Carson Melton

Name:
Melton, Carson Bristow

Date of Booking:
07/01/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
Possession of Cocaine

Possession and Use of Drug Related Objects

Improper Lane Change/Failure to Maintain Lane

Consumption/Open Container of Alcoholic Beverage in Passenger Area

Marijuana-possess less than 1 oz.

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 07/01/2026 while on routine patrol in my marked patrol vehicle, I was conducting traffic enforcement in the area of Hwy 211 NW and Rockwell Church Rd. NW in Winder, GA. I pulled up to this intersection heading south towards Winder, on Hwy 211 NW, coming to a stop behind a black in color Lexus passenger car. When I came to a stop the Lexus was the first car at the light, right in front of me, but we were both in the straight only lane. The solid white line delineated the turning lane on the left of us, meaning the vehicle had to go straight, but then began signaling a left turn. When the light changed the Lexus proceeded to fail to maintain its lane, turning left through the intersection. I initiated a traffic stop using my emergency lights and audible siren. The vehicle came to a stop in the Dollar General parking lot at 648 Rockwell Church Rd NW.

I approached the driver window and witnessed a female in the driver seat, she looked at me but had not rolled down the window. The female then starting speaking to me, like the window was down, but it was rolled up. I could not hear what she was saying so I knocked on the window, which she then rolled down and apologized. The female was later identified as Ms. Carson Melton, by her GA license. Carson appeared wired (extremely alert), as she immediately began to speak before and as I was trying to introduce myself. Carson immediately began telling me she had severe trauma with police, advising of an altercation, then saying it wasn’t a altercation and was speaking very fast. I requested her license at this time as I had no idea what was going on with her, but had not even been able to introduce myself yet. While Carson was collecting her license she was moving around in her seat, rocking back and forth, apologizing for her nervousness as she advised she had “[REDACTED BY AGENCY] and didn’t believe yall were really at my door and yall were”.

I did not understand what she was trying to say but then repeated that she had “[REDACTED BY AGENCY]” and did not believe police were really at her door but they were, which again I did not know what was going on. I asked where she was coming from and she stated a “friends” where she had stayed last night. I explained he reason for the stop and what she had done, which she explained how she was lost, pointing to the GPS mapping on the center console screen. The GPS was routing her back in the direction she had come from so it seemed she did not follow it by making her left turn. I asked where she was heading to and she stated a “friends” house. Carson stated she lives in Hoschton but did not know these roads. I pointed out to her that the GPS was telling her to go back in the direction she came from, which she stated it had told her to turn around. Carson kept mumbling and rambling speaking, then stated “we were on a one lane road right, or like a two lane?”. I suspected Carson may have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs as she was making little sense, she was wired, and also confused.

I returned to my vehicle to run Carson and her vehicle through GCIC, while also radioing to Dep. Thurman to respond as backup, being a female deputy who also has experience with impaired drivers. Carson and the vehicle all returned valid and no warrants through GCIC. I walked back to Carson and requested her to exit the vehicle which she complied. Carson exited the vehicle left her door wide open, and began walking with me back towards my vehicle. I began asking again about her travel which she advised she had come from one friends house and was going to another. Carson stated she was going through a separation right now and she appeared to be saying this is what she has been doing is going from one place to another. I attempted to see where she was coming from and she began stating it had been a long day, going to several friend’s houses. I asked which one she most recently came from and she stated a friend’s house in Winder, but she was headed towards Winder which did not make sense. I tried to see where in Winder but she had no clue, advising she follows GPS solely as she has no idea of her way around here. While speaking with her I was also catching the odor of alcoholic beverage emitting from her breath.

Carson continued rambling about the directions, not knowing her way around and only knowing where she lived and where Jackson County HS was. I asked when was the last time she had an alcoholic beverage was and she advised she went to sleep for a bit, but stated “four hours ago”. I asked what she had been drinking and she thought for a minute then stated it was a “mixed drink”, which she had not made herself. Carson stated this was at someone’s house, but could not recall what kind of liquor it was. Carson then said “please I am sober, I’m just nervous”. I asked when was the last time she used an illegal drug and she advised no, as if she had not, then stating she does take [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. I advised her mixing alcohol and [REDACTED BY AGENCY] was not good, as both are a [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. I asked when she took the [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and she stated around 9pm or 10pm the previous evening.

While Dep. Thurman and her trainee Dep. Holland arrived I was asking how may drinks she had and their presence then made her instantly paranoid, asking if she was going to jail. Carson then stated “I will do anything not to go to jail”, which I asked how many drinks she had and was told she had one, maybe half of one. I asked if she had any history of any drug use and she stated she was “13 years sober” from drug use, so I asked what drug she was using and she stated “crack cocaine”. I clarified that she had not done drugs in 13 years but she was currently going through a separation, which she then stated she had an affair, went through psychosis, went to jail, then the hospital, and she was struggling. I asked if she had any kind of relapse with the cocaine as she was going through all of this and she stated yes. Carson explained that cocaine was not really the issue but it was more the “alcohol” these days. I asked how long ago the relapse was and she stated it was in April of 2026. Carson was moving, fidgeting and could not stand still throughout this time speaking. My body camera had died at this time, which I replaced the battery shortly after on scene.

I asked if her glasses were required to drive and she stated yes. I asked if she had issues with her knees or feet, which she stated she had [REDACTED BY AGENCY], or [REDACTED BY AGENCY], but no medical diagnosis from a doctor she could provide. I advised Carson that I would like to conduct testing to ensure she was safe to drive and she agreed.

FIELD SOBRIETY TESTING
HORIZONTAL GAZE NYSTAGMUS- 6 OF 6 CLUES
Equal Pupil Size- Yes
Equal Tracking- Yes
Resting Nystagmus- No
Lack of Smooth Pursuit- 2 of 2 Clues
Distinct and Sustained- 2 of 2 Clues
Onset Prior to 45 Degrees- 2 of 2 Clues (est. angles immediate)
Vertical Nystagmus- Present

Comments: Carson was swaying in her stance, followed with her head throughout the test so much that I had to advise her numerous times to keep her head still. The HGN was very pronounced and clear, having clear jerking of the eye with immediate onset of nystagmus, being an indication of high levels of impairment. The presence of vertical nystagmus is an indication of high levels of impairment by a particular individual. Carson began acting as if she was going to pass out of have an anxiety attack as she was asking to sit down on the ground, notating hr anxiety which she had mentioned numerous times throughout this encounter, citing this as her only issue she was having. Carson then began acting as if she was going to pass out and hyperventilate, sitting down on the ground as she began sweating. Carson stated looking up, for the vertical nystagmus I assumed, was making her dizzy.

LACK OF CONVERGENCE- PRESENT
Comments: Carson’s eyes would not converge and with both times coming towards her face she would breath heavy and act as if she was going to pass out. The lack of convergence is an indication of impairment. I conducted no further testing at this time as Carson began sweating profusely from what looked to be every pore of her body, flapping her shirt as she was getting hot. With her demeanor starting to change and these manifestations getting worse I decided that any further testing may result in injury to herself if she was to lose balance or fall over. I had Carson sit on the front bumper of my vehicle.

I retrieved my hand held alco-sensor from the approved GBI list and explained to Carson how to provide a sample. Carson provided a sample which showed a positive result for the presence of alcohol and a BrAC of 0.014, which to me confirmed it may have been more than alcohol affecting her. I asked if she took any kind of pills such as Xanax or anything from her friend, which she replied, “I don’t really know”. I asked if they were using anything else and she could not really provide me with an answer, stating they were drinking. I asked if her friend gave her anything to calm her down like a pill of something and she replied, “not that I know of”, which did not make sense. Carson stated she was fine when we first started talking but her anxiety and severe PTSD was now affecting her. I asked if she had any more relapses while with her friend, but she stated she had not relapsed since April 17th but her friend just gave her a mixed drink. Carson was now sweating to where her hair was getting wet and was breathing heavy.

I suspected Carson was not only on one or more CNS Depressants such as alcohol, [REDACTED BY AGENCY] and maybe something else, but also a [REDACTED BY AGENCY] due to her manifestations. Carson had clear [REDACTED BY AGENCY] which does not come from a [REDACTED BY AGENCY] but a [REDACTED BY AGENCY] she had an odor of alcoholic beverage, admission to drinking, could not maintain her lane, was lost and confused, paranoid, hyper and fidgety, sweating profusely and rambling. These manifestations, combined with her drug history, medicine and alcohol use made her extremely unsafe to have been driving.

I placed Carson in handcuffs, behind her back, checked them for fit and double locked them. I advised Carson she was under arrest for DUI and she was searched incident to arrest by Dep. Thurman. I seated Carson in my patrol vehicle and confirmed she was 36 years old. I read Carson the Georgia Implied Consent Notice Suspects Age 21 or Over, word for word, from an official green in color card, and asked for “blood”. Carson did not seem to understand what I read or what was being asked so I read it exactly the same, from the same card and asked again for “blood”, which she agreed to Implied Consent for blood.

I conducted a search incident to arrest for DUI of the vehicle and there were three open alcoholic beverage containers found in the front passenger area. There was a Corona bottle, which was half full with beer, then two containers of “Vibe” brand alcoholic beverages, showing an alcohol by volume content of 12 percent. The cap to one of those containers was found in the driver floor where Carson’s feet would have been. In the back seat of her vehicle was a ziploc bag labeled “Diamond Mouth” containing green marijuana inside, suspected to be less than one ounce. On the rear seat behind the driver seat was a cut piece of plastic straw with white powder residue inside suspected to be an illegal substance, such as cocaine. On the same seat was a small round piece of white substance, suspected to be a small piece of cocaine, laying next to the straw. I collected the marijuana, straw and suspected cocaine as evidence. I took pictures of the open containers which were then poured out.

I read Carson her Miranda warning and she agreed to answer questions. I asked Carson if she used cocaine this evening and she stated “I don’t know that I did cocaine myself”, advising she went to her friend’s and she did have “a piece” and stated something about a smoke bar. I then shone my flashlight at her nostrils and could see redness around the nostril, common with the use of cocaine or snorting of illegal substances. I asked if she used marijuana and she stated no, explaining how there was marijuana in her vehicle and she equated this to having had people in her vehicle earlier.

Dispatch was advised to have a next list wrecker en route and Clinton’s wrecker service collected the vehicle. Dep. Thurman completed a vehicle inventory and impound form. I buckled Carson’s seat belt and transported her to NEG Barrow for medical clearance due to her physical state and the Implied Consent blood draw. Once on scene at the hospital Carson was medically cleared by hospital staff and the Implied Consent blood draw was completed at 0632 hours by lab technician Ms. [REDACTED]. The samples were collected in the provided GBI blood test kit vials and sealed in the box, turned back over to me.

I transported Carson to the Barrow County Detention Center where she was turned over to jail staff. The back seat of my patrol vehicle was checked prior to and after transport for weapons or contraband, nothing was found. I submitted all collected evidence at BCSO UPD evidence room (cocaine, marijuana, straw, and GBI blood test kit). The cocaine was approximately less than 1 gram, to be sent to GBI for testing, the marijuana weighed approximately 9.9 grams in the ziploc bag. I took pictures of all of these items and gave attached them with this report.

On 07/01/2026 I applied for and was granted 6 warrants on Ms. Carson Melton for; Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Marijuana Less Than 1 Ounce, DUI Multiple Substances Less Safe, Failure to Maintain Lane, Open Container, and Possession of Drug Objects.

[End of Narrative]