Ricky Lavender

Name:
Lavender, Ricky Charles

Date of Booking:
6/26/2021

Reason(s) For Booking:
Driving while License Suspended or Revoked – 1st Offense

Striking Fixed Object

Improper Lane Change/Failure to Maintain Lane

No Insurance

DUI-Driving Under the Influence of Drugs

Willful Obstruction of Law Enforcement Officers-Misdemeanor

Public Drunk

Possession of Methamphetamine

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the officer’s narrative report. We do not fix any spelling or grammatical errors. Any changes made by our staff are placed inside brackets.]

On 26 June 2021 at approximately 0315 hours, I received a phone call from my daughter advising of a suspicious male at the front door of my residence, [10 BLOCK] Jacob Court Bethlehem GA. She advised the unknown male was shirtless and ringing the doorbell continuously.

Dispatch was advised of the suspicious person and advised I was responding emergency lights and siren (Code 3) to the location. Upon arriving in the area, I cut off my siren and lights and entered the Apalachee Falls subdivision. Turning onto Jacob Court, I observed a gray Toyota Tundra with its driver’s door open. I activated the emergency lights of my marked patrol vehicle. I observed a single white male, later identified as Ricky Charles Lavender look my direction and then begin walking towards the back of the truck along the driver’s side. I exited my patrol vehicle, drawing my service weapon, giving loud verbal commands to show his hands. Ricky ignored my commands and continued out of sight behind the vehicle. I cleared the vehicle’s interior as I worked my way around the front towards the driver’s side.

I gained sight of Ricky at the back passenger corner of his vehicle. I continued with loud verbal commands to show his hands. Ricky lifted both hands, turning towards the driver’s side then lowered his hands. I further commanded Ricky to get on the ground or his knees. Ricky was still willfully disobeying the lawful commands. He began walking towards me, at which time I observed he was unsteady on his feet. Ricky continued towards the driver’s side as I closed the distance between us by moving forward. The entire time giving loud commands which Ricky refused to obey.

Ricky is approximately 5 inches taller than me and appeared to be heavier than me. In the bed of the Tundra, I observed multiple tools and other objects lying around. I holstered my service weapon, drawing my Conducted Electrical Weapon (C.E.W.)/TASER (serial# X12006E3E) arming it, and orientating it towards Ricky. Ricky was advised he was going to be tased. Ricky pulled his arms in, slurring “to not tase him” but still refusing to obey commands to get on the ground. Ricky was again ordered to get on the ground as he began to turn away from me. I discharged the TASER in probe mode, utilizing cartridge # C4106YNRP. Neuro-Muscular Incapacitation was not achieved due to an approximate 8-inch probe spread on his front chest/stomach area. Ricky pulled his arms in closer and turned away going to the ground on his right side.

I continued to tell him to put his hands behind his back. After the five-second cycle, Ricky’s hands were still clutched to his chest with his back towards me. Commands to place his hands behind his back were not followed. Due to Ricky’s apparent intoxicated state, having not been patted down yet, his height and reach advantage, I discharged the C.E.W./TASER for another five-second cycle. During this cycle, Ricky was told to place his hands behind his back continuously and advised he was under arrest. After the cycle ended, Ricky complied placing his left hand then the right hand behind his back. I secured him in double locked handcuffs checked for fit. All force was then ceased.

Ricky was asked why he was in the area and responded with “he was told to come to this address” by a friend. When asked by who, Ricky would only say look in his phone. During this time, Ricky was rolled onto his back, and I removed the TASER probes according to BCSO policy/procedure. Photos were taken of the probe impact sites. AFID’s were collected and attached to the front page of the use of force report. Ricky was unable to provide a satisfactory response to what he was doing in the area only to state he wrecked his vehicle. Looking at the Toyota Tundra, displaying GA tag [REDACTED] fresh green paint was noted on the driver’s front bumper with damage and the rear driver’s rear tire was deflated. Ricky’s vehicle was later determined to be involved in an accident involving property damage (2021-00036310). While speaking with Ricky I detected, and odor commonly associated with an alcoholic beverage emitting from Ricky’s breath. His eyes were glassy and bloodshot.

Ricky was advised he was under arrest for O.C.G.A. 16-10-24(a) obstruction (misd.) for failing to obey lawful orders to show his hands and get on the ground and O.C.G.A. 16-11-141 public intoxication for being in a public place (Jacob Court) while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. Ricky was quickly searched and then placed in the rear of a patrol vehicle for transport due to his becoming more and more irate and belligerent. Ricky was then transported to the Detention Center, where he was later found to be in possession of a plastic bag, located in his right front change pocket, containing a clear crystal-like substance, based on my experience and knowledge through numerous traffic stops and warrant/search warrant services I suspected of being methamphetamine.

The bag and contents weighing approximately 6.6g was placed into evidence and Ricky was also charged with O.C.G.A. 16-13-30 possession of methamphetamine. The expanded TASER cartridge was also collected and placed into evidence. Ricky did not reside in the area and a GCIC/NCIC check of the displayed GA tag [REDACTED] showed no valid insurance on the vehicle. A vehicle inventory was completed, and the vehicle was removed by next list wrecker, Hammond’s Towing. Sgt. Jordan secured warrants on Ricky for the above-mentioned offenses. A/V WG 2395