Aurelian Gava

Name:
Gava, Aurelian

Date of Booking:
07/04/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
DUI – DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS

FAILURE TO YEILD WHEN TURNING LEFT

SERIOUS INJURY BY VEHICLE

SERIOUS INJURY BY VEHICLE

SERIOUS INJURY BY VEHICLE

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.]

[NARRATIVE #1 on July 04, 2025]

On Friday July 4, 2025 at approximately 1403 hours I responded to a 2 vehicle crash in Fannin County Georgia at the intersection of State Route 2 and Loving Road. Georgia Department of Natural Recourses Officer J. Wood #364 and TFC Matheson #650 were already on scene. I made contact with TFC. Matheson who had already requested the on call SCRT trooper be en route to the crash due to the seriousness of the crash.

While conducting my crash investigation I learned that a white Ram pickup truck had attempted to turn left onto Loving Road from State Route 2 Eastbound lanes. I was provided a Florida issued drivers license that identified the driver of the Ram truck displaying Florida tag number [REDACTED] as Suspect: Aurelian Gava. TFC. Matheson was getting a breath sample from Mr. Gava due to the odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his person. Mr. Gava provided a full sample that was negative. I then continued my crash investigation and learned that on juvenile passenger was unresponsive and en route to the hospital, another juvenile passenger was being flown to Children Heath care and the driver and other passenger were being taken to Blue Ridge Medical Center. I spoke with Ms. [VICTIM #1] the mother of the non at fault vehicle who provided me her contact information so that he could keep me informed on the condition of her family members.

TFC Matheson informed me that he had spoken to Mr. Gava further and still suspected that Mr. Gava my be under the influence and asked if he could perform Field Sobriety Evaluations. See TFC. Matheson’s supplemental narrative for details. I was then advised that Mr. Gava was being uncooperative and could not finish the evaluations due to his limitations. Officer Wood then had Mr. Gava sit in the back of an ambulance and conducted the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) Seated Battery evaluations. See DNR Officer Wood supplemental narrative and Field Sobriety Card for details. Based on the both TFC Matheson and DNR Officer Woods evaluations Mr. Gava was placed under arrest for DUI. TFC Matheson read Mr. Gava the Georgia Implied Consent Notice For Suspects Age 21 and over for Blood and he verbally agreed. TPR Roberts transported Mr. Gava to Blue Ridge Medical Center for the blood draw where blood was drawn at 1624 hours by [REDACTED].

I remained on scene to assist CPL Church #196 from Troop B SCRT who took over the crash investigation.

I remained in contact with the family of the victims in this case over the rest of the day. I was informed the driver Ms. [VICTIM #1] was in the hospital with serious injuries along with Ms. [VICTIM #2] the juvenile. Ms. [VICTIM #3] the juvenile was also taken to a trauma hospital in critical condition.

I was informed Sunday July 6 2025 by family members of the victims that Ms. [VICTIM #3] juvenile was on life support with no brain activity due to injuries sustained in the crash and that they were waiting on her mother Ms. [VICTIM #1] to be released from the hospital before she was removed from life support.

I was then notified by family on July the 8 that Ms. [VICTIM #3] juvenile was taken off life support and passed due to her injuries from the crash.

Charges were taken at the on July 6 2025 for serious injury x3, DUI and failure to yield while turning left.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on July 04, 2025]

On July 4, 2025, at approximately 14:03 hours a vehicle accident occurred on GA 2 at its intersection with Loving Road, involving two vehicles with one on fire. TFC2 Martin #833 was responding but due to the nature of the collision I went to assist. I arrived on scene and began assisting with the investigation. I made contact with the driver of a white pickup truck who I identified as Aurelian Gava by his Florida license. While speaking with Gava I saw that he was unsteady on his feet, had glassy blood shot eyes, and the entire area smelled of alcoholic beverage. Gava was unsure of how the accident took place. I asked Gava if he would perform a Preliminary Breath Test and he agreed. TFC2 Martin arrived on scene shortly after. I learned that a child was enroute to the hospital and was in serious condition and not expected to survive. I requested SCRT-B to be in-route to assist. Gava performed the Preliminary Breath Test which was negative for alcohol. I asked Gava about medication use and he stated yes but didn’t know what medication he used. Gava continued to have slow speech and was swaying while standing still.

I asked Gava if he would perform Field Sobriety Evaluations and he agreed. During Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus evaluations Gava wouldn’t keep his head still and had droopy eyelids making it impossible to see his eyes. Gava also was disoriented, had a thick speech, and was consistently unsteady on his feet. I moved Gava to a spare ambulance and conducted Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus evaluation again so I could see his eyes better. During the evaluation I didn’t see any resting nystagmus, his eyes tracked equally and observed 6 clues during the evaluation. During my evaluation Gava was difficult to work with as he wouldn’t follow simple directions. Gava also admitted to using THC gummies at night for sleep. Gava was also downplaying the seriousness of the accident as if he had relaxed inhibition.

DNR Wood #364 assisted with performing more field sobriety evaluations. It was determined that Gava was under the influence, and I placed him Under Arrest for DUI. When I told Gava he was under arrest Gava resisted and had to be forced into handcuffs by myself and Tpr. Roberts #289. Gava only cared about getting a cigarette during my interaction with him. I read the Georgia Implied Consent Notice for Suspects Age 21 or over for a blood test. Gava understood the Implied Consent and agreed by stating yes. EMS attempted to perform the blood draw on scene but was unable to. Tpr. Roberts transported Gava to Blue Ridge Medical Center for the requested blood draw.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #3 on July 04, 2025]

On 07/04/2025 at approximately 2:03 PM, I, Corporal (CPL) Jared Wood with the Georgia Department Law Enforcement Division (GA DNR LED) was traveling west on GA 2/Highway 515 West when I observed a vehicle on fire at the intersection of GA 2 West and Loving Road. The vehicle was facing east on the west bound shoulder. Upon observing the vehicle on fire, I determined the vehicle was involved in a crash. I then observed a white Dodge truck located in the grass on the shoulder of Loving Road (south bound lane). The white Dodge also had extensive damage as if it was involved in a crash. As I was assessing the scene, I notified GSP Gainesville dispatch and advised them of the severity of the crash.

When I stepped out of my state vehicle, I made contact with a concerned citizen. He advised me there was three juveniles that were seriously injured in the crash. He also advised me the mother of the children was on scene and standing by with anther bystander. I then walked over to one of the female juveniles (unresponsive) that was laying on the ground closest to the roadway. She had substantial injuries to face and head area. Several concerned citizens were attempting medical aid to her by performing CPR. I then walked over to the other juveniles involved in the crash. The other female was laying on the bank of the roadway with several individuals standing with her. I then observed the male juvenile laying approximately 20 feet from her. Both had blood on their clothing, but it appeared they were responsive. I then notified GSP dispatch of the severity of the injuries for EMS responders. For the safety of the public, I obtained my GA DNR LED issued fire extinguisher and attempted to put the car fire out. The fire was beginning to increase in size, and I was unable to extinguish the fire.

Upon EMS and fire arriving on scene, I began speaking with witnesses. I spoke with several witnesses that advised me the white Dodge was in the east bound turning lane (in order to head north on Loving Road) when the Dodge failed to yield to the red Toyota traveling west on GA 2. Witnesses stated the red Toyota was almost in the intersection of Loving Road before it attempted to turn north on Loving Road. Several concerned citizens were able to pull the victims out of both vehicles before anyone was burned (see body cam footage for witness interviews). I also spoke with the driver of the white Dodge. Upon speaking with him, I smelled a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from him. I also observed multiple broken bottles of alcoholic beer beverages located inside the cab and in the roadway.

At around that time, GSP Troopers Shane Matheson and Michael Martin arrived on scene and took over the investigation. While assisting EMS and Fire, Trooper Matheson was speaking with the driver. Trooper Matheson began investigating to determine if the driver of the Dodge truck was possibly under the influence. I then assisted Trooper Matheson while he began his Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST). Due to the severity of the crash and the age/physical capabilities, Trooper Matheson was only able to conduct the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (H.G.N.) evaluation. I asked Trooper Matheson if he wanted me to ask the driver to conduct the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) Seated Battery evaluations due to the driver’s limitations. Trooper Matheson agreed to the request.

While the driver was sitting in the back of an ambulance, I began I asking the driver a series of questions associated with GA DNR LED Standardized Field Sobriety (SFST) form. The first evaluation I asked the driver to conduct was the Finger to Nose evaluation. During the evaluation, I observed the driver to have twenty-three (23) clues (see SFST form). The driver attempted to begin the evaluation prior to the instructions. Also, when I informed the driver he could begin, I had to inform him to tilt his head back and close his eyes.

The next evaluation the driver conducted was the Palm Pat evaluation. During the evaluation, I observed the driver to have nine (9) clues (see SFST form). Once again, the driver was unable to recall the instructions (see body cam footage).

The last evaluation I asked the driver to conduct was the Hand Coordination evaluation. During the evaluation, I observed the driver to have seven (7) clues. The driver was unable to conduct all four tasks as he was instructed (see SFST form and body cam footage).

After the evaluations, I informed Trooper Matheson that it was apparent the driver was under the influence based on the evaluations. The rest of the investigation was turned over to Troopers Matheson and Martin.

[End of Narrative]