Tonya Morris

Name:
Morris, Tonya Lee

Date of Booking:
05/09/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
HIT AND RUN; DUTY OF DRIVER TO STOP AT OR RETURN TO SCENE OF ACCIDENT

Driving Under 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 Friday, May 9, 2025, at approximately 7:03 p.m., I was dispatched to Hardy Ave near Charles St regarding a hit-and-run vehicle wreck. Upon my arrival, I spoke with the victim, [VICTIM #1].

Ms. [VICTIM #1] informed me that she was parked on Hardy Ave near the park when a white vehicle struck her car in the rear and left the accident scene. Before the car left, Ms. [VICTIM #1] told me that a female got out of the driver’s seat and said she needed to go home to use the bathroom. She told me she got the Georgia registration of the white car that left the scene, [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. I ran the tag through GCIC/NCIC, and it returned to Tonya Lee Morris of [REDACTED BY AGENCY].

While I was gathering information for the motor vehicle accident report, Pfc Chaves #60 informed me she found the car at the registered address of [REDACTED BY AGENCY]. I went to Pfc Chaves’s location, and she informed me that she knocked on the front door, but no one answered. She said the car was parked in the driveway and had front-end damage, matching what Ms. [VICTIM #1] told me. She also stated that she saw a male inside the residence through a side window of the house.

Not knowing who was inside the residence or what they had inside of the residence, I had my patrol car parked in front of the house with my emergency equipment activated. I used my public announcement system (PA) to make loud announcements for anyone in the house to come out. I did this several times, but no one came to the front door. Shortly later, Pfc Chaves called me on the radio to go to the back door. I noticed she was speaking to a black female, who I confirmed to be Tonya Lee Morris, the driver of the white 1997 Lexus that left the accident scene.

While trying to speak to Ms. Morris, she stated she had to use the bathroom and went back into the house. After waiting a few minutes, Ms. Morris came outside to speak with me. When she was talking to me, I could smell the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her breath; I noticed she had slurred speech, watery eyes, and was unsteady on her feet. Also, while talking to her, she stated, “I didn’t mother fu*king do it; she backed into me.” She kept telling me the other lady involved backed into her but did not deny driving her vehicle. When I asked her if she had been drinking, she stated, “Uh yeah.” She also mentioned she was driving down the street when I asked her why she was driving.

At this time, I placed Ms. Morris under arrest for Driving Under the Influence of alcohol and Hit and Run. She was escorted to my patrol car, where Pfc Chaves searched her. Georgia Implied Consent (DDS-354 (05/2019) was read to Ms. Morris. I asked for a state-administered chemical test of her breath. Ms. Morris refused the state-administered chemical test. An Administrative License Suspension (ALS) form was completed and turned in.

Ms. Morris was transported to Atrium Health to be medically cleared since she was involved in a motor vehicle accident. After being cleared, she was transported to the Floyd County jail without incident and booked. The backseat of my patrol car was searched at the beginning of my tour of duty and after Ms. Morris was released to the jail.

[End of Narrative]