Tykell Cox

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Name:
Cox, Tykell James

Date of Booking:
04/25/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
VGCSA – POSSESS -SYNTHETIC CANNABINOID / MARIJUANA OR K2 – FELONY

DUI – DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL

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 4/25/2026, at approximately 2153 hours, I, Sgt. Massey, responded to the McDonald’s located at [100 BLOCK] Carrollton Villa Rica Highway in reference to a suspicious subject who was causing a disturbance. I arrived on scene in my conspicuously marked Villa Rica patrol vehicle equipped with emergency lights and siren.

Upon arriving on scene, I made contact with the subject, Tykell Cox (DOB:[REDACTED BY AGENCY]. I instructed Cox to stand outside while I made contact with an employee. I entered the store and spoke with the manager on duty. The manager stated Cox entered the store despite being told the lobby was closed. The manager stated Cox walked behind the cash registers and into the back of the store, I asked the manager if she wished to have Cox issued a criminal trespass warning for the property. The manager replied that she would.

I relocated outside and spoke with Cox. Cox informed me that he observed the hours of operation sticker on the window near the door. This sticker indicated the store closed at 10:00PM. Cox stated he was there at approximately 9:45PM. Cox stated he felt like his questions were not being answered so he walked behind the cash registers for the purpose of locating a manager and filing a complaint. As I spoke with Cox, I smelled the odor consistent with the consumption alcoholic beverages emanating from Cox’s breath. I also observed Cox to have glassy, watery eyes.

I was asked to go inside and speak with employee’s of McDonald’s and obtained more information regarding the incident.

I returned outside and continued speaking with Cox. I asked Cox how much he had to drink on this date. Cox stated he had not consumed any alcoholic beverages on this date. Cox stated the last time he consumed an alcoholic beverage was last weekend. I did not believe this to be true due to me smelling the odor consistent with the consumption of alcoholic beverages emanating from Cox’s breath. I informed Cox of what I smelled. Cox informed me he was chewing a piece of gum, suggesting this could be what I was smelling. I informed him it was not. I obtained a department issued portable alto-sensor.

Portable Alco-sensor: .108 BrAC (Positive)

Cox provided a breath sample, which returned with a reading of .108 BrAC, indicating a positive presence of alcohol.

I returned to the side of the store, where Cox was standing. I asked Cox again how much he had consumed on this date. Cox stated he had not consumed any alcoholic beverages on this date. I asked Cox if he consented to participating in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing to ensure it was safe for him to drive. Cox consented to participating in the tests.

Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST)

Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN): 4 of 6 clues

Cox was positioned in front of my Villa Rica patrol vehicle, on relatively flat and level pavement. Cox was directed to stand with his feet together and keep his hands by his sides. Cox was instructed to follow a stimulus, my finger, with his eyes while keeping his head stationary. Cox advised he understood the instructions and indicated he was ready to begin the assessment.

• Cox had equal tracking and equal pupil size in his left and right eye.
• Cox had lack of smooth pursuit his left and right eye.
• Cox had distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation in his left and right eye.

It should be noted Cox failed to follow the stimulus, my finger, throughout the duration of the test despite stating he understood the instructions. Cox also moved his head throughout the test.

Due to the light rain and wet conditions, I did not believe it was safe or fair to administer the walk and turn and one leg stand evaluations.

I gave Cox another opportunity to be honest with me regarding his alcoholic beverage consumption. Cox maintained that he had not consumed any alcoholic beverages. Cox informed me that he had been around people who had been drinking, indicating this is where the odor might be coming from. I informed Cox I smelled the odor on his breath which would not be possible unless he consumed alcoholic beverages. Cox stated he had not consumed any alcoholic beverages since being at the McDonald’s. I asked Cox if there was any alcohol in his truck. Cox stated there was not. Cox stated he drove to the McDonald’s. I informed Cox that the portable breathalyzer indicated to me that Cox had consumed alcoholic beverages. I asked Cox why this would be the case if he had not consumed alcohol. Cox stated he did not know but believed that the gum he had been chewing might be the reason. Cox volunteered to remove the gum from his mouth and provide another breath sample.

Portable Alco-sensor: .103 BrAC (Positive)

Cox provided a second breath sample (with the gum removed from his mouth), which returned with a reading of .103 BrAC, indicating a positive presence of alcohol.

I took Cox’s uncontrollable physical manifestations and the results of Cox’s Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test into consideration and determined Cox to be under the influence of alcohol to the extent it was less than safe for him to operate a motor vehicle. Cox was secured to the rear in double-locked handcuffs that were checked for proper fit. Cox was searched incident to arrest and no contraband was located on his person. Cox was secured in the rear of a patrol vehicle without further incident. While seated in the rear of a patrol vehicle, I confirmed with Cox he was over the age of 21 and read him the Georgia Implied Consent Notice for Suspects Age 21 or Over (DDS-354, 05/2019) verbatim, requesting a state administered chemical test of his blood. Cox consented to my request.

Cox was transported to the processing room at the Villa Rica Police Department. [REDACTED], an employee of True Peaks, arrived for the purpose of conducting the blood draw. The blood-draw was conducted at 2249 hours and from Cox’s left arm. The blood sample was appropriately packaged before being placed into evidence (VR-019029).

While on scene, an inventory search was conducted of Cox’s truck. A cooler in the bed of the truck was found to contain unopened beer cans (Miller High Life) indicating to me that Cox was not honest when asked about alcohol being in his vehicle. An Ace Ultra Premium True Grape THC vape was located in the driver’s side door pocket. This vape has a THC concentration of 91.4%. An impound sheet was completed and Eagle Eye towing arrived to impound the vehicle. Photographs of the beer, THC vape, and THC vape case are attached to this report under “Other Images”. The THC vape was appropriately packaged and dropped into evidence (VR-019028). The THC vape case was appropriately disposed of.

Carroll County arrest warrants for Cox for O.C.G.A.16-13-30(A) and O.C.G.A.40-6-391(A)(1) have been completed and await a judge’s signature.

[End of Narrative]

All information is sourced directly from the official, public court database. Case history is organized and curated by The Georgia Gazette staff. The “What this means:” explanations are written by AI and reviewed by our staff before publishing.

Court records are subject to change at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors or omissions. Nothing here is legal advice. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Case History:

4/25/26

TYKELL JAMES COX ARRESTED AND BOOKED IN CARROLL COUNTY

What this means: Tykell James Cox was arrested and booked in Carroll County on this date. Cox is accused of a felony violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act — specifically, possession of synthetic cannabinoids (marijuana or K2) — as well as driving under the influence of alcohol. These are the charges that triggered the opening of Carroll Superior Court case number SUWA2026000398.

4/27/26

APPEARANCE BOND EXECUTED FOR TYKELL JAMES COX IN CARROLL COUNTY

What this means: An appearance bond was executed in Carroll County for Tykell James Cox, securing his release from custody with the condition that he appear before Carroll Superior Court as required. The bond paperwork reflects Cox’s address as Carrollton, Georgia 30116. By signing this bond, Cox and any co-signers agreed that failure to appear could result in the bond being forfeited and a bench warrant being issued for his arrest. The bond was attested and approved by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.

4/30/26

PUBLIC DEFENDER ENTERS APPEARANCE ON BEHALF OF TYKELL JAMES COX

What this means: The Office of the Public Defender for the West Georgia Judicial Circuit filed a formal notice with Carroll Superior Court stating that attorney S. Katherine Cadwallader would be representing Tykell James Cox in case number SUWA2026000398. This means Cox has legal representation and that all court filings, hearing notices, and case updates must be sent to Cadwallader’s office going forward. The filing was entered on April 30, 2026, before Judge Dustin Hightower.