Name:
Lee, Brianna Machelle
Date of Booking:
09/02/2023
Reason(s) For Booking:
PURCHASE, POSSESSION, MANUFACTURE, DISTRIBUTION, OR SALE OF MARIJUANA
DUI – DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS
ENDANGERING A CHILD BY DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS – 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 September 2, 2023, at approximately 1640 hrs I responded to East University Pkwy / Outer 10 Loop regarding a collision with injuries. Upon my arrival, I made contact with Brianna Lee (driver of vehicle 2) and she advised me of how the wreck occurred. Her explanation is as follows: she had turned into the turning lane and allowed a vehicle to merge in front of her. She then came to a stop due to traffic congestion.
Brianna stated they were “stopped for a minute.” (Indicating that they were stopped for an extended period of time.) She then was struck in the rear and the impact pushed her into the vehicle ahead. While Brianna provided me with her explanation regarding the wreck, I observed her blink slowly as she stared down the road. Prior to my arrival Brianna advised dispatch that she was suffering from head pain, and her daughter complained of knee pain from the wreck. Dep. Mattocks arrived prior to my arrival, and he relayed over the radio that Brianna had refused to be seen by a medical unit.
It should be noted that the driver of the vehicle that struck her in the rear advised that he stopped initially when Brianna stopped. He believed traffic was continuing due to Brianna driving forward, but she had made a sudden stop, and he was unable to stop in time.
While speaking to Brianna I smelled a strong odor of marijuana emanate from within her vehicle. I asked Brianna if she had recently smoked marijuana in the vehicle. She admitted that she smoked approximately two hours prior to the wreck. I asked Brianna the whereabouts regarding when and where she had smoked marijuana, and she stated the following: she had taken her vehicle to a shop at approximately 1000 hrs. While she was waiting for her vehicle to be worked on, she had settled in and smoked marijuana while sitting on the driver seat. Right after her vehicle was repaired, she then drove home at about noon to change clothes and drive back to the area. I asked her if there was any marijuana left in the vehicle. Brianna stated that there isn’t anything left in the vehicle. I then conducted a search of the vehicle. Inside the driver door pocket, I located a small ashtray. I opened the ashtray to inspect its contents and found a cigar “blunt” containing marijuana. I searched the rest of the vehicle and yielded negative further findings.
I followed up with Brianna and I advised her of my findings. Brianna laughed and stated that she honestly did not know that she still had that in her vehicle. She advised she would have smoked it if she knew she still had it.
I asked Brianna if she would be willing to submit to a field sobriety evaluation, and she advised she would. I then asked Brianna if she could walk over to my patrol vehicle and she did so. Brianna was holding a black umbrella and I advised her that she could keep it with her to keep the sun out of her eyes. Prior to starting the evaluation, I asked Brianna if she had suffered any recent head injury. Brianna denied having any injury, despite earlier advising dispatch of a head injury. Brianna denied having any injury that would prevent her from performing the evaluations.
While conducting the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) evaluation I did not observe any clues. I conducted an evaluation for lack of convergence and observed both eyes failed to converge. Brianna advised me that she understood the instructions as I explained them to her. I then asked to perform the lack of convergence evaluation a second time to ensure she did not misunderstand the instructions. Again, both of her eyes failed to converge. Her eyes appeared glassy, and I observed evidence of conjunctiva. Despite holding the umbrella over her head to block the sunlight, I observed Brianna’s eyelids appear droopy.
Due to the bright sunlight, Brianna’s eyes reacted appropriately and were constricted.
I then proceeded to set Brianna up for the walk and turn evaluation. I provided a demonstration along with the verbal instructions. Brianna advised me that she could hear me, and she stated she understood the instructions I explained to her. I observed no clues during the instructional stage. During the performance stage I observed she conducted an improper turn, kept her arms away from her body as if to keep balance, did not touch heel to toe on the second set of 9 steps, and steps off-line. Further things to note: Brianna did not count her steps aloud despite being instructed to do so.
I then proceeded to set Brianna up for the one leg stand evaluation. I provided a demonstration along with the verbal instructions. Brianna advised me that she could hear me, and she stated she understood the instructions I explained to her. Brianna lifted her right foot for the evaluation. I did not observe any clues during the one leg stand. Further things to note: Brianna did not count aloud or keep her eyes on her elevated foot despite being instructed to do so.
I then proceeded to set Brianna up for the Modified Romberg evaluation. I provided a demonstration along with the verbal instructions. Brianna advised me that she could hear me, and she stated she understood the instructions I explained to her. When I asked Brianna to begin estimating the passing of 30 seconds, I observed she began to sway forward and back. I further observed her eyelids flutter while she kept them closed. I started my stopwatch when I advised Brianna to begin the estimate. My watch displayed approximately 20 seconds had passed.
During my entire interaction with Brianna, I observed her wipe her mouth with her hand and lick her lips multiple times. I asked Brianna if she would open her mouth and allow me to see her tongue. Brianna did so, and I observed she had developed white coating on her tongue consistent with dehydration. I further observed raised taste buds consistent with a reaction to heat such as smoke inhalation.
Based off my investigation I determined that Brianna was operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs to the extent that is less safe. I arrested Brianna (handcuffed, checked for fit, double locked) for DUI drugs, child endangerment, and possession of marijuana LTO. I read Brianna Implied Consent Notice for Suspects Over 21, and she consented to a state administered test of her blood. I transported Brianna to St Mary’s Hospital. St Mary’s Phlebotomist [REDACTED] conducted the blood draw at 1802 hrs from Brianna’s right arm.
I then transported Brianna to county jail and subsequently turned her over to a jail officer.
Evidence was collected on scene and later submitted for further processing.
[End of Narrative]