Name:
Harris, Cassie
Date of Booking:
01/03/2023
Reason(s) For Booking:
CROSSING STATE/COUNTY GUARD LINES WITH DRUGS
DUI – DRUGS
CROSSING STATE/COUNTY GUARD LINES WITH DRUGS
WEAVING OVER ROADWAY
POSSESSION AND USE OF DRUG RELATED OBJECT
TRAFFICKING
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 January 2nd 2023, while patrolling Hickory Rd. I observed a blue Ford Escape (GA TAG #:[REDACTED]) fail to maintain its lane multiple times prior to quickly turning onto Arthur Dr. While on Arthur Dr. I observed the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Cassie Lynn Harris, drive on the opposite side of the road and then drive off the road almost striking a mailbox on Arthur Dr.
I activated my emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop. I made contact with Harris at her driver’s side window and notified her why I pulled her over. Harris stated the reason why she was swerving was because she thought her tire was flat. No tires on her vehicle were flat. I asked Harris if she had been drinking any alcohol tonight and she stated she had not.
I proceeded to ask Harris if she had taken any Narcotics tonight and she stated no. I asked Harris if she does any Narcotics and she answered yes, after a long pause Harris stated that she smokes marijuana. I asked Harris if she had any narcotics in the vehicle, she stated she did not, I asked Harris for consent to search for narcotics Harris denied consent.
While talking to Harris I noticed that her pupils were pinpoint and not reacting to light. I also noticed that Harris was talking at an extreme rate of speed slurring her words and sounding unrecognizable. Due to my knowledge, training, and experience the previous mentioned are all possible clues of narcotic impairment.
I called for another unit to respond for a DUI investigation and asked Harris to exit the vehicle. Upon the arrival of Cpl. Hubeli and Ofc. Hutchins I asked Harris if she was willing to participate in roadside evaluations to determine if she was safe to continue driving. Harris agreed to the evaluations.
I first conducted the walk and turn evaluation, I observed 8 of 8 clues:
-Cannot balance during instructions
-Starts too soon
-Stops while walking
-Misses heel-to-toe
-Steps off the line
-Uses arms to balance
-Improper turn
-Incorrect number of steps.
I then conducted the one leg stand evaluation, I observed 4 of 4 clues prior to having to end the test because Harris put her foot down more than 3 times:
-Sways
-Uses arms to balance
-Hops
-Puts foot down
For the final evaluation I used a portable breath test to determine if Harris had any alcohol in her system, the portable breath test determined that no alcohol was present. Due to the multiple signs of impairment and observed driving behaviors Harris was arrested for DUI.
Harris was placed in handcuffs in the rear, checked for proper fit, and double locked. I read the Green Georgia Implied Consent for Suspects 21 and over, asked Harris for the state administered chemical test of her blood, Harris refused. Harris was searched incident to arrest via Cpl. Hubeli. Harris was then secured in the rear of my patrol car.
Harris was transported to the Holly Springs Police Station where I obtained a search warrant (Warrant #: 23-SW-000003) for her Blood for a GBI blood test kit in a DUI investigation. I notified Harris of the warrant and asked her if she was going to comply with the search warrant and she stated he was. I gave her a copy of the search warrant to keep on her person.
Upon the arrival to Cherokee County Fire Station 8 Harris was removed from the rear of my patrol car and brought into the firehouse. While entering the firehouse Harris was asking if she used narcotics the day prior if that would show up in her blood. I informed her that I was not a doctor nor was I drawing her blood, and that would be determined via the GBI.
Harris took a seat in the firehouse as the Cherokee County EMT’s prepared the GBI Blood test kit. Harris then displayed her arms and stated that she “used the day prior” and showed the EMT her track marks located inside of her arm. The Cherokee County EMT attempted to draw blood from Harris but ultimately was unable to due to Harris’s extensive drug use causing multiple collapsed veins in addition to extensive scare tissue causing extreme discomfort to Harris.
The Cherokee County EMT’s stated that I may be able to go to the hospital to get a specialist to draw Harris’s blood but that would still bring Harris great pain due to her drug related injuries. Throughout this process Harris stated multiple times that she uses methamphetamine and has almost killed herself from shooting too much methamphetamine.
I decided against going to the hospital for Harris’s blood as I did not want to cause any additional injuries to Harris. Harris was placed in handcuffs in the front (due to the unsuccessful attempt to draw blood), checked for proper fit, and double locked prior to being secured in the rear of my patrol car.
While being transported to the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center I again asked Harris if she had anything on or in her person that would get her into trouble at the jail, Harris stated she did not. Upon arrival to the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center I noticed on my camera in the rear of the patrol car that Harris was digging in her crotch area and dropped something in the rear floorboard of my patrol car.
Once I was past the guard line at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center Harris stated that she had dropped a Marijuana Pipe from her person. The pipe was photographed and secured as evidence, as Harris was charged with Crossing the Guard line with the marijuana pipe. Upon arrival to the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center Harris was transferred into the custody of Cherokee County Jail Deputies.
Harris was charged with the following:
Failure to maintain lane OCGA 40-6-48 Warrant #:CE0133111
DUI- Drugs OCGA 40-6-391(a2) Warrant #:CE0133111
Possession of drug related objects 16-13-32 Warrant #:CE0133111
Trafficking in Methamphetamine 16-13-31(e) Warrant #:CE0133111
Crossing the Guard Line 42-5-15 (2 Counts) Warrant #:CE0133111
Ofc. Hutchins, Cpl. Hubeli, and CCSO K9 Deputy Verber conducted a probable cause search of Harris’s vehicle while I was with Harris and located approximately 8g of suspected methamphetamine, 3 Scales, a black magnetic hideaway box, 2 marijuana grinders, a Narcotic pipe disguised as a cigarette, and a teal box with suspected narcotic residue.
All evidence was photographed and documented on ECR #:02050. Items 1 and 2 on ECR #:02050 are for evidentiary purposes, while items 3 thru 7 are to be destroyed. My patrol car was searched prior to and after this incident.
[End of Narrative]