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Name:
Pagano, Michael Jonathan
Date of Booking:
05/01/2026
Reason(s) For Booking:
POSSESSION OF OPEN ALCOHOL CONTAINER
FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE
FAILURE TO SIGNAL LANE CHANGE OR TURN
DRIVING WITHIN A GORE OR MEDIAM
DUI
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 April 30, 2026]
On April 30, 2026 at approximately 2350 hours, DEPUTY JUSTIN MCCLAIN was patroling the area of Camp Creek Rd. and North Main St. in Cornelia, GA when he observed a Gray 1999 Dodge Durango bearing GA license plate [REDACTED] traveling North on 441 Business Hwy.
While observing the vehicle, MCCLAIN witnessed the vehicle swerve across the double yellow center line before jerking back into it’s lane. While following the vehicle, MCCLAIN observed the vehicle swerve onto the right fog line as well. The vehicle continued North through the intersection at VFW Post Rd. when the vehicle began merging into the right lane in the intersection, traveling through the gore. MCCLAIN initiated a traffic stop at Chase Rd. The vehicle came to a stop inside the Walmart parking lot at 250 Furniture Plaza Cornelia, GA.
MCCLAIN made contact with the driver, MICHAEL PAGANO, who provided his driver’s license when asked to. MCCLAIN advised PAGANO the reason for the stop to which he replied that the steering column on the vehicle is messed up. While speaking with PAGANO, MCCLAIN observed his speech to be slurred and his eyes to be bloodshot and glossy. MCCLAIN also observed an unopened Twisted Tea alcoholic beverage in the passenger seat.
While running PAGANO’s information on MCCLAIN’s in-car laptop, Cornelia Officer Ridley arrived on scene to assist. MCCLAIN advised RIDLEY of the indicators observed. MCCLAIN asked if Cornelia’s Traffic Unit would be en-route. Approximately ten minutes later, Officer LAUREN SCHOENHOLZ arrived and the scene was turned over to her for further investigation.
SCHOENHOLZ made contact with PAGANO and asked how many alcoholic beverages he has drank this evening to which he stated none. SCHOENHOLZ asked if PAGANO would perform Standardized Field Sobriety Test to make sure he was ok to continue driving to which he advised he would not.
SCHOENHOLZ asked PAGANO to exit the vehicle, which he complied, and almost fell from losing his balance. PAGANO exited and faced the vehicle, swaying as he did. SCHOENHOLZ placed PAGANO under arrest with his hands behind his back, checking the cuffs for fit and double locking them. MCCLAIN searched PAGANO incident to arrest before placing him the back seat of SCHOENHOLZ’s vehicle.
PAGANO was transported to the Habersham County Detention Center by SCHOENHOLZ and MCCLAIN returned to service.
[End of Narrative]
[NARRATIVE #2 on May 01, 2026]
On 05/01/2026, at approximately 0003 hours, I, Ofc. Schoenholz, responded to Habersham County Deputy McClain’s traffic stop in the Walmart parking lot (250 Furniture Plaza Dr).
Upon arrival, I observed a male seated in the driver’s seat of a silver Dodge Durango (GA tag [REDACTED]). I exited my patrol vehicle, and prior to making contact with the driver, Deputy McClain advised me that he had initiated the traffic stop after observing the vehicle swerving on 441 Business Highway. He stated he followed the vehicle from Chase Road and observed it strike the double yellow center lines and white fog lines multiple times. He further stated the vehicle was swerving to such an extent that its weight visibly shifted from side to side.
Deputy McClain advised that the driver proceeded through the traffic light at VFW Post Road while occupying both lanes of travel and then drove through the gore area to merge into the turning lane. I asked Deputy McClain if he believed the driver to be under the influence of alcohol. He stated he did not detect an odor of alcohol, only the odor of cigarettes, which can be indicative of attempting to mask the odor of an alcoholic beverage. While speaking with Deputy McClain, I observed the driver light another cigarette.
Deputy McClain also advised that when he initially made contact with the driver, there was an unopened can of Twisted Tea in the driver-side cup holder. He stated that upon returning to the vehicle a second time to ask the driver how much he had consumed, the Twisted Tea was no longer visible. Deputy McClain then turned the DUI investigation over to me.
I made contact with the driver, later identified as Michael Pagano, and advised him that his driving behavior was concerning. I asked if he had consumed any alcoholic beverages, and he stated he had not. While speaking with Pagano, I observed that his eyes were glassy and that he was burping. When asked to perform Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, Pagano refused and stated in extremely slurred speech, “No, I’m just right down the street, dude.”
Based on my observations, I advised Pagano that I did not believe he was safe to operate a motor vehicle. I then requested that he submit to a Preliminary Breath Test (PBT), which he refused, stating, “No, I’ll just walk home.” I instructed Pagano to exit the vehicle, and he complied. Upon exiting, he nearly stumbled, and I detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his person.
At that time, Pagano was placed under arrest. I instructed him to place his hands behind his back and applied handcuffs, checking for proper fit and double locking them. A search incident to arrest was conducted, with negative results for contraband. Pagano was then escorted to my patrol vehicle and secured in the right rear seat with a seatbelt. The Implied Consent Notice for Suspects Age 21 or Over was read to Pagano, and he refused to submit to a blood draw.
A search of the vehicle incident to arrest revealed a cold, half-full beer located directly behind the center console. The Twisted Tea previously observed by Deputy McClain was located inside a shopping bag on the passenger seat and remained unopened.
I transported Pagano to the Habersham County Detention Center, where he was turned over to jail staff without further incident. I conducted an inspection of the rear seat area of my patrol vehicle both before and after transport, with negative results for contraband. Pagano’s vehicle was removed from the scene by Cantrell’s Wrecker Service (list wrecker).
Michael Pagano was cited for the following offenses:
Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol (40-6-391)
Improper Lane Change (40-6-123)
Failure to Maintain Lane (40-6-48)
Driving on a Divided Highway (40-6-50)
Open Container of Alcohol in a Motor Vehicle (40-6-253)
[End of Narrative]