James Johnson

Name:
Johnson, James Walter

Date of Booking:
08/15/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
DUI – DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS

FAILURE TO REPORT STRIKING FIXED OBJECT

RECKLESS DRIVING

DUTY TO REPORT ACCIDENT

DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED OR REVOKED (MISDEMEANOR)

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 August 14, 2026, at approximately 11:40pm, I responded to Walmart, located at 30983 Highway 441, Commerce, in reference to an MVA.

CAD notes stated there was a Penske rental truck actively running over things in the parking lot. The driver of the Penske truck had now run over a concrete pole in the parking lot and was stuck. After getting stuck, the driver had gotten out of the truck and was “flipping out” and he was now screaming at someone in the parking lot. The complainant stated the driver seems to be “tweaking”, pacing back and forth and shaking, and was now following people around the parking lot arguing with them.

Upon arrival, I located the driver of the Penske truck, later identified as James Johnson. Johnson told me that an unknown man had climbed up underneath his truck and took a part from the truck which caused him unable to stop. I asked Johnson where the man was and he said in the parking lot and then later said he didn’t know. Johnson went back to talking about the truck would not stop and without a pause in his sentence he said, “so I guess now I just get shot dead because one guy wants to have a different girl”. Johnson was asked if he had his driver’s license and he stated it was in his truck. Johnson gave Deputy Lunsford permission to retrieve his license from the truck and later gave him permission to search the truck.

As Johnson continued to tell me about the man who had climbed under his truck I could see he was unable to stand still and was sweating profusely. Johnson then placed his hands on his head for some unknown reason. I asked Johnson if he had anything in his pockets and he stated a pocketknife. I asked Johnson if I could search his pockets and he gave me permission. I found no items of concern and removed the knives. While searching Johnson, he began rambling on about law enforcement not being legit with him, a female bugging his phone and someone killing or trying to kill him. Johnson then stated the man who had gotten underneath his truck had turned off the cameras at Walmart so I could not see it.

I asked Johnson if he had anything to drink and he stated no. I asked if he had taken any prescription medication and he stated no. Johnson asked me not to let the unknown man kill him. I then asked Johnson if he had taken any illegal drugs. Johnson stated no and then continued to talk about how his girlfriend is pregnant and is unsure if the child belongs to him or the unknown man. Johnson then stated the unknown man was my boss, “[REDACTED]”.

I continued to try and inquire about how he had struck things in the parking lot and Johnson could not piece together a story or timeline and continued to blame the truck for not being able to stop. I then went inside the loss prevention office and reviewed video. Johnson arrived at Walmart at approximately 10:55pm and continued to drive throughout the parking lot until he struck the Tesla charging station at approximately 11:37pm and then into the handicapped pole at approximately 11:38pm. I also learned that Johnson struck a trailer attached to a truck while in the parking lot; however, the owner declined to press charges.

After reviewing the video, I returned outside to speak to Johnson and requested he submit to field sobriety evaluations and he agreed. I asked Johnson if he would stand at the end of one of the parking stall lines and he asked for more water. I told Johnson yes and at no time did he ever grab his water, he just continued to talk at random. I reminded Johnson several times that he could drink his water, but he never did. Deputy Lunsford began talking on the radio, which put Johnson on edge. Johnson stopped talking and was concerned we were calling for assistance. I told Johnson we were not calling anyone, and I asked Johnson again if he wanted water and he chose not to drink it.

I asked Johnson to come over to me and stand on the yellow line. Johnson was holding items in his hand and asked me what to do with them. I told him he could put it in his pocket. Johnson took a deep breath and fumbled with the items in his hands like he didn’t know what he wanted to do with them. Johnson put one of the items in his pocket and then asked me what to do with the other. I told Johnson he could put it in his pocket or drop it onto the ground. I asked Johnson if he still wanted to do the evaluations and he stated yes but still never moved after I asked him to move towards the starting line.

Johnson started talking about death again and rambling on saying something along the lines of it’s not like that. Again, I asked Johnson to move to the line to start and slowly shuffled his feet towards it but was not really making any actual movement towards the starting line. At that time, I told Johnson we could conduct the fields where he was ws standing, and I walked closer to him. I told Johnson to keep his feet together and his arms down by his side. Johnson immediately responded, “pleasese don’t fu*king shoot me”. I told Johnson I was not going to shoot him and asked him to put his feet together and his arms down by his side. Johnson asked me if he could lay down face first and I told him he could not do the evaluations laying down. I asked Johnson again if he wanted to do the evaluations and he mumbled words and then asked what would happen if he did not perform the evaluations.

At this point, during my contact with Johnson, I observed he was continuously exhibiting behavior consistent with narcotic impairment. Johnson’s pupils were dilated and would not constrict when introduced to light, he was sweating profusely; his speech was intermittently rapid and he mumbled often. Johnson was unable to maintain a consistent subject of conversation and would shift topics without an apparent connection. Johnson made several disorganized or nonsensical statements and demonstrated significant difficulty in maintaining a coherent train of thought and decision-making abilities.

With those observations and in addition to the fact that Johnson had legitimately been driving around the parking lot of Walmart for roughly an hour, and in the process struck the shopping cart stalls, another vehicle, the Tesla charging station and sign and concrete pole, I determined Johnson to be impaired to the point he was less safe to operate a motor vehicle.

I placed Johnson in handcuffs, behind his back, double locking and checking for proper fit. He was placed in the back seat of my patrol car where I read him Georgia Implied Consent – Suspects 21 and over, from my green card, and asked for blood. Johnson agreed to give blood. I transported Johnson to Northeast Georgia Medical Center – Habersham and during transport, Johnson continued to carry on a conversation with someone he believed was in the backseat with him, although he was alone.

Also, while enroute to the hospital, Deputy Lunsford notified me that Johnson had allegedly made comments about consumingng Fentanyl. When we arrived on scene at the hospital, at approximately 12:50am, I read Johnson his Miranda warning and he agreed to speak with me. I asked Johnson if he had consumed Fentanyl today. Johnson did not admit or deny using Fentanyl and only stated he couldn’t because of another medication he takes.

While at Northeast Georgia Medical Center – Habersham, phlebotomist [REDACTED] [REDACTED BY AGENCY] obtained two (2) vials of blood from Johnson, which were subsequently packaged in a GBI Blood Alcohol Toxicology Kit and sealed. Once obtained, I placed Johnson, back in handcuffs, behind his back, double locked and checked for proper fit. Johnson was then transported to the Banks County Jail where he was turned over to jail staff.

I released Johnson to the jail on a copy of five (5) citations. Johnson was charged with DUI – Drugs O.C.G.A. 40-6-391, Reckless Driving O.C.G.A. 40-6-390, Duty upon Stirking Fixture O.C.G.A. 40-6-272, Failure to Report Crash Resulting in Property Damage O.C.G.A. 40-6-273, Driving While License Suspended O.C.G.A. 40-5-121 and his active arrest warrant out of North Carolina.

[End of Narrative]