William Clay

Name:
Clay, William Anthony

Date of Booking:
05/30/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
Driving Under the Influence of Multiple Substances

POSSESSION OF DRUGS, WEAPONS, ALCOHOL, OR TOBACCO PRODUCTS BY INMATES

POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA LESS THAN AN OUNCE – MISD

DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED OR REVOKED (MISDEMEANOR)

POSSESSION OF A SCHEDULE I CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE – 2 counts

Reckless Driving

Neglect to a disabled adult, elder person, or resident

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 May 29, 2026]

On Friday 5/29/2026 I, PFC Banks was backing up another officer during a traffic stop on Dean ave at Roy st when I noticed a white pickup truck recklessly driving in a dangerous manner coming of E. 19th onto Dean Ave. I quickly went and got in my patrol vehicle and activated my blue lights and sirens to catch up to the vehicle. I was able to catch the vehicle on Hwy 411 at Chateau Dr and perform a traffic stop. I walked up to the driver and introduced myself, I asked the driver later identified as Mr. William Clay for his license to which he stated he did not have them on him. I asked the driver if he had a valid license to which he stated they may be expired.

I noticed the driver was slurring his speech and his eyes were glassy, I could also smell the odor of alcohol coming from the driver so I asked him to step out the vehicle. Mr. Clay was very unsteady on his feet and was using the truck while walking to keep from falling, I had Mr. Clay sit on my push bumper with the backup officer while I went and ran his information.

While running Mr. Clay I found his License were suspended on 1/2/2026 and 1/30/2026 for failure to appear. Lt Burnes was requested to come perform field sobriety test on Mr. Clay while I began writing citations (see supplemental). Mr. Clay was placed under arrest 2313 hours, during incident search to arrest Mr. Clay was found to be in possession of two pluto thc vape pens. Once at the jail Mr. Clay was also found to be in possession of 6 grams of marijuana.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on May 29, 2026]

On 05/29/26 I (Lt Burnes) was on duty, patrolling the area of 411. I was asked to respond to 411 near Chateau Rd and assist PFC Banks and Deputy Jackson with a traffic stop. Upon my arrival they advised me they had stopped the offender for recklessly operating his truck on E 19th St, and they believed he was under the influence of something.

I observed the driver, Mr. William Clay, standing in front of the patrol vehicle. I noted right away that he was emotional and his speech was slurred. I asked him if he would be willing to take a PBT and he stated he would. The PBT returned a very positive (.163) reading for the presence of alcohol.

I asked Clay if he would participate in a battery of Field Sobriety Tests. He stated that he would. I am certified to perform this testing and have been since 2006. In that time frame I have performed the test hundreds of times. I instructed Mr. Clay where to stand, asked him if there were any complications that would prevent him for taking the test and had him remove his hat with his right hand.

I gave the instructions for the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test (HGN) and he stated that he understood. As the test began I made two passes to check for equal tracking. I observed his eyes to be bloodshot and glassy. This test yielded the following clues:

Lack Of Smooth Pursuit: Both Eyes
Onset Of Nystagmus Prior to 45 deg : Both Eyes
Distinct and systained Nystagmus at maximum deviation: Both Eyes

Next I asked Clay to perform the “Walk & Turn” test. I instructed Clay to stand in the starting position and wait until being told to begin as I gave my instructions. I explained the test and demonstrated three steps, the turn, and the set of steps. I also explained that the correct number is “9”. During the instructional phase Clay lost his balance and fell backward. I removed my body-camera in order to narrate the clues as he began the walking phase. The walking phase yielded the following clues:

First steps:
Steps off line on steps 2, and 6 by more than 1/2 inch.

Return Steps:
Lost Balance/Used Arms

Next he was asked to perform the “One Leg Stand” portion. He agreed, and issued the instructions and demonstrated the test. He stated he understood. Before the test actually began he swayed, and lost his balance, having to use his arms to correct himself. After the third time he put his foot down I discontinued the test due to his instability and his proximity to a divided highway.

Put His Foot Down: at “6”, “16”, and “23”
He also swayed and had to use his arms multiple times.

After taking into consideration the clues observed in the SFST, combined with his manner of driving and his physical manifestations I determined that Clay was under the influence of alcohol to the point that he was too impaired to operate a motor vehicle. He was then placed under arrest for suspicion of DUI.

I began to search him incident to arrest and I recovered a cell phone from his right pocket. He began to get emotional and explain that it was his aunt’s phone. At the same time Dep Jackson retrieved two Delta 8 (THC) vapes from his left pocket. He began to explain that the he had the Aunt;s phone because he needed the “hot spot” (WiFi). He then revealed to us that he had left her without a way to contact anyone for help and that she was in poor medical health. He demanded that we contact the aunt to inform her of his arrest and confirmed that she had no way to be contacted.

I requested that FCPD respond to the address and perform a welfare check on the aunt and explain where her caregiver/nephew, truck and phone were. I finished searching him and felt a lighter and a cash in his pocket. I left the cash where it was to prevent it from being lost. He was then seated in the rear of my patrol car. While there his emotions were uncontrollable. He portrayed his aunt’s health is dire and claimed to be her only caregiver on multiple occasions.

I read the GA implied consent notice to Mr. Clay and requested Blood. I chose blood due to the THC that was likely on board. As I began to read, he repeatedly interrupted me and attempted to speak over to me, telling me that his aunt may die. Throughout the reading he was belligerent and unruly but I continued to read the notice.

At the end he consented to a Blood Draw. He also made statements about being under the influence of THC but not alcohol. Arrangements were made with Sgt Kasmar (a department Phlebotomist) to to perform the draw. While we waited for the wrecker, Clay banged his head on my partition multiple times. I advised him to stop and we placed the seatbelt on him.

The vehicle was turned over to Loyds (Sent by Bishop’s) and we traveled to the Rome PD Headquarters for the blood draw. While en route, his emotions continued to be elevated. At one point the county officer who was with his aunt called. She confirmed to me that that aunt was left alone with no vehicle or communication abilities but seemed to be ok. He was very vocal during this time and insisted that his aunt would not be ok without him. He then began to bang his head on the cage again.

He then stopped and continued to berate me all the way to the station with threats of taking my job, suing me if his aunt suffers a medical emergency, and having his lawyer “suck my a*s”. As we were pulling up to the PD he unbuckled his seatbelt and started saying something about hoping my camera was on. As he exited the patrol vehicle I noted that his head was bleeding from multiple head strikes to the screen. I asked for EMS to respond to check him out.

We then entered into the intox room for the blood draw. He continued to be belligerent and making allegations of me arresting his mother (not me). He then began to act in a loud and boistrious manner, dropping racial slurs and accusing officers of being biased against him. At that point Sgt Kasmar declined to perform the blood draw out of concerns for the safety of officers if an altercation were to ensue and needles present.

We remained in the intox room at the station awaiting EMS. Clay continued to be loud and boisterous and had to be told to sit down repeatedly. When EMS arrived, he calmed down somewhat but continued to be disruptive. He explained to the medics that he had a ATV wreck previously and refused treatment. He then placed his head against the wall on the intox room in three separate areas and rubbed his blood on it.

Following the EMS visit we departed the Rome Police Dept for the jail. As we walked out to the vehicle Clay continued to make statements about his aunt and our liability should something happen. He had to be encouraged to get back in the patrol car. Once at the jail he calmed down somewhat and we discussed why the evenings events were all a consequence of poor choices that he made.

Once inside booking he got loud with jail staff and began yelling about his aunt again. During the booking process jailers discovered a small amount of marijuana that was tucked down in his pant pocket and missed in the initial roadside search. The suspected Marijuana was turned over to Ofr Banks in order to keep all of the evidence together

See FCSO report for information pertaining to their encounter with him.

[End of Narrative]