Zachary Umberger

Name:
Umberger, Zachary Charles

Date of Booking:
08/11/2026

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

OPEN CONTAINER

PUBLIC INDECENCY-1ST OR 2ND OFFENSE – 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.]

[NARRATIVE #1 on August 11, 2026]

On August 11, 2026, at approximately 16:18, I, Deputy Craymer, responded to Hwy 441 to BOLO for a gold Ford truck that was involved in an indecent exposure at the Homer Exxon. The vehicle was located and a traffic stop was conducted by Deputy Lunsford. Once the vehicle came to a stop, deputies exited their vehicle to conduct the investigation. The offender’s vehicle began to travel forward as if he were to be fleeing. Due to the threat of the offender fleeing, a felony stop was conducted to remove the driver. The driver complied with all lawful orders given. The offender was identified as Zachary Umberger.

During the investigation, Umberger admitted to purchasing and consuming alcohol while at Homer Exxon. He stated that while he was there, he drank 4 beers that he had bought from Homer Exxon while playing in their game room. He then walked past the bathroom to go outside and urinate in the wood line. After doing so, he walked to the back of the building and dropped his paint. His genitals were exposed to anybody that would come by and to the employees watching the cameras. Deputies had probable cause to arrest for indecent exposure.

During the course of our investigation, Umberger admitted to consuming alcohol at the Exxon and to consuming two additional beers prior to arriving at the Exxon. He also stated that had had multiple gas station bought CBD points. Umberger had glossy eyes and the odor of alcohol on his breath. He also failed to understand or properly answer simple questions about the investigation. To determine if Umberger was impaired, I asked him if he was willing to participate in standardized field sobriety tests. He stated that he would.

I positioned Umberger to check for horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN). I informed him of the instructions and we began the testing. Umberger has long and baggy eye lids and did not open them fully for me to clearly see his eyes. He stopped to take long blinks and to rub his eyes multiple times throughout the test. He also got distracted by what deputies were doing behind me and would stop to look at them during the test. Due to these reasons, I was unable to detect nystagmus during the test. This granted me 0 clues.

I then positioned Umberger for the walk and turn. I allowed Umberger to use the white fog line during the test. I provided Umberger with the instructions and a demonstration of the test. I asked him if he understood and he said yes. I asked him if he had any questions and he said no. Umberger had attempted to test the testing while I was providing a demonstration but stop himself before actually taking a step.

After confirming that he understood the instructions, I had him begin. He took his first step which was heal to toe, began to loose his balance, then quickly walked an additional 10 steps (11 total) down the line. While walking the rushed steps, Umberger lifted his arms up off his side and was using them for balance. The rushed steps were not heal to toe. After taking 11 steps down, Umberger began to walk backwards, attempting to walk heal to toe instead of turning around as instructed. He took 10 steps backwards down the line, with the majority of them not being heal to toe. This provided me with 4 clues.

I them positioned Umberger for the one leg stand. I informed him of the instructions and provided him with a demonstration. I asked if he understood and he said yes. I asked if he had any questions and he told me no. I got my stopwatch ready and told him to begin. Instead of keeping his leg straight and pointing his toe while counting, Umberger lifted his foot directly up under his body while bending that leg at the knee. He did not count out loud. Even while not following the instructions properly, I was still able to see Umberger swaying to try and maintain his balance. Due to Umberger not properly listening to instructions, this test only provided me with 1 clue.

Umberger was informed he was under arrest for DUI and indecent exposure. Umberger asked what he did wrong on the tests because he thought he did them correctly. As I began to explain, he told me the tests were confusing and he did not understand the instructions (although I confirmed with him that he did after the instructions and demonstrations).

Because of Umberger’s confession to consuming alcohol, then playing in the game room before having to go outside and urinating (providing the alcohol enough time to affect his ability to drive), his mannerisms on scene, the odor of alcohol on his breath, along with my findings during SFSTs, Umberger was placed under arrest for DUI and indecent exposure.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on August 11, 2026]

On 08/11/2026, I, Deputy Lunsford at approximately 18:12 was dispatched to 181 Historic Homer Hwy (Homer Exxon) in reference to an indecent exposer.

While In route to the Homer Exxon dispatched notified Deputies the suspect was a white male wearing a king of the hill shirt with black sweatpants. They also notified Deputies that the suspect was getting into a gold ford truck with black accents. They stated when the vehicle left it turned left on to Highway 441 towards Baldwin. Deputy Lunsford responded to the area to attempt to locate the vehicle. Deputy Lunsford was able to locate a vehicle matching the description’s that was provided to dispatch and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle at Highway 441 at Highway 198.

On scene Deputy Lunsford exited his patrol vehicle and was walking around the rear of the vehicle. While he was doing this CPL Craymer had arrived on scene. While Deputy Lunsford was walking around the rear of his vehicle CPL Craymer yelled stop at the vehicle. This was due to the vehicle starting to move forward. Due to this Deputies believed the drive might attempt to flee. Deputies then drew their service weapons and conducted a felony stop. Deputies informed the driver to step out of the vehicle face away from them and walk back to the sound of their voices. The driver complied with all instructions.

The driver was placed into handcuffs and detained for the remainder of the investigation. The driver of the vehicle was wearing a white king of the hill shirt with black sweatpants fitting the description the caller gave to dispatch. Once out of the vehicle the driver was identified as Zachary Umberger. Deputies could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the driver breath. The driver also had slurred speech and a confused state of mind due to Deputies having to reexplain things and the driver changing his story multiple times.

Deputy Lunsford read the driver his Marinda Right and asked if he understood them and if he would answer any questions Deputies had and he stated yes. Deputies first asked the driver where he was coming from and he stated he was coming from a gas station. Deputy Lunsford asked the driver if it was the Exxon in Homer and the driver could not remember. Deputy Lunsford then asked the driver if he pulled his pants down and exposed himself while he was there and he stated no, but he did go behind the building and hid in the woods and used the bathroom.

While Deputies were out with the driver on the traffic stop SSGT Haack responded to the Homer Exxon to met with the caller and watch the Video footage. In the footage the driver can be scene walking behind the building and into the woods and used the bathroom. The driver then comes out of the woods and walks up to the back of the building and pulls his pants down exposing his sexual organs. A vehicle then drives around the back of the building, and the driver pulls his pants up in a hurry. After the car passes the driver pulls his pants back out and exposes himself again. The driver the pulls his pants back up and starts walking around the building with one hand in his pants making a jerking motion. When SSGT Haack relayed this information to Deputies and the driver was asked about it he stated he was just letting things cool down.

Deputies then asked the driver about his alcohol consumption. The driver stated he drink two beers before he left to go to the gas station to get more beer. The beers consumed before going to the gas station were Natural Light. Once at the gas station the driver stated that he bought two 6 pack and that he consumed 4 beers out of those while there. The driver also admitted to smoking a CBD vape pen.

While Deputies were talking to the driver a Probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted to the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. During the search of the vehicle a 6 pack of Blue Moon beer and a 6 pack of Coors Banquet beer in the front seat. Both 6 packs were missing two beers. Deputies also located one Natural Light beer can that was already opened and There was also a 30 pack of Natural Light in the back seat containing one unopen beer.

Deputy Lunsford notified SSGT Haack about the alcohol consumption. SSGT Haack was able to locate the 4 beers consumed at the gas station along with 3 Natural Light can inside the trash can. There were also 3 marijuana cigarettes mixed with Tabacco were located inside the vehicle along with a glass smoking device that were all destroyed. While this was being conducted CPL Craymer was conducting SFST on the driver. Once CPL Craymer finished it was determined the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Deputy Lunsford then placed the driver into handcuffs, checked for fit, and double locked them. The driver was informed he was under arrest for Public Indecency and DUI. Deputy Lunsford then read the driver Implied consent for people over the age of 21. The driver agreed to the state administered testing of his blood. The driver was placed into the back of Deputy Lunsford patrol car, seat belted in, and transported to Commerce Urgent Care for the blood draw. Once the blood Draw was completed the driver was transported to the Banks County Jail without incident and handed over to jail staff. Deputy Lunsford checked his back seat before and after transport and nothing was located.

Pictures were taken of the open container, both 6 packs inside the vehicle, the 30 pack inside the vehicle, the marijuana tobacco mixed cigarettes, the glass smoking device, and all containers that were located inside the trashcan at the gas station and were uploaded to axon capture. SSGT Haack also was able to get a copy of the video footage and upload it via axon capture. The GBI Blood Test Kit was placed inside evidence locker number 11 with the property receipt completed with it. Cpl Craymer stayed with the vehicle and completed a tow log. Seymour’s responded and took possession of the vehicle.

The driver received two citations, one for Open Container and one for Driving Under the Influence. Warrants will also be obtained for Public Indecency.

[End of Narrative]