Michael Smith

Name:
Smith, Michael James

Date of Booking:
06/17/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
HIT AND RUN; DUTY OF DRIVER TO STOP AT OR RETURN TO SCENE OF ACCIDENT

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 25, 2026, at approximately 0240 hrs., I received a call to respond to the area of Browntown Rd., and Mocks Ln., in reference to an iPhone crash alert. Dispatch advised they could hear shuffling in the background but had no voice contact. While I was en route dispatch called me via the phone saying that they called the number to the phone back and spoke to a male subject. The subject stated that he was involved in an accident, and that he did not know why his phone sent the alert. Dispatch advised me that while she was talking to the male subject something sounded off with him.

At approximately 0248 hrs., I advised them I was in the area looking for the wreck. At first when I went through the area of the phone ping, I did not see the wreck due to it being a dark in color truck on the edge of the wood line. When I came back through the area at approximately 0252 hrs., I seen the glare of the windshield, and advised dispatch I had located the wreck. I also advised them that it appeared to be a wreck with a rollover. I then exited my vehicle to make contact with the driver.

Upon my initial look around the vehicle I was unable to locate the driver. I advised dispatch that I was unable to find the driver, but I was going to check the ditches/woods to see if I could locate him. With the extensive damage I seen off the vehicle I suspected the driver to have injuries. EMS, Waynesville Fire Department, Sgt. Vanessa Wilson, and Deputy Drew Stone arrived on scene to assist.

While searching for the driver I noticed several empty alcoholic containers around the vehicle and smelled a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the vehicle when I initially walked up to the vehicle. I also located a piece of tired tread in the wood line North of the vehicle approximately 50-75 yards away from where he initially left the roadway. I walked back to the vehicle noticing the back left driver side tire tread had come off the tire. I suspect that the driver lost control when the tire tread came off the tire. We also located a red New Balance shoe South of Vehicle with two vapes.

During this time of searching, I had already given dispatch the GA TAG of [REDACTED]. The vehicle came back to [REDACTED] with an address out of Wayne County. Wayne County Deputies were dispatched to the address to see if they could contact the registered owner. Dispatch then ran the registered owner’s license number off the tag, and his license came back with a City of Nahunta address. Nahunta Police Department Officer Cole Sturgill responded to the City of Nahunta address. I was then advised by dispatch that Officer Sturgill spoke with the registered owner who stated that he sold the truck to Mike Smith. I advised dispatch there was a Mike Smith that lived off Pete Ave., off Post Rd., S.

I then asked Sgt. Wilson if she would go to the address off Pete Ave., to see if she could make contact with a Mikey Smith of his father [REDACTED]. She stated that she would. Sheriff Len Davis, Chief Deputy John Simpson, was notified of the call. Deputy Connor Steedley was also asked to respond to the scene with K-9 Charlie to track the driver to see if we could locate him. When Deputy Steedley arrived on scene we showed him the shoe, and the two vapes. I then advised dispatch we started a K-9 track.

While on the track Volunteer Fire Department personnel [REDACTED] contacted me via the phone saying another fire department personnel [REDACTED] located a driver’s license by the vehicle on the ground, and the name on it was Michael (Mikey) James Smith II. I then had [REDACTED] place the driver’s license on the front of my patrol vehicle. After several minutes of tracking, we were unable to locate the driver of the vehicle.

When I exited the woods, I spoke with [REDACTED] and had him show me where the driver’s license was found. [REDACTED] then walked me back to the vehicle and pointed towards the ground that was approximately 5-10 feet North of the vehicle. He stated that it was where the license was. I then advised dispatch of the license.

I then called for the next wrecker on rotation for the vehicle. As I was typing out a tow sheet, I noticed dispatch put a phone number in the call for Mike Smith. I then contacted them asking about the phone number, and they advised me that when the number came up for the iPhone crash alert the name Mike Smith came up with it. Thomas and Son’s wrecker arrived on scene, and the vehicle was turned over to them. A warrant for leaving the scene of an accident is being secured for Mikey.

[End of Narrative]