Tauras Gaynor

Name:
Gaynor, Tauras Antonio

Date of Booking:
08/15/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
DUI – 1ST OFFENSE

THEFT BY RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY – FELONY

FAILURE TO STOP AT STOP SIGN

OBSCURING TAG FRAME OR TINTED TAG COVERS PROHIBITED

IMPROPER LEFT OR RIGHT TURN

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 August 15, 2026]

On August 15th, 2026, I, Officer Olson, assisted Officer McRee on his traffic stop at 22:11 hours at Main Street and Tom Watson Way for a DUI investigation

Upon my arrival, I was met by the driver, Tauras Gaynor, who, upon patting him down for weapons, had a THC vape and nicotine vape in his pocket. He stated he had taken three hits of the THC vape five hours ago. I then asked if he would be willing to do some tests and he stated he would.

Upon asking, he stated he had no past falls or head trauma, nor did he wear contacts or glasses. I then tested for horizontal gaze nystagmus and observed no clues, but he moved his head and looked away from the stimulus. I then tested for lack of convergence and was able to see it.

While attempting to demonstrate the walk and turn test, Mr. Gaynor interrupted me and began talking excessively. I then asked him if he still wanted to do the tests and he said he would, but still talked excessively. I then told him to hold the heel to toe position and he did. While demonstrating the walk and turn test, he did not hold the heel-to-toe position. While he did the walk and turn test, he did not count out loud, took too many steps, did not turn and start the second set of steps until I told him to, and hesitant while taking steps.

I then demonstrated the one leg stand, at which point he began talking excessively again, then asked what he was supposed to do. I then gave him the instructions again and he started before being told to. He again began talking excessively. I then demonstrated the test a third time, at which point he again started before being told to. He did this again after the instructions were finished, but did not wait for me to tell him to start. Upon him finally doing the test, he put his foot down and counted incorrectly. While doing the modified Romberg test, he started before being told to, had eyelid tremors, and counted down from thirty instead of to thirty.

During the finger-to-nose test, he used the pad of his finger instead of the tip and missed the tip of his nose multiple times. I then placed him under arrest for DUI and read him implied consent for under 21, to which he refused. Upon searching the vehicle, a blue and black backpack was found in the trunk of the vehicle, concealed under a pile of clothes, as well as a burnt marijuana cigarette. When the backpack was searched, a Springfield XDS 9mm handgun, bearing serial number S4900230, was found, along with various baggies of suspected marijuana in it. In a pocket in the backpack, a paper with Mr. Gaynor’s first name and last initial was found, indicating that it was his backpack. Upon running the handgun, it came back as stolen since 2020 out of Alachua, Florida. This was confirmed with Dispatch. The firearm was collected for evidence and the THC vape, burnt marijuana cigarette, nicotine vape, and baggies containing suspected marijuana were collected for destruction. I then read him his Miranda rights and he refused to talk about the gun.

I then transported him to the McDuffie County jail without further incident. Mr. Gaynor received a citation for DUI -Marijuana, display of license plates, improper turn, and failure to use turn signal. A warrant for theft by receiving stolen property in another state was applied for and granted by Judge Moore.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on August 15, 2026]

On August 15th, 2026, at approximately 10:07pm, I was patrolling the area of Martin Luther King Jr. St when I observed a 2014 white Chevrolet Equinox turning onto Martin Luther King Jr. St with dark tinted windows. These windows were unusually dark, and I couldn’t see any occupants inside the vehicle. After the vehicle pulled in front of me, I noticed that the vehicle had a tag banner that covered the state, county, and the validation sticker.

I performed an NCIC record check of the GA registration [REDACTED]. This returned that the registered owner (Keyijha Holmes) had an active arrest warrant. After the vehicle made a left turn onto Main St, it went across the first available lane, went into the rightmost lane, and started accelerating at a high rate of speed. The vehicle then came up behind another vehicle that was preparing to make a right turn and, instead of waiting. The Equinox swerved over into the left lane not apply its turn signal until they were halfway through the lane change. Let it be known that there is a traffic sign in the area signaling all southbound traffic to merge into the rightmost lane due to the left lane ending.

I activated my emergency blue lights to initiate a traffic stop. I walked up to the passenger side of the vehicle and asked the driver (Tauras Gaynor) to roll down all of his windows because I couldn’t see through the tinted windows, even with my flashlight. He rolled down the back window about halfway, and I could smell an overwhelming odor of raw marijuana emitting from the vehicle. I asked him again, and he rolled the back window a little further down and then the front window. I asked him again to roll them all the way down, and he did. I saw that he had his seat all the way down.

I told Tauras the reason for the stop and asked for his driver’s license, registration, and proof of insurance. He didn’t have his physical license with him, so he just showed me a picture of his license on his phone. He told me that he doesn’t have the registration or the proof of insurance, but asked if I would help him look for it. While I was speaking with him, I could see his eyes were bloodshot, and a burnt, suspected Marijuana cigarette was in the ashtray. I asked him to step out of the vehicle.

When Tauras got to my vehicle, I could smell the odor of burnt marijuana coming from his person. I asked him if he had any weapons on his person, and he told me just his vape. I asked him if I could pat him down, and he consented. When I got to his right pocket, I asked him what was in his pocket, and he told me it was his vape and that I could take it out. I took the vape out and saw that it had a marijuana logo on it. I asked him if it was a THC vape, and he told me there was nothing in it. I asked him when the last time he smoked that THC vape, and he told me around five hours ago.

I asked Tauras when the last time he smoked the Marijuana in his ashtray, and he told me yesterday. I asked where he got the THC vape, and he said he doesn’t know and that he thinks it came from a vape store, but he didn’t buy it. He further told me that someone gave it to him. I requested Officer Olson to assist with the investigation. After Officer Olson completed her investigation, she arrested Tauras. I began searching the vehicle. I located a suspected Marijuana cigarette inside the ashtray.

I located a backpack tucked under several clothes in the right corner of the trunk. Inside this backpack, I located a Springfield XDS 9mm firearm bearing serial number (S4900230). The firearm was loaded with eight rounds. I had dispatch perform an NCIC inquiry on the firearm. This showed it was stolen out of Alachua, Florida, in 2020. I also located three marijuana packages containing suspected marijuana. Inside a small pocket in the backpack, I located a card that had the name (Tauras G.) on it. As well as showing a user ID, password, and store/club number. The firearm was collected as evidence. The vapes and suspected marijuana were collected for destruction. All items were turned over to Officer Olson. Officer Olson transported Tauras to the McDuffie County LEC. The vehicle was turned over to family.

[End of Narrative]