Jake Byron

Name:
Byron, Jake Malcolm

Date of Booking:
04/06/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
DUI – LESS SAFE

TOO FAST FOR CONDITIONS

FAILURE TO REPORT ACCIDENT W/INJURY/DAMAGE

FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

KIDNAPPING

BURGLARY – 1ST DEGREE (FELONY)

CRIMINAL TRESPASS

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.]

[NARRATIVE #1 on April 06, 2025]

On April 6th, 2025, at approximately 21:30, I, Sgt. Steven Barnes responded to [1200 BLOCK] Warwoman Rd. regarding a stolen vehicle report. Before the initial dispatch, I overheard a ‘be on the lookout’ (BOLO) alert for an older model, red Toyota Tacoma with no tags that had been stolen.

Upon arrival, I made contact with a male subject identified as [VICTIM #1]. I observed multiple injuries to [VICTIM #1]’s person. [VICTIM #1] stated that the vehicle theft was a civil matter, regarding all verbal agreements related to the vehicles. [VICTIM #1] stated that a “Jake” subject kidnapped him from his home at [400 BLOCK] Tiger Connector Rd., cut his throat with a knife, and brought him to the residence on Warwoman Rd., where [VICTIM #1] had the truck stored. [VICTIM #1] stated that “Jake” was 19 years old and was with a woman in a white truck, possibly a Dodge Ram 1500 four-door. [VICTIM #1] noted that the door to his residence should still be open, and no one else was inside. I had an ambulance en route to check [VICTIM #1]’s injuries. I observed the laceration to his throat, an extensive abrasion on his temple where he stated “Jake” struck him with a closed fist, cuts to his ears, forehead, arms, elbow, and a large bruise on his back. The ambulance arrived and transported [VICTIM #1] to Mountain Lakes Medical Center.

[VICTIM #1] did not know the female subject with “Jake”, or “Jake’s” last name or address, [VICTIM #1] stated “Jake” lived somewhere near Heavens Landing on Devils Branch Rd. I followed behind the ambulance en route to Mountain Lakes Medical Center. Once at Mountain Lakes, I confirmed with [VICTIM #1] that he wanted to pursue criminal charges for the assault. Investigator Brandon Hyer arrived on the scene and began to ask [VICTIM #1] more questions regarding the assault. Hyer asked [VICTIM #1] if he had seen the knife handle, to which he replied that he could not see it due to the dark conditions in the bedroom, [VICTIM #1] stated they were “wrestling” in the room, while “Jake”, later identified as Jake Malcolm Byron, was looking for keys to the Toyota Tacoma. [VICTIM #1] stated he told Byron where the keys were, and Byron grabbed the drawer and dumped everything out. [VICTIM #1] stated that Byron grabbed the wrong keys. [VICTIM #1] stated he went with them against his will to the residence on Warwoman Rd. [VICTIM #1] stated that Byron could not start the truck once arriving at the residence, where the Toyota Tacoma was stored on Warwoman Road, due to having the wrong keys, [VICTIM #1] stated that Byron called his girlfriend when she came to pick him up, took him back to [VICTIM #1]’s house to retrieve the keys, and then returned to steal the truck. I asked [VICTIM #1] if he was willing to fill out a voluntary witness statement, and he stated he could not read or write very well. [VICTIM #1] said he would be happy to go through it verbally, while somebody else wrote it down. Investigator Hyer stated he would arrange a time with [VICTIM #1] to collect the statement. While at Mountain Lakes, I was informed that the Toyota Tacoma taken by Byron was wrecked on North Germany Mountain Road, and there were units with Byron at the scene. I also had units respond to the crime scene at [VICTIM #1]’s residence, where they cleared the house, not finding any other injured victims, and held the scene.

I responded to the crash scene in the 3600 block of North Germany Mountain Road at approximately 22:27. Upon arrival, Deputy Anthony Ortega advised that he had located Byron walking away from the crash scene. Byron informed Ortega that he was the driver. Also on the crash scene were Byron’s mother, [WITNESS #1], and [WITNESS #2], a subject that Byron was on a first date with. I observed the Toyota Tacoma previously stated, on its roof, on the shoulder of the roadway. I observed multiple beer cans ejected from the crash.

Investigator Hyer and I interviewed [WITNESS #1] in her vehicle, to which she stated the following: Byron was living with [VICTIM #1] on Tiger Connector Rd. a couple of months ago. Byron wrecked one of [VICTIM #1]’s vehicles, which [VICTIM #1] was letting Byron drive. [VICTIM #1] arrived at [WITNESS #1]’s house with [REDACTED] and retrieved the truck, which was registered to Byron’s father, on a rollback without permission. [WITNESS #1] came to the Sheriff’s Office last week and reported it to Sgt. Dills. [WITNESS #1] stated, Sgt. Dills would get back to her later that day, though she allegedly never heard back from him. Jake got pulled over for having no insurance, a fake tag, and other infractions, and [VICTIM #1] went to retrieve the car from impound. [VICTIM #1] then had the truck and the car, which was not agreed upon.

Byron came to the house after dark, at approximately 9:00 p.m. Byron stated that he had visited [VICTIM #1], roughed him up a bit, and determined the truck’s location. Byron asked [WITNESS #1] if she would take him to get it, to which she initially stated no. Byron left with [WITNESS #2], and [WITNESS #1] followed them. [VICTIM #1] was not in the truck with Byron and [WITNESS #2]. Byron tried to get [WITNESS #1] to pull off at Burger King. [WITNESS #1] continued to the house on Warwoman, where Byron got out of the truck and ran off. Byron saw the truck in the backyard and went to retrieve it. [WITNESS #1] then stated that on the way to the house on Warwoman, they stopped at the pull-off across from Pinnacle Drive. Byron got out of [WITNESS #2]’s truck and got into [WITNESS #1]’s truck. [WITNESS #2] then returned to Burger King. [WITNESS #1] took Byron to the beginning of the driveway on Warwoman, and Byron got the Toyota Tacoma. [WITNESS #1] had [WITNESS #2] follow [WITNESS #1] back to the house. [WITNESS #1] told Byron to take Black Rock home because the truck had no insurance or tag. Byron was not at home when [WITNESS #1] returned. She waited a few minutes and then took the route Byron would have taken home. [WITNESS #1] contacted a Deputy on the road, asking if she had observed a truck overturned. [WITNESS #1] stated she circled back and then made contact with the overturned vehicle.

I escorted [WITNESS #1] back to her vehicle and brought [WITNESS #2] back to Investigator Hyer’s truck for an interview, where she stated the following: [WITNESS #2] was coming to see Byron on a first date, and she lives in Long Creek, SC. [WITNESS #2] picked Byron up from his house off Carpenter Lane. [WITNESS #2] stated that she and Byron have been talking for a few weeks. [WITNESS #2] and Byron were supposed to ride around and go to Walmart. [WITNESS #2] said they started at Byron’s mom’s house on Carpenter Ln., rode around, and then went to “Black Mountain Lookoff.” Byron and [WITNESS #2] were talking to [WITNESS #1], and then they went to “some dude’s house.” Byron and [WITNESS #2] were going to go to Walmart, but then went to “some guy’s house,” Byron said they would get his truck, and Byron was driving [WITNESS #2]’s truck. Byron drank a “bottle of Mad Dog”.

[WITNESS #2] saw Byron punch a guy in the face at the doorway of the residence. [WITNESS #2] looked away after that because it scared her. Byron put the guy in the back seat of the truck. Byron gets in the driver’s seat and is directed to the Toyota Tacoma’s location. Byron and the guy were screaming at each other about the Toyota Tacoma. When they arrived at the location where the Toyota Tacoma was parked, [WITNESS #2] got into the driver’s seat and left Byron and the other guy who was in the back seat at the residence. [WITNESS #2] went to Burger King to use the restroom, Byron arrived at Burger King approximately ten minutes later. [WITNESS #2] took Byron back to [WITNESS #1]’s house from Burger King. Byron and [WITNESS #1] discussed a work chair in the shed. Got back in [WITNESS #2]’s truck, [WITNESS #1] followed and came up behind them. Byron got into the truck with [WITNESS #1], and [WITNESS #2] returned to Burger King again. [WITNESS #2] stated she never saw a knife, gun, or any blood while in the vehicle with Byron and [VICTIM #1]. [WITNESS #2] gave consent to search her truck located at Carpenter Lane.

Before my arrival at the crash scene, EMS and Fire Personnel were on scene, though Byron refused to be assessed, stating he was not injured. The on-call wrecker, Dean’s, was on scene to tow the vehicle. I approached Byron, who was unrestrained in the back of Ortega’s patrol car. While speaking with Byron, I smelled the odor of an alcoholic beverage. I asked Byron if he was willing to perform standardized field sobriety testing, to which he stated yes.

Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus:
I checked for resting nystagmus and observed none. I checked for equal pupil size, and they were equal. I conducted the medical qualification passes, during which I observed equal tracking.
Lack of Smooth Pursuit: was present in both eyes and on both passes.
Distinct and Sustained Nystagmus at Maximum Deviation: was observed in both eyes and on both passes.
Onset of Nystagmus Prior to 45 Degrees: was observed in both eyes and on both passes.
6 Clues.
Vertical Nystagmus was not observed in either eye on either pass.

Walk And Turn:
Byron started the test before being instructed to do so. During the instructional phase, Byron failed to balance by separating his feet just before beginning. Byron placed his left foot back on the line and counted it as his first step. Byron stopped at the ninth step and stated, “This heel planted?” I advised Byron that I could not further explain anything to him. Byron did not take a series of small steps to turn around with his lead foot planted; instead, he spun backwards, lifting both feet to turn.
4 Clues.

One Leg Stand:
Byron swayed as he tried to maintain balance during the test.
1 Clue.

Byron refused to give a breath sample into the PBT. I placed Byron in handcuffs behind his back, checked the cuffs for fit, and double locked them. I searched Byron incident to the arrest, which revealed no contraband on his person. I placed him in Clayton Police Officer Jay Chastain’s vehicle because mine was on the other end of the wreck. I confirmed Byron’s age of 19 years. I read Byron Implied Consent Notice For Suspects Under Age Of 21 from my Georgia Implied Consent Notice green card. I requested the state-administered chemical testing of Byron’s blood, to which he refused. I moved the handcuffs to the front of Byron’s body, due to Byron stating his hand was hurting from the handcuffs from the crash.

I then escorted Byron to my vehicle, where he was secured in the back seat that I searched and cleared for contraband before his placement. I read Byron Miranda Warning, asking if he understood his rights. Byron stated he understood the rights. With those rights in mind, I asked Byron if he was willing to speak with me, and he said he would like a lawyer present. I then transported Byron to the Rabun County Detention Center, where he was booked in for the offense of DUI with an investigative hold. While I was at the Detention Center, Deputy Ortega and Investigator Hyer responded to [100 BLOCK] Carpenter Ln. to search [WITNESS #2]’s truck with her consent. See Investigative Tracking for further information on Investigator Hyer’s findings.

I responded to [400 BLOCK] Tiger Connector Rd. at approximately 00:27, where Sergeant Clint Scott and Deputy Michael Shedd were on scene. Deputies had the crime scene taped off, advising that there was forced entry on two doors and blood in the bedroom. Outside the house, I observed a yellow and black pair of “Panama Jack” sunglasses lying outside the door. Investigator Hyer and I entered the house with [VICTIM #1]’s consent at approximately 01:10. Once inside the residence, I observed the deadbolt lock to the front door broken off. I also observed [VICTIM #1]’s bedroom door pushed into the room, including the frame ripped from the wall. Once inside the bedroom, I observed blood on the white bed sheets, with the big pile being almost directly in the middle of the bed. There was blood smeared across the bed, including on both the inside and outside of the flat sheet that was then lying on the left-hand foot of the bed. I observed a shelf on the left side of the head of the bed, with a bloody handprint showing three bloody fingerprints on the interior of the drawer. Investigator Hyer and I documented the scene with photographs digitally attached to this report in other images. Before leaving the scene, Investigator Hyer handed me a pocket knife he had secured at Carpenter Lane. Hyer advised me to place the item into evidence at the Sheriff’s Office. I secured the knife and sunglasses in an evidence locker at the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office.

On April 7th, 2025, I secured warrants for the offenses of Aggravated Assault, Kidnapping, Burglary–1st Degree and Criminal Trespass. Magistrate Judge James Blalock signed these warrants. Also, on April 7th, 2025, I issued citations for DUI, Too Fast For Conditions, Failure To Maintain Lane, Failure To Maintain Insurance, Failure To Report Accident, Expired Tag, and Registration and License Requirements.

On April 7th’ 2025, after my scheduled work hours, I was contacted by Investigator Hyer, who informed me that he had been informed that Byron possessed stolen items in his jail property bag. Hyer informed me that [WITNESS #2] confirmed the second entry into the home, and she advised that Byron had committed a theft of multiple keys, beer, money, cigarettes, etc. See Hyer’s supplement for further information on his follow-up and the recovery of the stolen items. On April 9th’ 2025, I secured an additional Burglary 1st Degree warrant signed by Magistrate Judge James Blalock. See attached warrants, citations, ALS, Property & Evidence Forms, and Crime Scene Log in linked files.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on April 06, 2025]

On Sunday, April 6, 2025, at approximately 21:41, I, Deputy A. Ortega, was dispatched to [3600 BLOCK] N Germany Mountain Rd, Rabun Gap, GA, regarding a single motor crash with unknown injuries. Dispatch advised that a third-party caller had come across a truck that had overturned in a ditch with the lights still on inside.

While en route to the crash scene, at approximately 21:50, I came across a black pickup truck on the road that was yielding to me the right-of-way due to my emergency lights and siren that was activated on my patrol vehicle. I stopped and spoke to the driver of the vehicle, who was a female subject. The female subject was later identified as [WITNESS #1] from her Georgia driver’s license. I asked [WITNESS #1] if she had seen a truck overturned on the road, but she stated she did not. She advised me she had just turned around on N Germany Mtn Rd and was headed back towards Germany Rd.

At approximately 21:53, I, Deputy A. Ortega, encountered a male walking on the road just past Moses Rd on N Germany Mountain Rd. The male subject was later identified as Jake Malcolm Byron. As I exited my patrol vehicle to speak to Jake, [WITNESS #1] hugged him. I asked Jake if he “had just come from that wreck,” and [WITNESS #1] stated he did. I asked Jake if there was anyone else still inside the truck, and he stated it was just him. I asked Jake if he was alright, and he immediately said, “somebody stole my truck, they cut the brake line and made me wreck”. He advised me that the truck was down the road in the ditch. I asked Jake if he needed EMS, and he refused.

[WITNESS #1] later advised me that she was looking for Jake because he had not come home yet. When I came across her truck and asked her if she had seen a truck overturned, she had a feeling it was Jake, which is why she followed my patrol vehicle.

I advised Jake that I was going to give him a ride to the scene of the accident and asked if he had any weapons on him. He confirmed that he had a pocket knife in the left front pocket of his jeans. I asked Jake if I could search his pockets, to which he consented. I retrieved a pocket knife from his left front pocket and handed it over to [WITNESS #1] for safekeeping.

I secured Jake in the backseat of my patrol vehicle and returned to the scene of the crash. Sgt. S. Barnes arrived shortly after, and Jake was turned over to him for further questioning.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #3 on April 06, 2025]

On 04-06-2025, around 2145, I, Sgt. C. Scott, along with Deputy Shedd, arrived at [400 BLOCK] Tiger Connecter Road. Dispatch had notified us via radio that a subject had just been kidnapped from this address. When Deputy Shedd and I arrived, we noticed the front door was not closed. Deputy Shedd and I entered the house to clear the house of any persons that may still be on location. When I entered the house, I noticed the door to the first bedroom on the right had been forced open, removing the frame from the wall. When I entered the room, I noticed the bed was in disarray, and the bed had blood all over it. Deputy Shedd and I cleared the rest of the house, but we did not find anyone left inside the home.

After the house was cleared of any persons Deputy Shedd and I exited the house. I taped off the driveway with crime tape and held the house until Investigator Hyer and Set. Barnes arrived.

The house was turned over to Sgt. Barnes and Investigator Hyer.

[End of Narrative]