Name:
Thomas, Ashton C
Date of Booking:
02/10/2023
Reason(s) For Booking:
POSSESSION OF PISTOL OR REVOLVER BY PERSON UNDER 18 YOA – 1ST OFFENSE
UNLAWFUL FOR PERSON EMPLOYED BY/ASSOCIATED WITH CRIMINAL STREET GANG TO CONDUCT/PARTICIPATE IN CRIMI
UNLAWFUL FOR PERSON TO COMMIT OFFENSE WITH INTENT TO OBTAIN/EARN MEMBERSHIP/MAINTAIN/INCREASE STATUS
WILLFUL OBSTRUCTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS – MISDEMEANOR
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 the above date, I was in the area of 701 H St., Glynn County Court House when I heard via radio traffic that Deputy D. Trawick #1126/GCSO said that he heard several shots fired which sounded to be coming from the area of Whitlock St. Deputy Trawick was in the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office parking lot when he heard these shots. A brief time after hearing this radio traffic, I heard a call for “shots fired” on the Glynn County PD radio channel. The call said that a subject wearing a hoodie was shooting out of the passenger side window of a red van at houses while traveling southbound on Whitlock St. The caller could not give a good description of the individual due to them wearing a hoodie and the hood being over the offenders head.
I advised my dispatch that I was in the area and would be on the lookout for the vehice. A brief time later, I passed a red minivan with at least (2) front seat occupants and obeerved that the passenger had a bright orange hoodie with the hood pulled over their head. The hood was sinched down tightly, making the wearer’s physical appearance hard to see. This caught my attention because the caller said the person shooting was wearing a hoodie with the hood on. I could see that the two occupants were African American but could not tell if they were male or female. I immediately advised my dispatcher and other deputies that I just passed a vehicle that matched the suspect vehicle description and began to turn around to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle. I passed the vehicle approximately at 7th St. @ Cochran Ave.
As I was turning around, I oberved the red van make a left hand turn on to Franklin Ave (south) from 7th st. By the time I turned on to Franklin Ave, I could no longer see the vehicle. I began driving slowly south bound on Franklin because I knew the vehicle didn’t have time to get far enough out of my sight to have continued south on Franklin. I located the vehicle at the intersection of Franklin Av. & 6th St. As soon as I saw the vehicle, I oberved the individual wearing the orange hoodie running on foot. The vehicle was off of the roadway and the front end appeared as if it had rolled in to a chain linked fence.
At this time, I activated my lights and exited my vehicle in attempts to stop the individual. When I exited my vehicle, the individual in the orange hoodie looked at me while I was beside my marked patrol vehicle with activated lights and myself wearing a patrol uniform clearly marked as a Deputy Sheriff and continued running. I briefly pursued after the individual on foot until he went in through a fence/gate and in to the back yard of [REDACTED BY AGENCY] Franklin Ave, announcing that the individual better come out now before I turn the dog lose (referencing a k-9).
At this time, I stopped chasing the subject on foot due to the nature of the contact and me being the only Deputy/officer on scene at the time. I looked over the fence in attempts to keep the individuals location in my sight. I observed the individual in the orange hoodie run in to the back porch of [REDACTED BY AGENCY] Franklin Ave. The vehice was a 2006 red Dodge Caravan with a Georgia tag of [REDACTED BY AGENCY] This vehicle is registered to [REDACTED BY AGENCY].
I immediately informed other Deputies/officers over radio traffic that the individual ran in to the residence and to set up a perimeter around the house. Other law enforcement officals arrived on scene briefly after, setting up a perimeter around the area of the house. Deputy R. Mydell #1145 gave anouncements over the patrol vehicle’s PA system telling the residents of the house saying, This is the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office, we have the house surrounded, you need to come out of the house with your hands up or we will send the dog in and he will bite you.
Briefly after the announcement, 2 individuals, (1) elderly african american female and (1) younger (19) year old african american male exited from the front door of the house and were detained. While this was occurring, a 3rd party exited the rear of the house and attempted to flee, jumping the fence in to the yard of the house directly behind [REDACTED BY AGENCY] Franklin Ave. This subject was able to be taken in to custody and was identified as Tony Dewayne Thomas.
The individuals who exited the front of the house were identified, checked for warrants and were realsed due to their cooperation, without being questioned about the incident. The male that came out of the front door willingly and was detained and released identified himself to me as Ashton Thomas. Ashton Thomas was released prior to being questioned about the incident at hand by mistake. Tony Dewayne Thomas was transported by Deputy K. Ellis to Glynn County Police Department Headquarters to be interviewed by Investigator E. Varnedoe #117/GCPD.
The Glynn County Police Departments S.W.A.T. team responded to the scene, and cleared the residence for the other party whom was wearing the orange hoodie that I saw run in to the residence. Upon exeecuting the search warrant on the residence, there were no other occupants in the house. The van that was involved was towed by GCPD investigators pending a search warrant. A firearm (black Smith & Wesson M&P .40 cal. Semi-automatic pistol with an empty magazine, [REDACTED BY AGENCY] was located in the vehice. Also, Investigator Varnedoe informed me that Tony Thomas admitted to driving the vehicle and also admitted that Ashton Thomas was his passenger which was shooting out of the vehicle. Also, GCPD investigators recovered video footage from a gas station where it can be seen that Tony Thomas was driving the van and Ashton Thomas was his passenger.
I issued (2) arrest warrants for Tony Thomas to include Obstruction of Law enforcement without violence and Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. GCPD officers transported Tony to Glynn County Detention Center and booked him on my charge of Obstruction. Tony bonded out of jail. The second charge has been added since he has bonded out due to the information I found out from GCPD invetigators the following day.
I issued (1) arrest warrant for Ashton Thomas for Obstruction of Law Enforcement without violence.
Tony Thomas is currently on felony probation and has been previouly convicted of (2) felonies which support the charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Ashton Thomas is currently facing gang charges and has a bond order in which he is banished from Glynn County unless he is present for a court hearing and also is not to be in possession of a firearm, both in which he violated. A copy of these conditions will be attached to this report.
My body worn camera and dash cameras were activated during this encouter and have been uploaded to evidence.com.
The Glynn County Police Department’s case number regarding their involvement in this incident is G23-01555.
[End of Narrative]