Bishop Slater

Name:
Slater, Bishop Michael

Date of Booking:
08/30/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
Consumption/Open Container of Alcoholic Beverage in Passenger Area

Driving Without License on Person

Hit and Run; Duty of Driver to Stop or Return to Scene of Accident

DUI-Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol (less safe)

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 29th, 2025, at approximately 11:07 PM, I, Ofc. Pierce responded to the area of S Center St and John Bowen Way for the report of a vehicle accident. I traveled to the scene, CODE 1, in marked patrol unit 400, to attempt to locate the involved parties. While en route, CAD notes indicated that a silver truck bearing a GA license plate [REDACTED] had run over a stop sign and left the scene.

The truck had last been spotted pulling into the Chevron food mart located at 113 S Broad St, Winder, GA 30680. After arriving at the Chevron food mart, I was able to locate the suspect vehicle parked near the fuel pumps with no occupant and the windows down. While walking past the truck, I observed an open Parrot Bay rum bottle sitting in the front passenger bench seat of the vehicle that was half-empty. I was also able to detect a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from the vehicle.

I then traveled inside the business to locate the subject driving the vehicle, as well as Sgt. Bond with the Barrow County Sheriff’s office, who arrived on scene shortly before my arrival. While inside the business, I was able to locate the suspect, later identified as Mr. Bishop Slater, sitting at the electronic gambling machines near the front of the store. As Sgt. Bond was speaking to Mr. Slater, I was able to audibly hear Mr. Slater slur the majority of his words when trying to respond, as well as his responses being heavily delayed. Mr. Slater also appeared to be heavily confused when asked basic questions about the incident, and often could not remember what had just been asked, responding with things not relevant to the questions.

I then asked Mr. Slater to exit the building and speak with us further, but he declined several times. I then ordered Mr. Slater to leave the building, which he initially refused to do, but later complied and exited. After exiting the store, I observed Mr. Slater to be unsteady on his feet and began to slightly sway back and forth while standing still. While standing near Mr. Slater, I was also able to detect a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his person as well as Mr. Slater having bloodshot, glassy eyes.

I then asked how much Mr. Slater had to drink tonight, to which he stated that he had not had anything to drink. When confronted about this statement, Mr. Slater maintained that he had not consumed any alcohol tonight and was not sure what was going on. Sgt. Bond then advised Mr. Slater that he had struck a stop sign at John Bowen Way and S Center St, to which Mr. Slater advised that he had not struck anything. I then asked Mr. Slater if he had his driver’s license with him, to which he initially stated that it was in his vehicle, but later said that he did not have one on his person as he needed to “reorder one”. Sgt. Bond then asked Mr. Slater if he wished to participate in voluntary field sobriety tests, to which Mr. Slater declined.

I then advised Mr. Slater that he was now under arrest for Driving under the influence, Open container, Hit and Run, as well as for not carrying his driver’s license on his person when driving. Mr. Slater was then placed into two sets of properly fitted and double-locked handcuffs, where he was led back to my patrol vehicle and searched for weapons, contraband, or means of escape, with none being located. The rear seat of my patrol vehicle was also searched for weapons, contraband, or means of escape, with none being located. Mr. Slater was then assisted into the rear seat of my patrol vehicle, where he was seat belted in for later transportation to the Barrow County Detention Center.

I then read Mr. Slater the implied consent notice for suspects age 21 and over, to which he replied with “I’m not going to answer”. This response was taken as a refusal to submit to the state-administered tests of his Blood. Due to Mr. Slater’s state of intoxication as well as the open container observed in the vehicle, A probable cause search of the vehicle was performed. During the search, two open 750ML bottles of Parrots Bay rum were located inside the vehicle. One bottle was found in the front passenger seat of the vehicle, half empty, with the second bottle being located on the passenger side front floorboard, almost empty, with visible liquid in the bottom of the bottle. The open containers located were photographed and emptied/disposed of on scene. Pictures of the bottles are to be attached to this report.

While on the scene, I was also able to contact the reporting party, [WITNESS #1]. [WITNESS #1] stated that she was traveling south on South Center Street when she noticed Mr. Slater’s truck parked on top of the now bent-over stop sign at the intersection of John Bowen Way and South Center Street. [WITNESS #1] stated that this was odd and called 911 for assistance. [WITNESS #1] additionally advised that Mr. Slater appeared to be intoxicated as he backed off the sign and traveled east on John Bowen Way, before turning right onto South Broad St. [WITNESS #1] explained that as she followed behind Mr. Slater, His vehicle then began to swerve back and forth in its lane before pulling into the chevron parking lot, where she eventually drove away. When asked where Mr. Slater appeared to be going, [WITNESS #1] stated that it seemed as if Mr. Slater was potentially traveling east on Lilly Drive before continuing straight onto John Bowen Way. After previously viewing the sign, I was able to determine that Mr. Slater most likely had taken the path of travel as described by [WITNESS #1], given that the sign was bent over in that direction.

At this point, I found probable cause to issue Mr. Slater the following Citations:
(WC92016) for OCGA 40-6-391 DUI less safe.
(WC92017) for OCGA 40-5-29 for Failure to have/display driver’s license.
(WC92018) for OCGA 40-6-253 for alcohol open container.
(WC92019) for OCGA 40-6-270(c)(1)(a) for hit and run.

Mr. Slater was then transported to the BCDC, where he and his personal property (phone) were turned over to BCDC staff without incident. The rear seat of my patrol vehicle was searched for weapons, contraband, or means of escape, with none being located. While searching my vehicle, I detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage still emanating from my vehicle’s rear seat, even though Mr. Slater had been removed from the vehicle.

While at the BCDC, I was able to complete all of the required booking paperwork as well as explain and issue Mr. Slater a DDS 1205 form, which he signed. Copies of the aforementioned citations issued to Mr. Slater were also turned over to BCSO staff. I was wearing my department-issued body-worn camera for the investigation of this incident. My in car camera was also activated for the transportation of Mr. Slater to the BCDC.

[End of Narrative]