Eric Whitlock

Name:
Whitlock, Eric Keith

Date of Booking:
09/21/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
FAILURE TO REPORT ACCIDENT

HIT AND RUN-FAILURE TO STOP AND RENDER AID

FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE

POSSESSION LESS THAN 1 OZ MARIJUANA

POSSESSION OF DRUG RELATED OBJECTS

REGISTRATION AND LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

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 September 21, 2025]

On September 21, 2025, I, Cpl. Ray #704 responded to a traffic crash on Georgia 15 near Antioch Church Road in Habersham County.

Upon arriving at the scene, I was informed that the driver was not present but was suspected to have sustained injuries due to blood found on the vehicle. Lieutenant Robertson #111 of the Habersham County Sheriffs Office reported that a ringing cell phone was located at the scene, and he answered it in hopes of identifying the owner. The caller, saved as “[REDACTED],” was a female asking for her father, who had been involved in the crash. Habersham County S.O. reached out to nearby hospitals in search of a patient related to the crash, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

I observed a white 2004 Ford Super Duty truck that had crashed. It appeared that the driver had sustained some sort of cut, as blood was present inside the truck, particularly around the center console. The blood inside the vehicle was inconsistent with the blood stains on the outside, suggesting the driver might have been injured while exiting the truck, or that someone who assisted the driver had a cut. Notably, the blood outside the vehicle appeared bright red and not dried.

I was informed that a red bag and a slip-on leather boot found on the shoulder of the roadway belonged to the truck. Upon inventorying the red bag to identify its owner, I discovered four prescription bottles issued to “Eric Whitlock,” along with a glass jar of marijuana and a metal container containing a smoking device.

I was notified by Troop B Communications that Toccoa PD Officers were with Erik Whitlock at his residence, so I responded to speak with him. Upon arrival, I learned that the officers were conducting a welfare check on Mr. Whitlock. He came outside and claimed he did not know who was driving his truck, indicating that he was aware of the reason for the encounter before any explanation was provided by the officers.

I spoke with Mr. Whitlock, who identified himself as the truck’s owner; he had obtained ownership about a month prior but had not yet registered it or insured it under his name. He insisted he did not know who was driving his truck and maintained that no one should have had access to it. When I asked about access to the truck, he replied that he leaves the keys inside all of his vehicles, gesturing toward another vehicle parked on the street directly in front of his house. This vehicle, a white Ford F250 single-cab pickup, was observed to have no displayed registration, and it was locked with no keypad for digital entry. Mr. Whitlock stated that the last time he saw his truck was around dusk the evening before, clarifying that it was just before dark.

I questioned Mr. Whitlock about his apparent lack of concern regarding who was driving his truck and where they might have gone after the collision. He explained that he had just been awakened by the officers and informed about the wreck. I mentioned that a cell phone at the crash scene was ringing, and when answered, a female was inquiring about her father, who had been in a wreck. This information appeared to surprise Mr. Whitlock; he stated that his daughter had been told lie was in a wreck, and she was calling to check on him. I asked if he typically left his phone in the truck, and he confirmed that he usually leaves his phone and his bag of medication in there overnight.

Mr. Whitlock stated that his daughter had visited before the officers arrived to check on him and advised him of the collision. Mr. Whitlock then stated that his daughter arrived after the officers’ arrival and notified him of the crash, and even sought clarification from the officers regarding the sequence of events. Mr. [WHITLOCK] then changed his statement, saying that someone had called his son, who then woke him up before the officers arrived and woke him up.

I asked Mr. Whitlock for permission to examine his body for injuries, to which he consented. He lifted his shirt, revealing a raised, red scratch approximately three inches long on the left side of his torso. I also noticed a cut about one inch in length above his right eyebrow with dry blood around the wound. Additionally. I observed that Mr. Whitlock’s hands and pants were stained with dried mud. I presented him with the locked phone from the crash scene, which he identified as his. He unlocked the phone easily but acted as though he were unsure how to operate it. The call history displayed an outgoing call that had been answered by the recipient around 10:30 PM, along with several unconnected and missed calls from the night.

I advised Mr. Whitlock that I believed he was the driver of his vehicle at the time of the collision, and I placed him under arrest for hit and nun and possession of marijuana. TFC3 Smith #247 transported Mr. Whitlock to the Habersham County Detention Center and released him to the jail staff.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on September 21, 2025]

On September 21, 2025, Cpl Ray #704 called for me to assist him with an accident investigation. He advised that the driver had left the scene and was possibly at the Habersham Hospital. I arrived at the hospital and located the suspected driver. After sometime, I was able to rule that individual out. Cpl Ray then advised me that the possible driver was found by Toccoa PD at his residence, [30 BLOCK] Mountain View Dr in Toccoa. I drove to the address where I met with officers Rinehart and Pulliam as well as Cpl Ray.

Cpl Ray and I then met with the suspected driver, Eric Whitlock. Upon first seeing Whitlock he was wearing a t-shirt and blue jeans, both of which appeared disheveled and dirty. I could see that Whitlock’s shoes were wet, and that his pants were covered top to bottom with dried mud. This mud appeared to be the same mud that Cpl Ray’s shoes picked up at the wreck scene. Cpl Ray also advised that there was blood found at the crash scene and in the vehicle, as well as some of Whitlock’s belongings being found in the vehicle (prescription medication inside of back pack). I could see a fresh cut on Whitlock’s brow.

Cpl Ray placed Whitlock under arrest at this time. I took custody of Whitlock, placing him in my patrol car. I transported Whitlock to the Habersham County Jail where he was released to the jail staff. I took all charges.

[End of Narrative]