Name:
Finch, Dee Ann
Date of Booking:
05/07/2023
Reason(s) For Booking:
Hindering or Harboring Escapee
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 May 6, 2023, at 2234 hours, I responded to [1400 BLOCK] Jones Road in reference to a warrant service on Rhonda Whisnant. Rhonda has a warrant for failure to appear through this agency and a felony warrant through Jackson County Sheriff’s Office for possession of a controlled substance.
A Honda Odyssey (GA Tag: [REDACTED]) hit on Flock entering the county on Double Bridges Road. The Flock hit stated that Rhonda is the driver of this vehicle. I found that Rhonda has history at both [1400 BLOCK] and [1400 BLOCK] Jones Road which are located just off of Double Bridges Road. I checked the area and located the vehicle backed into the driveway of [1400 BLOCK] Jones Road. The warrant listed [1400 BLOCK] as Rhonda’s address and we had reason to believe she was present since her vehicle was recently parked in the driveway of the residence. I knocked on the door to the residence and made contact with the resident, Dee Finch.
Dee stated that Rhonda was not at the residence and stated that I would need a warrant to check if she was inside. I asked her about the vehicle parked in her driveway and she stated that it was Rhonda’s vehicle, but it has been parked there since yesterday morning. She was advised that Rhonda had felony warrants for her arrest and that if Rhonda was found to be inside her residence, then she would be charged with hindering the apprehension of a fugitive. She continued stating that Rhonda was not inside the residence and that she would be calling the Sheriff about the situation. She was advised that we would be retrieving the warrant for Rhonda’s arrest from the jail and would be searching the residence. All of this occurred over a 30 minute time span.
Lt. Guest responded to the detention center to retrieve the warrant. While waiting for Lt. Guest to arrive on scene, Dee came back to the door and stated that Rhonda was inside and that she would tell her to come outside. Rhonda came out of the residence. She was placed in handcuffs behind the back, and they were double locked after checking for proper fit. She was searched incident to arrest and no contraband was located. She was placed in the backseat of my patrol car and her seatbelt was fastened.
I spoke with Dee about the severity of her hindering the apprehension of Rhonda and expressed the possibility of her being arrested. She advised that she did not do anything wrong and that she was not scared of going to jail. She was advised that she was under arrest. She was placed in handcuffs behind the back, and they were double locked after checking for proper fit. She was searched incident to arrest and no contraband was located. She was placed in the backseat of Deputy Crosby’s patrol car and her seatbelt was fastened. I interviewed Rhonda about Dee’s knowledge of her being at the residence. Rhonda stated that Dee was in the bathroom when she arrived at the residence. She also stated that Dee would have known that she was there once she saw her car parked in the driveway. She stated she only parked in the driveway when she was staying at Dee’s house. I asked where she normally parks if she was going to the residence at [1400 BLOCK] Jones Road and she stated she would park in the driveway of [1400 BLOCK] Jones Road.
Dee and Rhonda were transported to the detention center and turned over to jail staff without incident. A search of my backseat was conducted prior to shift, before and after transport and no contraband was located.
Rhonda was served her warrant at the detention center. I will be obtaining a warrant against Dee for hindering apprehension of a fugitive for denying that Rhonda was inside her residence even though she had knowledge that she was inside.
[End of Narrative]