Ronda Taylor

Name:
Taylor, Ronda Lucille

Date of Booking:
01/27/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
Failure to Register Vehicle / Driving without tag

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

DUI-Driving Under the Influence of Drugs

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 the above date and time, Camden County 911 dispatched me to the above location in reference to a hit and run. Dispatch advised that the caller stated a white Ford Ranger had hit a light pole and then continued to the back of the trailer park. I responded to the call for service with the normal flow of traffic.

Upon arriving at the trailer park, due to the lot numbers not being labeled correctly, I had a bit of trouble locating where the light pole was, but was able to locate a white Ford Ranger matching the description at lot 159 that was backing out of the driveway very slowly. I observed that the Ford Ranger did not have a tag on it. Right before letting dispatch know that I was going to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle, dispatch advised that the suspect was calling in stating that she struck the light pole.

Upon arriving at the driver’s door, I met with the suspect later identified as Ronda Taylor. While speaking with Mrs. Taylor about what happened, I observed that her pupils were pen-point, and her speech was slurred. Mrs. Taylor advised that she knew she had hit the light pole because her brakes failed when she was returning to her residence from checking the mail. I asked Mrs. Taylor if she had consumed any alcohol or illegal narcotics, to which she stated no. I then asked if she would participate in standard field sobriety to verify if she was okay to operate a motor vehicle, to which she said yes.

HGN-

I asked Mrs. Taylor if she wore contacts and or glasses. Mrs. Taylor stated no. I advised Mrs. Taylor to follow my stimulus with her eyes and her eyes only to which she advised that she understood. Mrs. Taylor had equal tracking and equal pupil size. Mrs. Taylor displayed 6 out of 6 possible clues for this test.

-Lack of smooth pursuit in the left eye
-Lack of smooth pursuit in the right eye
-Distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation in the left eye
-Distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation in the right eye
-An Onset of nystagmus in the left eye prior to 45 degrees
-An Onset of nystagmus in the right eye prior to 45 degrees

Walk and Turn- I asked Mrs. Taylor if she had any issues with her legs to which she stated that she had a rebuilt right knee, and rods in her left foot, but would attempt the test. I instructed Mrs. Taylor into the starting position which was to place her left foot on the imaginary straight line, and then place her right heel to the front of her left toe. Mrs. Taylor stated “Yeah I cannot do that.

One Leg Stand- Mrs. Taylor stated that she was not able to perform this test either.

I asked Camden County Dispatch to inquire a criminal history on Mrs. Taylor. While waiting for dispatch to send the criminal history, Mrs. Taylor was observed nodding off while sitting on the tailgate of her vehicle.

At that time, I asked Mrs. Taylor once more if she had taken any medications, to which she again stated no.

I then placed Mrs. Taylor into double-locked handcuffs to the rear that were checked for fit and advised her that she was under arrest for driving under the influence of drugs. I then read Mrs. Taylor the GA implied consent green card for drivers over the age of 21 for her blood. At first, Mrs. Taylor agreed, but shortly after her husband arrived on the scene, she withdrew and stated that she would not give her blood.

While typing a search warrant for her blood, Mrs. Taylor’s husband advised other officers that she was once a meth user, but since has been taking 130mg of methadone from a methadone clinic. Mrs. Taylor advised that she did not know that she could not drive while consuming the methadone.

Ofc Wilkinson then secured Mrs. Taylor in the rear of his patrol vehicle and transported her to the Southeast Georgia Health System Camden Campus, while I obtained the search warrant for her blood.

After the phlebotomist obtained blood from Mrs. Taylor, Ofc Livingston then transported Mrs. Taylor to the Camden County Jail where she was booked and cited on the above-listed charges.

The GBI blood test kit was entered into the evidence locker at the Kingsland Police Department.

Photos of the light pole were also submitted to evidence.com

[End of Narrative]