Blake Duckworth

Name:
Duckworth, Blake Alan

Date of Booking:
02/17/2023

Reason(s) For Booking:
Failure to Maintain Lane

DUI/Drugs/Less Safe

Crossing of guard lines with weapons, intoxicants, or drugs

Schedule II-Controlled Substances

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 Friday, February 17, 2023, at approximately 0154 hours, Deputy Ondik was dispatched to a traffic accident at [100 BLOCK] Crestview Church Rd. I responded to assist Deputy Ondik.

While I was enroute to the accident, the dispatcher advised Blake had overdosed at the Buc-ee’s parking lot about an hour prior to the accident.

Upon arrival, I observed a gray 2007 Ford Focus partially in the ditch on the West bound side of the roadway. The vehicle had left the roadway and struck the mailbox belonging to [100 BLOCK] Crestview Church Rd. I observed the vehicle had a blown right rear tire, but did not observe any other damage that could have caused the accident.

I observed evidence on the roadway that indicated the vehicle had left the roadway while exiting the curve of the roadway. The evidence was an indication in the grass left by the tire marks. Deputy Ondik took photos of the vehicle and tire marks to be attached to the report.

I spoke with the driver, identified as Blake Duckworth, who stated the following. He was driving when he heard his tire blow out, but he did not think anything about it. The vehicle began to shake and he ran off the road. He stated he had a siezure at a gas station about an hour prior to the accident, and he just left the hospital. He originally stated he received medication from the hospital, but then retracted his statement. He could not tell me which hospital he had just left. When asked about what gas station he had the siezure, he could not recall. When asked what county he was in, he could not answer.

I questioned Blake to ensure he was not injured during the accident, and he stated that he was not. While Blake was speaking with me, he could not keep his eyes open, and he kept falling asleep while speaking. I asked Blake if he would be willing to perform a standardized field sobriety test (SFST’s), and he stated yes.

I began the SFST’s by asking Blake if he had any recent head injury, and if he would be able to walk a line and stand on one leg. Blake stated he had not had any head injury, but he had surgery on his right knee but did not believe it would interfere with the test.

I had Blake stand with hands by his side, feet together, and looking straight ahead. I held my right index finger approximately 12-15 inches from Blake’s face and told him to focus on my finger. I checked Blake’s pupil size to make sure they were even. After verifying his pupils were the same size, I told Blake to keep his head still and follow the tip of my finger with his eyes only.

I checked for equal tracking by moving my finger to his left for approximately 2 seconds out and back to the center for 2 seconds. I continued moving my finger to his right for approximately 2 seconds, out and back to the center for 2 seconds. I repeated the movement on both sides to verify he had equal tracking.

I checked for lack of smooth pursuit by moving my finger from the center of his face to his left for approximately 2 seconds out and approximately 2 seconds back to the center, continuing to his right side for approximately 2 seconds out and approximately 2 seconds back to the center. I did not observe a lack of smooth pursuit in both eyes during this stage. I repeated the movement to verify what I observed and did not observe a lack of smooth pursuit in both eyes again.

From the center of his face, I moved my finger to his left until his left eye could go no further, better known as maximum deviation, and held it there for approximately four seconds. While at maximum deviation, I did not observe distinct and sustained nystagmus in his left eye. I moved my finger to his right side and held it at maximum deviation for his right eye for approximately four seconds. While at maximum deviation, I did not observe distinct and sustained nystagmus in his right eye. I repeated the process for both eyes and did not observe distinct and sustained nystagmus in both eyes.

I checked for the onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees in his left eye by slowly moving my finger from the center of his face to his left, taking approximately 4 seconds to reach a 45-degree angle. I did not observe horizontal gaze nystagmus prior to 45 degrees. Next, from the center of his face, I began moving my finger to his right, checking for the onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees in his right eye. I did not observe horizontal gaze nystagmus in his right eye prior to reaching 45 degrees. I repeated the process for both eyes and did not observe the onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees again.

I performed a vertical gaze nystagmus test on Blake by moving my finger from the center of his face slightly down and straight up and holding it there for approximately 4 seconds. I did not see vertical gaze nystagmus. I repeated it and received the same results.

[REDACTED BY AGENCY]

I began the walk and turn test by giving Blake instructions to get into the starting position. I told Blake to imagine a line in front of him about the width of his foot and place his left foot on that line. I then told Blake to place his right foot in front of his left foot heel to toe. Blake got into the position I described, but shortly after began stating he was having pain in his right knee. I ended the test as to not cause any undue harm to Blake.

I secured Blake in handcuff’s behind the back, checked them for fit, and double locked them. I read Blake Georgia Implied Consent Notice For Supsects Age 21 Or Over, and Blake refused a blood draw.

Deputy Ondik transported Blake to the Houston County Detention Center. Once at the detention center, Deputy Ondik located a blue pill suspected to be oxycodone hydrochloride in one of Blake’s socks after they had crossed the guard line.

I obtained a signed search warrant for two vials of blood, signed by Houston County Magistrate Court Judge Sammons.

At 0501 hours, [REDACTED], a certified phlebotomist, drew two vials of blood from Blake. I collected the blood as evidence to be stored at the Houston County Sheriff’s Office.

Blake was turned over to the detention center, charged with DUI drugs (Citation #A-257680), failure to maintain lane (Citation #A-257681), possession of schedule II (WTBT), and crossing guard lines (WTBT)

Deputy Ondik will be seeking the warrants.

[End of Narrative]