Joel Thornton

Name:
Thornton, Joel Emmanuel

Date of Booking:
09/06/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
Disorderly Conduct

Willful Obstruction of Law Enforcement Officers-misd

Public Drunk

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 09/06/2025 at about 0152 hours I, Ofc Brackett, responded to Budget Inn Room [REDACTED] in reference to a domestic disturbance. A female caller informed dispatch that she and her fiancé had got into an argument. Dispatch stated they could not make out everything the female was saying due to her crying. She also advised that both she and the fiancé, Joel Thornton, were intoxicated. The female stated she was outside while calling 911.

Dispatch also advised they could hear a male in the background stating, “Did you call the fu*king cops, really? Now I have to call the fu*king cops.” The male did call dispatch as well, telling them he had not done anything and calling the female crazy. As Ofc. Jackson and I arrived on scene, the male was stating that the female was banging on the door.

I observed the female, identified as [VICTIM #1], sitting on the sidewalk in front of room [REDACTED]. As I got out of my patrol vehicle and approached her, a male, who I recognized as Joel Thornton, opened the door of room [REDACTED] and threw an item at the female, which I later learned was the was female’s vape.

Thornton threw the item with force toward [VICTIM #1]. It landed with a loud crack on the pavement next to her. I heard [VICTIM #1] say, “Really?” As she picked up the vape and threw it back at Thornton’s feet. Thornton was telling [VICTIM #1] to stay away, and he did not want anything to do with her. Thornton stepped back inside room [REDACTED] and closed the door.

[VICTIM #1] then walked toward me, and I asked her what was going on. She stated that she and Thornton were together and had started drinking. Before she could continue, Thornton came back out yelling that he had nothing to do with her. [VICTIM #1] and Thornton then began yelling at each other while I tried to tell them to stop.

Ofc. Jackson then instructed Thornton to come to him, away from the room and [VICTIM #1], to talk. Thornton told Ofc. Jackson to come inside the room. Ofc. Jackson stated no and again told him to step away from the room to talk him. Thornton stated he was not going to and stated to her ([VICTIM #1]) to stay away from him. Ofc. Jackson then told Thornton again to step to him before he went in handcuffs. During this I had [VICTIM #1] step away from the room.

Thornton stated that was not how that works and, “you got me fu*ked up,” as he went back inside his room and shut the door on us. Ofc. Jackson followed and tried to open the door, then backed away while telling Thornton to come back outside. I approached and tried the door as well and found that it was locked. I could hear Thornton still talking on the phone saying that he had done nothing wrong. I banged on the door and told Thornton he needed to come back outside. Thornton continued talking on the phone and ignoring our commands.

I then kicked the door open to room [REDACTED] and moved in to arrest Thornton for obstruction. Thornton again yelled that he had done nothing wrong. I then went to place Thornton in handcuffs. Thornton further resisted by tensing up and refusing to place his hands behind his back. Ofc. Jackson and I forced Thornton’s hands behind his back, and I was able to get handcuffs on him.

Thornton further resisted by not wanting to walk to the patrol car and had to be forced to walk forward. Thornton then did not want to get into Ofc. Jackson’s patrol vehicle. Thornton began stating that he was having a heart attack and needed EMS. I told Thornton he needed to have a seat in the vehicle, and I would have EMS come to us. Thornton stated no, and that EMS needed to be called. Thornton continued to yell and cuss at us as he stated he was having a heart attack and refused to get into the vehicle.

Deputy Burch with Murray Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene.

I went around to the opposite side of the vehicle and was able to pull Thornton into the back of the vehicle and close the doors. I instructed Ofc. Jackson to take Thornton to the jail and EMS could respond there if needed. Ofc. Jackson then transported Thornton to the jail with Deputy Burch following.

I then went and spoke further with [VICTIM #1]. [VICTIM #1] stated they had been drinking and just started arguing. She stated she did not know why the argument started. She told me they’d had problems in the past with her cheating on him and treating him badly. She stated this time she did not cheat and had been there for him. I asked if anything physical occurred. She stated no and that it was verbal only.

Sgt. Miller arrived on scene, and I informed him what had occurred. Sgt. Miller took photographs of the broken door frame and sent them to my email to be added to the report via LERMS because the file is too large to add to the report via Mobile.

[VICTIM #1] stated that she had been staying in room [REDACTED] for several days with Thornton and had clothes and other property inside the room. There were female items on the bed as well. [VICTIM #1] stated she would stay in the room tonight and she did not need anything else.

I then responded to the jail and issued citations to Thornton for the listed charges. When I arrived at the jail EMS was there speaking to Thornton. Thornton did not seem to be giving any clear answers to EMS questions. When asked if he was diabetic, he stated he did not know what that meant. EMS did say that Thornton’s blood sugar was over 500, which is high but not dangerous yet. I informed them that Thornton had been drinking, and they stated that could cause it. Thornton refused to further cooperate with EMS so he was taken into the jail and turned over to the jail staff.

[End of Narrative]