Sonny Ellard

Name:
Ellard, Sonny Wayne

Date of Booking:
02/15/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
Aggressive Driving

Hit and Run; Duty of Driver to Stop or Return to Scene of Accident

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 February 14, 2025, a call was given out of a road rage situation that had occurred on Highway 76 in the area of Stafford Rd. The caller stated that a silver truck bearing Ga. registration [REDACTED] had came up behind them flashing his headlights and had made contact with their truck as it passed them. The caller also stated that the truck tried to run them off the road. Due to the delay in MC 911 getting the information the truck made it to Highway 225 and turned left headed North. The caller had pulled into North Murray High School while on the phone with 911, which I was at checking the premises. I advised them that I would be on scene when they gave the call out.

I met the complainant [VICTIM #1] who explained what had happened. I gathered her and her passengers information and then checked their vehicle for damage. [VICTIM #1] stated that after the suspect made contact with the rear of her truck it began driving rough, the passenger rear tire had developed a shake. [VICTIM #1] also pointed out an area on the flat bed of the truck that appeared to have paint chipping off of it.

After I gathered her information I told her she could leave, I then advised her that if she noticed any more damage to call 911 back so that I could add it to the report. I ran the tag provided and it returned to a Sonny Wayne Ellard D.O.B [REDACTED], multiple addresses were located for Ellard. I located a cellphone number [PHONE NUMBER REDACTED] and attempted to call it. I was sent to voicemail each attempt, I tried to leave a voicemail but it was not set up to do so. I searched New World for addresses close to the area we were in, I located an address of [4700 BLOCK] Highway 225 N. from a previous call. I went to that address and located the truck matching the description given with Ga tag [REDACTED] in front of what appeared to be a used car dealer office. I checked for damage on the truck in question and noticed the drivers front fender had significant damage that would be similar height to the bed of the callers truck.

I then knocked on the front door to get someone to come outside, While waiting for someone to open the door I looked in the window and observed a male subject matching the last booking photo of Ellard sitting in a chair asleep. After several attempts to get him to wake up he finally raised his head up and looked at me. I told him to open the door 2 times before he notioed to open it my self and come in. When I walked in the room I noticed different types of alcoholic beverages sitting on a counter to my left and what appeared to be two Budlight cans sitting next to Ellard on a table. I asked him if anything had happened on the road involving another truck. Ellard reluctantly played it off as if he didn’t know. I tried to explain that I would like for him to tell me his side of the story but was met with explicative and hostile tones. After several attempts to reason with Ellard I advised him that he was under arrest and he was placed in restraints. Ellard was then escorted out of his residence and to my patrol car where he was placed in the prisoner transport area.

Once Ellard was secured in my car, I returned to his truck and took pictures of the damage on the fender. Sgt. Hill then asked me if I had noticed the scrub marks on the drivers front tire, I stated that I did not. Sgt. Hill stated that there was only scrub marks on th sidewall of the one tire. The pictures he took of the tire matched the scrub marks on the callers truck on the wheel she stated had a noticeable vibration in. All pictures taken will be added to the document section of my report. I will be charging Ellard with O.C.G.A 40-6-270 Hit and run, duty of a driver to return to the scene of an accident, and O.C.G.A 40-6-397 Aggressive driving. Ellard was transported to the MCSO jail without incident and turned over to jail staff.

[End of Narrative]