Andre Goodson

Name:
Goodson, Andre Harold

Date of Booking:
11/09/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
BURGLARY – 1ST DEGREE – F

CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY – 2ND DEGREE – F

HIT AND RUN; DUTY OF DRIVER TO STOP AT OR RETURN TO SCENE OF ACCIDENT – M

POSSESSION OF TOOLS FOR COMMISSION OF A CRIME – F

THEFT BY CONVERSION – F

THEFT BY TAKING – F

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 Sunday, November 9, 2025, at approximately 1339 hours, I was dispatched to the area of East 34th Street and Live Oak Street, in reference to a suspicious person. The call notes read as follows:

“COMPL ADV THERE IS SOMEONE TRYING TO SOMEONES HOME”
“COMPL NOW ADV THE SUBJ HAS NOT GOTTEN OUT OF THE VEH”
“COMPL ADV THE SUBJ JUST BACKED UP INTO SOMEONES HOME”
“COMPL ADV IS IT THE HOME ON THE CORNER”
“COMPL ADV IT IS A LIGHT GREYISH BLUE HOME”
“COMPL ADV HE THINKS THE SUBJ IS TRYING TO STEAL APPLIANCES OUT OF THE HOMES”

Upon responding to the area, a vehicle was described leaving the area. It was a white U-Haul truck with a snake picture on the side. Other officers were in the area and advised me that they observed the vehicle several streets over, traveling westbound on East 40th Street, just passed Live Oak Street. This was approximately a half mile from the incident location. The officers conducted a traffic stop on the U-Haul.

I arrived on scene to the area to begin canvassing for a crime scene. In the area of East 34th Street and Live Oak Street are four newly built houses still being worked on. The houses were still being built inside, but were finished on the outside, had doors, windows, and flooring inside. The house in question was described as being a blue house on the corner. While checking for the house, I observed a blue house at the corner of East 34th Street and Live Oak Street.

While walking over to it, I observed tire markings in the front yard area, in the grass. Also in the driveway were tire marks, which were muddy. The grass area next to the driveway was wet and muddy, which was reasonable to think the vehicle in question had driven through the grass area and driveway. I also observed several columns/pillars in the front of the house. They were part of the foundation and holding up the second level patio area. I observed one of the pillars, closest to the front door, turned so it was not matching the other pillars, and also having damage to the front area of it.

As I was checking the damage, the reporting individual, and witness, later identified as Mr. [WITNESS #1] walked over to officers. He did not want to provide too much information at first because he was scared to be seen speaking with us. He stated that he saw a white U-Haul back up the residence, and strike the pillar. He advised that he saw a male inside the U-Haul. [WITNESS #1] did not state whether he saw the male get out of the U-Haul. [WITNESS #1] walked away towards his residence, which was in the 1100 block of East 34th Street.

After briefly speaking with [WITNESS #1], another officer observed the front door of the house to be unlocked. We entered into the house to perform a security sweep and to investigate a possible burglary. The residence was cleared and there was nobody else inside. I did observe numerous indicators of a burglary occurring. One of which included the back door of the house, wide open. There was also a downstairs bathroom window open.

While checking the kitchen area, there was standing water in a spot which was designated to be for a refrigerator. There was a water hose that appeared to be cut, protruding from the back area, where it appeared a refrigerator was. Where the standing was were wet foot prints. I also observed scattered pieces of wood and debris in the areas where the appliances may have been, with scuff markings on the sides of the cabinet area, indicating that the appliances were forcefully removed. The kitchen was the only area that appeared to have had appliances removed.

As I was checking for other indicators of a burglary occurring, another officer checked the house next door, which was another house being built and furnished. Inside that house was a refrigerator inside. There were also refrigerators in the other two houses being built.

At this point, I had reason to belive that a burglary just occurred. I contacted a supervisor and he responded to the scene. I also advised the other officers with the male at the traffic stop, to detain him. He was later identified as Mr. Andre Goodson.

Once a supervisor was on scene, he was updated of the situation.

While I was checking around the outside of the property for owner information, I found a work order for numerous items being delivered. The items did not have any appliances listed, but did not have an address for the house, and who the items were sold to. The items were sold to a Reeves Investments LLC business out of Richmond Hill, Georgia. There was also an address of the items being shipped to for [1200 BLOCK] East 34th Street. There was a listed owner and or contractor of “[REDACTED]”, with a contact number. I also found a realtor sign outside of one of the other houses being built ([1200 BLOCK] East 34th Street). On the sign was a company called Coastal Area Partners and a real estate group called Heather Murphy Real Estate Group. There were two phone numbers listed on the sign.

I attempted to call all of the above listed numbers but they all went to an automated voice messaging system (may have been due to it being a Sunday).

After attempting to make contact with the possible owners and realtors, I went and spoke with the witness one more time. I asked [WITNESS #1] who was now at his residence, away from the general public area if he had seen the male strike the house. He stated he saw the male back the U-Haul into the home. He stated he did not see the male get out but he may have. He did not see him get out. [WITNESS #1] went on to state that the male left in the U-Haul quickly and he went speeding down East 34th Street, westbound.

After speaking with [WITNESS #1], I went with another officer to where Andre was being detained. When I arrived on scene, I observed him sitting at the back of the U-Haul in question. I also observed the back of the U-Haul open, allowing me to see inside. I observed what appeared to be several broken mirrors, clothing items, and two empty boxes, which were flat and folding on the floor area. I advised Andre, who was not in handcuffs at this point, that he was going to be placed into handcuffs. He was already advised prior that he was detained but I informed him again he was detained.

I placed handcuffs on him, double locked them, and checked them for comfort. As I was doing this, I felt tension in his arms, and could see the veins in his arms protruding. It appeared that he was trying to resist me holding his arms behind his back to handcuff him. He also bent over slightly and looked forward at a possible flight to escape. I escorted Andre to the back of my marked police car and informed him that I would be doing a pat frisk of his person. I asked him if he had any weapons. He stated he did not.

As I pat down his right pocket, I felt what could have been a knife. I asked Andre if it was. He stated he did not believe so but that it could be. I asked him again, if he had weapons as he had just told me he did not. He stated he carried a knife on his person but it may have been elsewhere. There were no weapons on Andre. He was placed in the back of the police car.

Once secure inside the police car, I read Andre his Miranda Rights. He asked me what he needed to be questioned for, which I informed him we were investigating an incident a few streets over. Andre agreed to speak with me.

I began by asking Andre why he was currently being detained. He did not know why. I asked Andre to explain to me where he was earlier. He stated he was asked to meet his “friend” over in the area of East 39th Street, which he then stated 34th Street. He stated he was asked if he wanted to do some work for the friend. He agreed to meet him at the house. Andre stated that when he arrived in the U-Haul, he parked it outside and waited for the friend. He stated he did not see the friend and proceeded to leave.

I asked Andre why he left so soon and he stated that he thought it was weird that the friend was not there. I asked Andre when he last spoke with his friend, who he would not name or provide any information on. He stated the last time he spoke with him was hours earlier. I asked Andre if he had parked the U-Haul in the driveway area or on the street. Andre stated he was not sure where he parked it, but several times stated it was in the driveway and on the roadway. I asked Andre if he got out of the U-Haul at all. He stated he did not get out and left within a short period of time.

Andre was not very descriptive on what he was doing in that area and why. He would not provide his friends name or what his involvement in the houses being renovated either. At this point I began to advise Andre that he was being accused of damaging the pillar to the house and leaving the scene of an accident. Andre stated that he did not hit the house with the U-Haul and if he did he would not have left.

I advised him that the damage to the house would probably exceed $500 due to the foundation and structure being compromised. I also advised Andre that there was evidence of a burglary occurring inside and that it was reasonable to assume he was the suspect for it. Andre stated he did not steal any items from inside the house. I asked Andre who did and he paused. I told him I would give him a minute to try and think about what he wanted to say next.

After I allowed Andre to think, I went back and asked him if he wanted to let me know who else was involved. Andre still said he did not want to provide anybody else to me and that he did not do anything. I advised Andre that all we wanted to know was where the appliances could be since they were clearly not in the U-Haul based on seeing the back open. Andre stated he did not know where the appliances were taken, changing from when he said he had no involvement. Andre appeared to be changing his story from not being involved to not knowing.

I went back to the beginning of the incident and asked Andre if he backed the U-Haul into the driveway. He admitted to backing it in. I asked him if he hit the pillar. This time Andre stated that he did not feel as though he struck the pillar, indicating again an inconstancy in his story. At this point I advised Andre again that he had two charges and that we just wanted to try and get the appliances back to the owners. Andre stated that he did not want to indicate anybody else involved. I stopped questioning Andre and the supervisor on scene began to ask follow-up questions, once he agreed to continue to speak with us.

As the other part of the questioning was going on, I began to do a search, incident to arrest, of the U-Haul. I checked the back area where it was supposedly involved in the crash, and found numerous wood pieces and blue colored wood pieces in the back area and on the trailer hitch, which was consistent with the wood pieces that were found outside the front door and inside the house, where the appliances appeared to be forcefully taken from.

I already saw in plain view, numerous items relating to the burglary, such as the mirrors, which matched the layout and color scheme of the house. I also saw numerous tools in plain view, which could have been used to cut, screw, or aid in taking appliances, or other items from a house. As I continued to find more and more evidence to the crime, I checked the two flat boxes first observed and turned them over.

The boxes had “Samsung Dishwasher” on them with a serial number [REDACTED]. When inside the house, I observed that the microwave still inside was a Samsung. Often, the same brand and series of appliances are used when furnishing houses. While also checking the U-Haul, there was a bag of light bulbs found, which matched those of the light bulbs that were installed at the house.

After the incident was completed the items that belonged to the house were returned. The light bulbs that were found, were found to be missing from the kitchen area. The mirrors that were found in the U-Haul were found to be missing from the bathrooms at the house based on the walls where they belonged having holes in them, and there being no mirror, when the rest of the bathroom was mostly finished.

After checking for the numerous items inside, the evidentiary items were seized and secured in my police car. Another officer had contacted U-Haul and obtained information that the U-Haul was past due and being operated without a current contract. The name on the contract was Andre’s. U-Haul advised officers that they wanted to retrieve it at the scene.

The supervisor finished with his interview with Andre and confirmed that he would be placed under arrest for the burglary. Another officer transported Andre to the Chatham County Detention Center (CCDC), where he was booked in, without issue.

Based on the facts and circumstances, Andre was charged with the following:
O.C.G.A. 16-7-1: Burglary
O.C.G.A. 16-7-23: Criminal Damage to Property
O.C.G.A. 16-7-20: Possession of Tools for Commission of a Crime
O.C.G.A. 16-8-3: Theft by Conversion
O.C.G.A. 16-8-2: Theft by Taking
O.C.G.A. 40-6-270: Hit+Run

Photos of the exterior and interior of the house were taken. Photos of the secondary location where the U-Haul was located, were taken, which included the evidence seized.

Cameras were checked in the area and there were numerous cameras facing the houses being built, directly on a power pole. Officers could not access the cameras at the time. We also checked with a neighbor down the street at his cameras that were facing East 34th Street, but the cameras did not capture motion that far into the street and only captured the immediate area of their property.

A CRN card was left at the burglarized home since officers could not get into contact with anyone.

[End of Narrative]