Avis Hodge

Name:
Hodge, Avis Trevon

Date of Booking:
05/29/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
Improper Lane Change/Failure to Maintain Lane

Striking Fixed Object

Willful Obstruction of Law Enforcement Officers-Misdemeanor

DUI-Driving Under the Influence of Multiple Substances

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 05/29/2026 while on routine patrol in my marked patrol vehicle, I responded to a welfare check, that ended up being an accident with no injuries (hit and run) at Bethel Bower Rd and Loganville Hwy. in Bethlehem, GA. Dispatch advised that a vehicle was in a ditch and a male was walking around outside of the vehicle, not appearing injured. This was called in by a passerby.

I arrived on scene and witnessed what appeared to have been a very recent, single vehicle accident. A grey in color, Chevrolet Impala (GA tag [REDACTED]), by evidence on scene, lost control while north on Bethel Bower Rd. The vehicle lost control and failed to maintain its lane, leaving the roadway in a sharp curve and struck multiple fixed objects. The objects damaged included two roadway construction fences (GA DOT), with orange reflective on them, and a private sign for Bethel Baptist Church. The vehicle then landed on/in a culvert ditch, where it was disabled. The male described by the caller was not on scene and the vehicle was abandoned.

Upon investigating the crash scene, and attempting to find the driver, I discovered several things. I witnessed a brand new looking, tall and skinny, brown paper bag like you would get at the liquor store for a bottle of liquor. I witnessed a plastic bottle, with yellow in color fluid inside, in the front passenger door pocket. This from my knowledge, training and experience, is common with individuals who need to pass a drugs screening, keeping clean urine in the bottle. The seat belt was not locked on the vehicle so it also appeared that the driver was not wearing a seat belt. I suspected, based off the evidence on scene that the driver may have been impaired, lost control as the sharp curve approached, crashed the vehicle, and then left it there without reporting it, as to avoid being charged as an impaired driver.

I asked dispatch to have a next list wrecker en route, #1 Tow arrived on scene for Brown and Brown’s, removing the vehicle from the ditch.

Sgt. Smith was able to make contact via cell phone with the registered owner of the vehicle, Mr. Avis Hodge, as the vehicle had just been loaded on the wrecker. Avis stated he was at home, now living at [900 BLOCK] Nature Trl in Bethlehem, GA. Avis advised Sgt. Smith that a citizen provided him a ride home from the scene, but did admit to having been driving and being in an accident. Sgt. Smith, Dep. Wilkins, Dep. Hernandez, and I responded to Avis’ address to collect testimony and investigate further.

When I arrived on scene Avis was already speaking with Dep. Wilkins and Dep. Hernandez, advising them that the accident occurred due to a reckless driver who ran him off the roadway. Avis described a white in color, pickup truck, which had ran him off the roadway and into the ditch.

While speaking with Avis myself, I noticed his eyes were blood shot, watery, and his speech was extremely slow, thick, and he was lethargic. Avis also seemed confused by most questions we asked, having a confused look on his face prior to answering. I asked if he had any alcoholic beverages this evening and he stated no. I asked if he had taken anything that would have impaired his driving, he stated no. I asked if he was normally like this, lethargic and spoke slowly and he advised this was how he spoke.

I asked why he had not called 911 or reported the accident since there was property damage. Avis stated his phone was dead so he could not call anyone, he stated this in front of three deputies. Avis then appeared confused about property damage, to which I reminded him that he drove through two fences and a sign, before landing in the culvert. Avis denied this and did not believe this to be true, to a point where I had to show him the pictures from the crash site. When he saw the pictures of what he had damaged he just shook his head, like he still couldn’t believe it. Avis by all accounts appeared impaired with the way he was speaking, acting, and physically manifesting.

I had his wife come outside and speak with us to see if she could shed some light on what happened earlier and maybe his state (level of intoxication). I spoke with Ms. [REDACTED], who initially stated this was somehow her fault, and was giving a story of why the vehicle would be left there until daylight so the tow bill would be cheaper. I asked her if he used an illegal substances, which she stated no. I asked where he worked and if they performed urine testing for drugs. [REDACTED] stated they did, so I asked if that was what the urine bottle in the vehicle was for, she stated yes. I then asked again what illegal substance would he be using and she stated he uses marijuana, which she seemed to think was not an illegal substance, hence why she initially stated he doesn’t do any drugs. I asked when he last smoked marijuana and she stated earlier this date.

I then got to the part about the wreck and asked what happened, which she stated Avis called her and told her what happened, but she could not pick him up with no other vehicle present. I confirmed that he called her, and she even showed me the call log which started at 2317 hours, being right after the accident, then showing multiple incoming calls after that from Avis. This proved that he lied earlier as to why he couldn’t or did not call to report the accident, as he claimed his phone was dead, but had proven not to be. I took a picture of this call log and submitted it to this report.

I spoke with Avis one more time to clear up the phone issue and he made some story about how he charged it, but this did not make sense as the vehicle was disabled and he was seen outside of it by the caller of this incident. I concluded that Avis had been intoxicated, crashed his vehicle due to this intoxication, and made up a story as to why he would leave the scene of an accident. This combined with the fact he was caught in a lie.

I placed Avis in handcuffs, behind his back, checked them for fit and double locked them. I advised Avis he was under arrest at this time for Striking a Fixed Object, Failure to Maintain Lane and Obstruction (M). When Avis stood up and I was right behind him I could clearly smell the strong odor of alcoholic beverage emitting from him. I searched him incident to arrest and seated him in my patrol vehicle. I spoke with Sgt. Smith and advised him it was almost certain he had been impaired, causing the wreck but with the elapsed time and possibility he had drank more since being home it would be difficult to prove with an admission to drinking prior, which I did not believe would happen. Sgt. Smith advised to read Avis his Miranda warning and ask as it would not hurt.

I read Avis his Miranda warning and he agreed to answer questions. Avis proceeded to tell me that he took one to two shots of liquor since being home and nearly a full beer. I asked if he had drank prior to the accident, around dinner time and he admitted to this as well. Avis stated he had anywhere from 2 to 3 shots of Gin prior to driving and the accident. With this admission I felt comfortable that he was impaired to the extent it was less safe for him to drive, coupled with marijuana, having a less safe act of the failing to maintain lane and crashing.

I advised Avis he was under arrest for DUI as well, read him the Georgia Implied Consent Notice Suspects Age 21 or Over, word for word, from an official green in color card and asked for “blood”. Avis agreed to Implied Consent for blood. I buckled his seat belt and transported him to NEGMC Barrow.

Once on scene at the hospital Avis refused Implied Consent for blood. I then transported him to Barrow County Detention Center, but the jail nurse advised me upon arrival that since he had been in an accident (hours ago), he would need to be cleared at the hospital. I transported Avis back to NEGMC Barrow, where he was medically cleared, then transported him back to Barrow County Detention Center. The back seat of my patrol vehicle was checked prior to and after transport for weapons or contraband, nothing was found. Avis was turned over to jail staff.

The pictures from the scene and call log from [REDACTED]’s phone have been attached to this report. I applied for and secured 4 warrants on 05/29/2026, on Mr. Avis Hodge for; DUI Combination Drugs/Alcohol Less Safe, Obstruction (M), Striking a Fixed Object, and Failure to Maintain Lane. An accident report, under this same case number, was also completed.

[End of Narrative]