Jimmy High

Name:
HIGH, JIMMY LEE

Date of Booking:
05/13/2023

Reason(s) For Booking:
DUI – DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL – CONCENTRATION IS 0.08G OR MORE WITHIN 3 HRS OR MORE

OPEN CONTAINER OF ALCOHOL IN MOTOR VEHICLE

HIT AND RUN; DUTY OF DRIVER TO STOP AT OR RETURN TO SCENE OF ACCIDENT

FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE

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 Saturday, May 13, 2023 at approximately 1351 hours, I, Sgt. Thomas Haskins along with Cpl. Sullivan was given a BOLO about a wrong way driver on GA 401 traveling North on the GA 401 SB exit ramp at MP 187. While en route to that location, other callers stated the vehicle was traveling North on Hwy 83 in the wrong lanes of traffic and running other vehicles off the roadway.

Upon arrival in the area, dispatch advised the vehicle wrecked on Hwy 83 N near KB Sutton and the male driver exited the vehicle and entered the back of another vehicle, and left the scene. Cpl. Sullivan and I made contact with the BOLO vehicle, a red Chevy Impala, displaying GA License Plate [REDACTED], which was abandoned in a ditch on the left side of the roadway.

Dispatch advised a male caller, stating he picked up the driver of the Impala, and was currently at Buice’s garage on Hwy 83 N. I went to that location, and made contact with the caller, [REDACTED], who stated he was giving the man a ride to the police station. I made contact with the driver of the Impala, Jimmy High.

High informed me that he wrecked his vehicle, however he stated he was going to the “police station”. While speaking with High he was very unsteady on his feet, his eyes were red and bloodshot, and he had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his person. I asked High how many alcoholic beverages he consumed, to which he stated he had two or three “bud light beers”.

I asked High if he would consent to standardized field sobriety (SFST) to which he consented. The first and only SFST conducted was horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN). I instructed High to keep his head straight and follow the stimulus with his eyes only, to which he stated he understood.

During the performance of this test High was unable to understand my instructions to keep his head straight, and continued moving his head, even after repeated attempts instructing him to keep his head straight. I ensured High had no problems with his eyes and equal tracking prior to testing.

During the performance of this test, I observed lack of smooth pursuit, distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation, and onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees in both eyes. I asked High if he had any problems with his legs, to which he stated he had a hip injury that prevented him from completing any other standardized field sobriety.

High was instructed to blow into my intoximeter, which displayed a high positive reading for mouth alcohol. High was placed in handcuffs, which were double locked and checked for fit. I read High his implied consent notice (green card) requesting a legal breath sample, to which he consented to take the state’s breath test.

High was transported to the Monroe County Jail in my patrol vehicle, which was checked before and after for contraband. Upon arrival, he was given the state breath test on the Intoxilyzer 9000, operated by myself. The first test was performed and was voided due to .020 agreement. A second test was given, and the results were .131 and .133. Both copies of the results are linked in the report.

The vehicle was towed by Tracys Wrecker. While conducting an inventory search of the vehicle, Cpl. Sullivan identified three open “BUD LIGHT” beers, which were inside the vehicle. High was turned over to jail staff and cited for leaving the scene of an accident, DUI- per se, failure to maintain lane, and open container of alcohol. A DDS 1205 form was filled out and given to High.

[End of Narrative]