Kareem Dewberry

Name:
Dewberry, Kareem Jamald

Date of Booking:
07/25/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
No Proof of Insurance

Failure to Maintain Lane/Improper Driving on Road

Hit and Run – Duty of Driver to Stop at/Return to Scene of Accident

DUI – Alcohol – Less Safe

Possession of Open Container of Alcoholic Beverage in Passenger Area

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 July 24, 2026, at approximately 2125hrs, I responded to a hit-and-run accident at the intersection of Tanger Boulevard and Highway 42 involving a silver vehicle that had fled the scene. While en route to the original call location, I heard a vehicle traveling in the area with a loud noise consistent with a flat tire. Upon arriving in the area of Tanger Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, I observed a silver Hyundai matching the description of the suspect vehicle involved in the hit-and-run. I initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle in front of the library on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

As I approached the vehicle, the driver attempted to open the driver’s door before I made contact. I instructed the driver to remain inside the vehicle and turn off the engine. Upon making contact with the driver, I smelled a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his person. The driver, later identified as Kareem Dewberry, had difficulty following basic verbal commands. Dewberry exited the vehicle and was not wearing any shoes. He was unsteady on his feet, leaning against the vehicle for support while walking, and was unable to maintain his balance without assistance. Dewberry appeared confused, and I observed that he appeared to have urinated on himself. I also observed significant damage to the vehicle, including damage to the front driver’s side with paint transfer, the driver’s side mirror missing, a blown front tire, and the vehicle operating on the rim.

Dewberry identified himself as Kareem but was unable to provide coherent responses to basic questions regarding the incident. When asked if he knew what was going on, he repeatedly stated, “I don’t know.” Dewberry was unable to recall where he lived or provide information regarding any medical conditions or medications. I ran Dewberry’s driver’s license through dispatch, which returned as valid. A registration check revealed the vehicle was registered to [REDACTED] of Covington, Georgia. The registration was suspended, and the vehicle had no valid insurance.

I then made contact with the victim, [VICTIM #1]. [VICTIM #1] stated she had been traveling from the Publix on Tanger Boulevard and was stopped at the traffic light at the intersection of Tanger Boulevard and Highway 42 while waiting to make a left turn. When the traffic signal turned green, she observed Dewberry’s vehicle turning from Highway 42 onto Tanger Boulevard and entering her lane of travel. [VICTIM #1] stated she honked her horn in an attempt to alert Dewberry; however, he continued turning and struck the driver’s side of her vehicle near the median. Dewberry failed to stop after the collision and continued driving from the scene.

A witness who had been traveling behind Dewberry on Highway 42 southbound advised that she observed Dewberry swerving within the roadway and believed he was going to strike another vehicle. The witness followed Dewberry while calling 911. [VICTIM #1]’s vehicle sustained functional damage to the driver’s side door, preventing it from opening fully. [VICTIM #1] was accompanied by her granddaughter, [REDACTED BY AGENCY] Neither [VICTIM #1] nor [REDACTED BY AGENCY] reported any injuries.

Due to Dewberry’s level of impairment and his inability to stand or walk without assistance, Officer Hunter arrested him for driving under the influence. The handcuffs were checked for proper fit and double-locked. I read Dewberry the Georgia Implied Consent Notice for suspects age 21 or older, and he verbally agreed to submit to a state-administered blood test.

While conducting a search of the vehicle, I observed an open bottle of Canadian Mist whiskey on the front passenger seat. Prior to impound, I conducted an inventory of the vehicle and documented the following property: three cellular phones, one MacBook Pro laptop, a digital scale located inside a DoorDash bag, a construction helmet, and miscellaneous personal property. Officer C. Fountain of the Henry County HEAT Unit responded to the Locust Grove Police Department and obtained a blood sample from Dewberry. See Officer Fountain report case #2026-00075584 from Henry County Pd. The completed blood collection kit was submitted into Property and Evidence to be sumbitted to GBI for testing.

I transported Dewberry to Sylvan Grove Hospital for medical clearance prior to booking. At the hospital, medical staff evaluated Dewberry and observed a visible injury to the top of his head that appeared consistent with having been involved in a motor vehicle collision. When hospital staff asked Dewberry if he had been involved in an accident, he responded, “No.” Dewberry was unable to explain the source of the injury or the reason he was at the hospital. Medical staff recommended that Dewberry undergo a CT scan due to the visible head injury; however, he refused the CT scan multiple times. Throughout his hospital stay, Dewberry repeatedly requested to make a phone call and asked that his handcuffs be removed. Medical staff ultimately medically cleared Dewberry and discharged him without further treatment.

Following his discharge, I transported Dewberry to the Henry County Jail without incident. I issued Dewberry citations for DUI Less Safe (Driver 21 or Over), Hit and Run, Open Container, Failure to Maintain Lane, and No Insurance. He also received a written warning for Suspended Registration.

Officer Hunter contacted Dewberry’s mother, [REDACTED], and advised her of Dewberry’s arrest, his location, and that the vehicle will be towed. Prior to leaving the Henry County Jail, I conducted a final a final security sweep of my patrol vehicle.

[End of Narrative]