Thomas Crinigan

Name:
Crinigan, Thomas Frances

Date of Booking:
10/20/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
FAILURE TO KEEP IN PROPER LANE

DUI – DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL

DUI REFUSAL

WILLFUL OBSTRUCTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS – MISDEMEANOR

OPEN CONTAINER

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 October 20, 2025, at approximately 2315 hours, I was traveling on Fort Howard Road when I observed a brown Ford F-250 bearing Georgia tag [REDACTED]. The vehicle was weaving within its lane and crossed the fog line several times. Based on these observations, I activated my emergency equipment and initiated a traffic stop at the intersection of Fort Howard Road and Stonewalk Drive.

I approached the vehicle on the passenger side and knocked on the window to gain the driver’s attention. The driver appeared confused, initially pointing at the window and searching along the driver’s door before rolling the window halfway down. Upon doing so, he immediately handed me his driver’s license and stated, “I’m good, bro,” while aggressively chewing gum. The license identified the driver as Thomas Crinigan.

I explained the reason for the stop and asked where he was coming from. Mr. Crinigan stated he was coming from his restaurant, “Tommy’s.” While speaking with him, I observed that his speech was slurred, his eyes were bloodshot and watery, and I detected the faint odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his person. It should be noted that Thomas Crinigan, the owner of Tommy’s, is known in the Rincon community as an aggressive and frequent alcohol consumer.

When asked if he had consumed any alcohol or drugs that evening, he denied any use. I returned to my patrol vehicle and conducted a driver’s license check through NCIC/GCIC, which returned valid through the State of Georgia.

Once a Rincon Police Officer arrived on scene, I re-approached the vehicle and asked Mr. Crinigan to step out. He became argumentative and questioned the reason for the request. After several verbal commands, he eventually exited the vehicle without physical assistance. At the rear of the vehicle, Mr. Crinigan appeared unsteady on his feet and leaned against the truck for support.

I asked if he was willing to perform standardized field sobriety tests, to which he responded, “No, you don’t smell anything.” I then asked if he would submit to a preliminary breath test (PBT), and he again refused. He then stated, “You can go ahead and arrest me, but you don’t have any probable cause for the stop.” I reiterated the reason for the stop and explained the physical manifestations I observed, asking once more if he wished to participate in any tests. He refused, stating he “wasn’t doing anything.” Despite multiple requests, he refused to spit out his gum. Throughout the encounter, he remained verbally aggressive and repeatedly made the same statements. Based on my training and experience, these behaviors are consistent with indicators of alcohol impairment.

Based on the totality of the circumstances, including his erratic driving, physical manifestations of impairment, and the odor of alcohol, I determined there was probable cause to arrest Mr. Crinigan for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol. While placing him in handcuffs, he tensed up and attempted to pull his arms away. With assistance from the backup officer and by pressing him against his truck, I was able to secure him in handcuffs. The handcuffs were checked for proper fit and double-locked.

Mr. Crinigan was searched and placed in the rear seat of my patrol vehicle. I then read him the Georgia Implied Consent Notice for Suspects Age 21 and Over and requested a blood sample, which he refused.

An inventory of his vehicle was conducted prior to towing. During the inventory, I located five miniature “airplane” bottles of Fireball whiskey, three of which were open. The vehicle was towed from the scene by Rahns Wrecker Service.

I transported him to the jail and released him into the custody of the on-duty jailers. He was given copies of his citations and DDS 1205 form. My back seat was checked before and after transport. This concludes my involvement in this incident.

[End of Narrative]