalia beers in Athens and hequestioned why the deputy stopped him. He then asked to speak privately with the officer, and explainedhe was once a firefighter in Barrow County, had just opened a new businessand because he was on probation for DUI, he wanted the deputy to call a friend to take him home. The 40-year-old Loganville man refused to take sobriety tests. He was charged with DUI.
More:Oconee blotter: Words, fists fly in disputes over swimming pool privileges, fireworks
DRIVING DISPUTE: On June 28, two 19-year-old twins from Athens reported they drove to the drive-thru at Cookout off Epps Bridge Parkway, where a woman began hitting their window along with yelling and cursing. She then went to her car and pulled out a baseball bat, at which time they drove off. The suspect called the sheriff's office and was able to explain to the deputy that as she drove into the Lowe's parking lot, she was beingtailgated by the twins and when she stopped for three pedestrians, the girls drove around her quickly and endangered the pedestrians. The 55-year-old Athens woman followed them to Cookout, where she intended to speak with them about their driving. However, they began yelling and cursing, which is why she got the baseball bat. The deputy reported he would view the security-video footage of the incident.
WOODLANDS HIDEOUT: On June 30, deputies were dispatched to the Chick-fil-Aon Epps Bridge Parkwaywhere a 51-year-old truck driver from Lithoniareported he was unloading supplies about 4 a.m. when he saw a man in the cab of his truck. He yelled and the man ran. Deputies located a Nissan Maxima with a man passed out in the backseat. After being awakened, he said the person who brought him here was gone. The deputy asked the man to call the driver. He was able to connect and asked him where he was. He replied he "was hiding in he woods from the cops." Deputies went into the adjacent woods and arrested the 34-year-old Comer man. Deputies also seized items often used in burglaries, including flashlights, pliers, gloves and a screwdriver. A pistol was found in the car. Items taken from the truck driver were returned to the driver and the suspect was taken to jail.
DUI SUSPECT: On July 1, a deputy patrolling about 11 p.m. on Mars Hill Road observed a Cadillac SRX stopin the middle of the road, then make a turn onto Woodland Court into the wrong lane of travel. The vehicle was stopped and the driver remarked to the deputy, "God where am I?" and "Where am I going?" He was holding his phone with the GPS on. When asked to get out, he took three steps and fell. He admitted to drinking two Fireballs. The deputy asked him questions, including how many quarters are in a dollar and he replied, "Too many." The 50-year-old Paulding County man refused sobriety tests, but was charged with DUI.
DUI APOLOGY: On July 2, Deputy Annessa Glenn was running radar on Georgia Highway 316 when she picked up a car traveling 89 mph. It sped up when she turned on the blue lights. Upon stopping the Nissan Versa, the 23-year-old Athens man said, "I know; I'm sorry." The man had watery eyes, smelled of alcohol and admitted to drinking. He was charged with DUI.
DUI SUSPECTS: On July 3, a deputy was patrolling on the Athens Perimeter about 2 a.m. when he saw a pickup—black smoke pouring from the tailpipe and speeding at 90 mph —crossthe centerline. The 18-year-old Watkinsville resident was taken to jail on a DUI charge. Sometime later that morning, a 43-year-old woman related to the teenshowed up at the jail. She was unsteady on her feet and had bloodshot eyes. When the deputy approached, she was using her phone and told the other person, "Now they're gonna get me." She admitted drinking some "plain vodka" and was charged with DUI.
RACING: On July 5, Deputy Dylan Pulliam was driving onto the Athens Perimeterabout 2:15 a.m. when two vehicles sped by him extremely fast. He turned on his blue lights in pursuit of the vehicles traveling in excess of 100 mph. A Jeep Cherokee pulled over, but the other vehicle sped off. The 33-year-old Athens man in the Jeep said he didn't know the other driver, but he made a "dumb decision" to race him. He was charged with racing.
FRAUD AVERTED: On July 1, a 73-year-old Watkinsville woman reported she received a phone call from a man purporting to be her grandson. He was in the Fulton County Jail and needed bail money. She was then put in contact with a manwho said he was a lawyer. This man said bond was set at $185,000, but he had negotiated it down to $85,000. He told her to withdraw the money and he would tell her where to mail it to a location where it would not arouse suspicions. The woman called her daughter and bank and found out it was a scam so she stopped communicating with the caller.
