Matthew Hankey

Name:
Hankey, Matthew R

Date of Booking:
09/07/2023

Reason(s) For Booking:
POSSESSION OF SCHEDULE II CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

CROSSING STATE/COUNTY GUARD LINES WITH WEAPONS, INTOXICANTS, DRUGS WITHOUT CONSENT

HANDS-FREE GA LAW 1ST OFFENSE

DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED OR REVOKED (MISDEMEANOR)

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 Thursday, September 7th, 2023 at approximately 12:50 hours, I was sitting in the parking lot of Vaden Nissan, located at 1009 East Oglethorpe Highway, observing traffic heading eastbound on Georgia 38.

At approximately 12:51 hours, I observed a white male driver, later identified as Mr. Matthew Hankey, driving eastbound in a grey KIA Borrego ([REDACTED BY AGENCY]). I observed Mr. Hankey to have a cellphone in his hand while driving so I activated my emergency equipment and conducted a traffic stop on GA 38 in front of Mike Reed Chevrolet.

I made contact with the driver, Mr. Hankey, and advised him the reason for the stop. Mr. Hankey handed over his Georgia driver’s license and vehicle registration. I ran his information through GCIC via the Mobile Data Terminal and it showed Mr. Hankey’s driver’s license was suspended.

I requested Central Dispatch to check Mr. Hankey’s license status through GCIC and they confirmed Mr. Hankey’s license was suspended. I advised him of the suspension and asked him to step out of the vehicle, which he complied.

I asked if he had any weapons on his person and he advised he had a knife in his pocket. I escorted Mr. Hankey to the back of his car and searched his person. I secured the pocket knife along with a metal screw from his front left pants pocket. I placed Mr. Hankey in double locked handcuffs, behind the back and checked for fit. I escorted him to the back of my patrol car and placed him in the backseat.

I gave Mr. Hankey an opportunity to have the vehicle picked up before calling a tow company. He called his wife and informed her of the situation. She advised her friend, [REDACTED BY AGENCY], would be en route for the vehicle. Detective Frost 989 arrived on scene and advised he would stay with the vehicle while I transported Mr. Hankey to the Liberty County Jail. [REDACTED BY AGENCY] later arrived on scene and the vehicle was released to her.

When we arrived at the Liberty County Jail sally port, I asked Mr. Hankey if he had any drugs or weapons on him before we entered the jail booking area and he said he didn’t. I advised him if he had anything on him he would be charged for it. Mr. Hankey said he did not have anything. I escorted Mr. Hankey into the booking area and waited for the booking officers to conduct the initial search procedures.

While I was waiting, I turned off my body camera to fill out the bond amounts for the citations. I then observed Jail Officer Lindo escort Mr. Hankey to the body scan machine. Officer Lindo advised Mr. Hankey to take off his shoes and place one in each hand.

I observed Mr. Hankey take off his right shoe then immediately step on it. He then stepped off of it and placed his foot on the floor while reaching for something in his shoe. I observed Mr. Hankey pull out a clear plastic bag, with a white substance inside, with his left hand and place it in his back left pocket.

I asked Mr. Hankey what he was hiding and he said nothing. I grabbed his left arm and pulled him toward me. He immediately grabbed the plastic bag and shoved it in his mouth in an attempt to swallow it. I grabbed his arm and took him to the ground. Lt. W. Barnes, Sgt. Taylor, Officer Lindo and Officer Williams assisted me with subduing Mr. Hankey.

I gave numerous verbal commands to spit out what he put in his mouth but he refused. I applied pressure to his jaw in an attempt to remove the suspected contraband from his mouth and prevent him from swallowing it. Due to him refusing to comply with verbal commands, Officer Williams drive stunned him with her taser.

Mr. Hankey immediately spit out the contraband while I placed him in back in handcuffs behind the back, double locked and checked for fit. Officer Lindo secured the bag while I placed Mr. Hankey on the green picnic table.

I observed the clear plastic bag containing a white powdery substance. Officer Williams called Detective Mulcahy and advised him of the incident. Officer Lindo and I conducted a strip search on Mr. Hankey in a booking cell, with no further contraband found. He was issued two citations (Driving While Suspended, Hands Free).

Detective Mulcahy arrived at the Jail and secured the contraband. He advised me it was suspected Methamphetamine. I searched the backseat of my patrol car before and after transport with no contraband found.

[End of Narrative]