Name:
Sagastume, Luis
Date of Booking:
08/28/2023
Reason(s) For Booking:
DRIVING WITHOUT A VALID LICENSE (MISDEMEANOR)
HIT AND RUN; DUTY OF DRIVER TO STOP AT OR RETURN TO SCENE OF ACCIDENT
FAILURE TO YIELD RIGHT OF WAY, TURNING
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 August 28th, 2023, at around 8:10 am, I was dispatched to the intersection of Macon Highway (SR-24) and High Shoals Road (SR-186) regarding a hit-and-run traffic collision. When I arrived, I saw a white Ford F150 GA tag [REDACTED] that was disabled with major damage in the middle of the intersection. The front of the F150 was smashed in, the hood was crumpled, the bumper was pushed backward, both front headlights were destroyed, both front fenders were crumpled, the driver’s side airbag was deployed and the F150 was leaking oil and fluids.
I spoke with the victim, who told me he was driving his F150 southbound on Macon Highway approaching High Shoals Road when a white early 2000’s Chevy Silverado extended cab pickup truck turned left in front of him. He was unable to stop in time and due to the rain, his F150 slid across the pavement. The front of the victim’s F150 hit the right side of the Silverado. After the collision, the Silverado driver fled from the scene without rendering medical care or providing his information. The victim last saw the Silverado traveling westbound on High Shoals Road. While speaking with the victim, I saw lacerations, airbag burns and abrasions on both of the victim’s arms. I took photographs of the victim’s injuries and his F 150. These photographs have been attached to this report.
I asked for Deputy Mattocks to check on High Shoals from the county line back to the scene of the collision for the suspect vehicle. While I was checking the area, I spoke with the witness over the phone. The witness told me he was driving a bus and was stopped on High Shoals Road waiting to turn onto Macon Highway. The witness saw the white Silverado stopped on northbound Macon Highway waiting to turn left onto High Shoals Road. The F150 was traveling southbound when suddenly the Silverado turned in front of the F 150. The F150 hit the center of the Silverado. The Silverado was pushed sideways into the stop sign at the median and almost hit the witness’ bus. The Silverado then fled traveling away from the scene of the collision.
Deputy Mattocks located a white 1999 Chevy Silverado GA tag [REDACTED] that was abandoned on High Shoals Road near the intersection with Elder Road Extension. This location was about 3 miles from the original collision scene. When I arrived at that area, I saw the Silverado had sustained major damage to the passenger side consistent with being involved in this collision. The Silverado’s frame was bent from the collision and there was major intrusion damage to the front passenger and rear-passenger door area. Both doors were shoved inward and the rear passenger window was broken. I requested Putnam County attempt to make contact with the registered owner of the Silverado in Eatonton. Investigator Groves and Swisher responded to the scene. Investigator Groves photographed the damage to the Silverado and its location. Putnam County was able to speak with the registered owner of the Silverado, and she called into Oconee County Sheriffs Dispatch.
The owner told me her boyfriend of 1 year, Jose Luis Sagastume-Garcia, was driving her Silverado. He left early in the morning to go to work. At around 8:15, he called her, but she was not able to answer the phone. He explained he had been involved in a collision. He later contacted her to tell her that the police were searching for him. The owner knew that Sagastume-Garcia did not have a valid license, but did not understand why he fled. She explained she would have come to bond him out of jail. She insisted that he would turn himself in, and she planned to head up to the scene. The Silverado was impounded as it contained evidence and was transported to the Oconee County Sheriffs Office for processing. HPC Auto Towing removed the Silverado and I followed it back to the secure parking lot at the sheriffs office.
While there, I received another call from the owner of the Silverado. She told me Sagastume-Garcia had sent her a GPS location for where he was hiding. Deputy Mattocks, Seargent Dorsey and I drove out to the GPS location. It was near where the Silverado had been abandoned. While searching the area, the owner showed up. She called out to Sagastume-Garcia in Spanish. After a few minutes, he emerged from the forest where he was taken into custody. While searching Sagastume-Garcia incident to his arrest, I located the Silverado’s ignition key in Sagastume-Garcia’s front right pocket.
I transported Sagastume-Garcia to the Oconee County Jail where he was booked in without further incident. I issued him three citations for driving without a valid license, failure to yield while turning left and hit & run. While at the jail, Sagastume-Garcia was interviewed by Deputy Argueta. Sagastume-Garcia confessed his involvement to Deputy Argueta. For further information see Deputy Argueta’s supplemental report. Due to Sagastume-Garcia’s confession, the Silverado was not processed for evidence, and it was released back to HPC for safe keeping.
[End of Narrative]