Michael Taylor

Name:
TAYLOR, MICHAEL ANTHONY

Date of Booking:
05/01/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE

HIT AND RUN-FAILURE TO STOP AND RENDER AID

FAILURE TO REPORT ACCIDENT

FORGERY 1ST DEGREE

FORGERY 1ST DEGREE

GIVING FALSE NAME, ADDRESS, OR DATE OF BIRTH TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

POSSESSION OF OPEN ALCOHOL CONTAINER

POSSESSION LESS THAN 1 OZ MARIJUANA

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 May 1, 2025, at 1036 hours, I arrived on the scene of a one-vehicle crash on Habersham Mills Road in Habersham County. Before this, I heard Habersham Dispatch advise one of their patrol units of the crash, stating that Webb’s Wrecker Service was on the scene of a crash. The wreck was out of the roadway, but Webb’s Wrecker wanted to advise emergency personnel before loading the vehicle. The Deputy never responded to the call.

Upon my arrival, I observed a red Hyundai Santa Fe off the roadway near a private drive that had struck a large standing tree. I observed where the Driver had failed to maintain their lane, allowing the vehicle to leave the roadway. The vehicle was still running, and the driver had left the scene. I spoke with the Wrecker driver, who stated he did not know who the caller was, but they had been contacted to recover the car. The driver was not on scene when they arrived. The Wrecker Driver was able to provide me with a phone number that had contacted them about towing the car. After gathering necessary information, I advised Webb’s to go ahead and begin loading the vehicle. Before returning to my patrol car, I located several documents such as the registration, health care bills, and receipts. I located the name of Michael Allen Taylor in the paperwork multiple times.

Upon returning to my patrol car, I called the phone number that Webb’s had provided. The registered owner, [WITNESS #1], answered the phone. I asked specific questions about the crash as to who was driving and what happened. She stated her son, Michael Taylor, was driving her vehicle and crashed as a result of a deer entering the roadway in front of him. She had already contacted her insurance company. I asked if she knew where Taylor might be so I could speak with him, and she stated he was at her residence at [100 BLOCK] Coffee Lane in White County. Webb’s towed the vehicle and I proceeded to the Coffee Lane address to meet with both of them.

I arrived at the [100 BLOCK] Coffee Lane address a short time later with Deputy Cirilo #842 of the White County Sheriff’s Office. We met with [WITNESS #1] on the front porch of the residence. I asked where Michael was, and she stated that he ran into the woods. I asked why, and she replied that if he seen more than one patrol car show up, he was running. I asked if she knew why he would do that, and she would not confirm nor deny that her son had active warrants for his arrest. I asked Deputy Cirilo if they had a K9 available in the county, and he advised yes, two. K9 Deputy Ramey #869 and K9 Deputy Lathem #831 both responded to the Coffee Lane address. After an extensive search in the woods behind the residence, inside the mobile home, and several outbuildings, one of the K9s was able to track and locate Michael Taylor. The Deputies detained him and returned him to the front of the residence.

After swapping handcuffs with Deputy Lathem, I advised Taylor he was under arrest and read his Miranda Warning Rights to him before asking him any questions. Taylor agreed to speak about the crash. He claimed several deer ran out into the roadway in front of him, and he swerved off the roadway to avoid them. He claimed he over-corrected before striking a tree. After the crash, he could not find his phone, so he left the scene. He was picked up by a friend and taken to the Coffee Lane address. I asked about the alcohol in the back seat that was cold to the touch, and Taylor advised that the alcohol was his, but he had not consumed any alcohol since about 5:00 am that date. I asked Taylor if he would submit to a preliminary breath test, and he agreed to do so. The PBT was negative (.000).

I asked Taylor if he ran due to having active warrants, and he at first stated he did not know that he had warrants, but then stated he thought he had taken care of everything. Taylor never provided and yes or no answer. (Warrant confirmation was sent to Habersham and advised to place a hold.) As Taylor sat in the back seat of my patrol car, he began to complain of pain to his left shoulder and lower left back. With concerns of his well-being and considering possible injury, I transported Taylor to NEGMC-Habersham to be checked out before taking him to the Habersham County Detention Center. After receiving medical clearance, I transported him to the Habersham County Detention Center, where he was booked and released to Jail Staff.

[End of Narrative]