Joseph Martin

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Name:
Martin, Joseph

Date of Booking:
03/26/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
HIT AND RUN; DUTY OF DRIVER TO STOP AT 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 3/26/2026, at approximately 1930, I, Dep. Glenn responded to a private property hit-and-run at 1791 Oconee Connector. I met with the complainant in the parking lot of Old Navy.

The complainant, the driver of a silver Mazda SUV involved in the crash, told me that she was involved in a crash with a silver truck. The complainant was turning right into the portion of the parking lot beside Banana Republic, as the silver truck was turning left out of the same parking lot. As both vehicles turned, the left center (flat bed attached) of the truck sideswiped the rear left of the Mazda SUV.

After the crash occurred, both drivers stopped. The driver of the truck asked if both occupants of the SUV were ok. When the occupants of the SUV said that they were ok, the driver of the truck drove off.

The truck was found a short while later in a nearby parking lot. Its driver was found afterwards, and he was identified as Joseph Martin. Mr. Martin gave a statement different from the one given by the complainant. He told me that he was stopped, waiting to turn, when the driver of the SUV crashed into his vehicle. He told me that after the crash occurred, he left after he made sure the occupants of the vehicle were ok. He did not attempt to exchange information with the other driver.

Pictures of the vehicles are attached to this report. Mr. Martin was placed under arrest for hit-and-run. He was taken to the jail, and turned over without incident.

[End of Narrative]

All information is sourced directly from the official, public court database. Case history is organized and curated by The Georgia Gazette staff. The “What this means:” explanations are written by AI and reviewed by our staff before publishing.

Court records are subject to change at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors or omissions. Nothing here is legal advice. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Case History:

5/14/26

ORDER BINDING JOSEPH MARTIN OVER TO SUPERIOR COURT

What this means: The Oconee County Probate Court issued an order requiring Joseph Martin to appear before the Superior Court of Oconee County for arraignment on the hit and run charge. The order was signed by the Probate Court Judge on May 14, 2026. This is a standard step that moves a case from a lower court up to Superior Court, where felony and certain misdemeanor cases are formally processed. Martin was instructed that failure to appear would result in a bench warrant for his arrest and forfeiture of his bond.

5/21/26

JOSEPH MARTIN RELEASED ON CASH BOND

What this means: Joseph Martin was released from custody after posting a cash bond in Oconee County. A co-signer also signed the bond contract. As a condition of release, Martin is required to appear at all scheduled court dates and keep the court informed of any changes to his address. The bond was sworn before a Deputy Sheriff on May 21, 2026. If Martin fails to appear as required, the bond will be forfeited and a bench warrant will be issued for his re-arrest.

6/9/26

ACCUSATION FILED — JOSEPH MARTIN CHARGED WITH HIT AND RUN

What this means: The Oconee County District Attorney’s Office, through the Western Judicial Circuit, formally filed an accusation — a written criminal charge — against Joseph Martin in the Superior Court of Oconee County under case number SUCT2026000078. An accusation is a charging document filed directly by the prosecutor, as opposed to an indictment handed down by a grand jury. Martin is charged with one count of Hit and Run under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-270, a misdemeanor, which is the Georgia law requiring a driver to stop at or return to the scene of an accident. The listed witness is a Deputy with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.

6/9/26

STATE FILES CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE AND NOTICE OF INITIAL MOTIONS — JOSEPH MARTIN

What this means: The State filed a Certificate of Service and Notice of Initial Motions in the Superior Court of Oconee County, notifying Joseph Martin and his defense that the prosecution is complying with Georgia’s discovery laws by making its case materials available. The State’s discovery file includes the accusation, a witness list, and the case-in-chief materials. These items are available for inspection, copying, or photographing at the District Attorney’s office. This filing puts the defense on notice that it is their responsibility to review the available materials and contact the State if anything appears to be missing.

6/11/26

DEFENSE ATTORNEY KIM T. STEPHENS ENTERS APPEARANCE FOR JOSEPH MARTIN

What this means: Attorney Kim T. Stephens of Kim T. Stephens, LLC, based in Athens, Georgia, formally filed an Entry of Appearance in the Superior Court of Oconee County, notifying the court and all parties that he is representing Joseph Martin in case number SUCT2026000078. Going forward, all legal notices in this matter are to be directed to Stephens at his Athens office.

6/11/26

DEFENSE FILES CONSOLIDATED MOTIONS FOR DISCOVERY AND MOTION TO SUPPRESS — JOSEPH MARTIN

What this means: Attorney Kim T. Stephens filed a set of pretrial motions on behalf of Joseph Martin in the Superior Court of Oconee County. These motions formally request that the State provide copies of the accusation, a full witness list, and any statements Joseph Martin made to law enforcement while in custody. The defense is also requesting that certain evidence potentially be suppressed — meaning excluded from use at trial. These are routine pretrial motions that defense attorneys file to ensure the defendant has access to all evidence the State plans to use and to challenge any evidence that may have been obtained improperly.

6/16/26

JOSEPH MARTIN WAIVES ARRAIGNMENT — ENTERS NOT GUILTY PLEA

What this means: Joseph Martin, through his attorney, waived his right to a formal arraignment hearing and entered a not guilty plea in the Superior Court of Oconee County in case number SUCT2026000078. Arraignment is the court proceeding where a defendant is formally read the charges against them and enters a plea. By waiving it, Martin and his attorney confirmed they are aware of the charge — one count of Hit and Run under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-270 — and chose to skip the formal hearing, which is a common and routine practice when a defendant is represented by counsel. The waiver was signed by Martin, his attorney, and the Assistant District Attorney from the Western Judicial Circuit. The case is now in the pretrial phase.