Mary Knowles

Name:
Knowles, Mary Ann

Date of Booking:
04/29/2023

Reason(s) For Booking:
Vgcsa – Sch 1 Or 2 – Synth Narcotic(meth) – Mfg/dist/poss W

Dui – Alcohol (less Safe) – 1st

No Insurance

Obstructing Traffic / Failure To Yield Right Of Way

Safety Belts; Required Usage Over 18 Yoa

Open Container Violation

Reckless Driving

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 April 28, 2023 at approximately 2217 hours, I responded to the area of North Expressway with Lt. Chadwick in regards to a possible drunk driver traveling north. While responding to the scene, I noticed a vehicle traveling south in the North bound lanes around Rider Road.

I immediately traveled to the right to avoid the vehicle, activated my emergency equipment and proceeded to pull the vehicle over. Lt. Chadwick’s vehicle has a dash-camera and was the first vehicle.

As I was speaking to the driver, I noticed a minor odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from her breath. I also noticed that she had bloodshot and watery eyes, while her speech was slow and slurred. I asked the driver for her license. While searching for the license, the driver was not able to locate the license.

While the driver was searching for her license, I continued to talk to the driver and she was not able to divide her attention between the task given and the conversation. She attempted to find her license for approximately 5 minutes, and failed to do so. She couldn’t remember her address, and could not determine where she was currently located in Griffin. Her speech was slow, low and incoherent. She appeared to be “on the nod” multiple times throughout the conversation.

I asked the driver if she would submit to field sobriety, which she agreed. I had her step out of the vehicle and walk towards the front of Lt. Chadwick’s patrol car and I noticed the driver was unsteady and staggering to the patrol car.

Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (_/6)

As I attempted to perform the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus portion of the field sobriety, I made sure that all strobe, LED, and flashing lights were turned off with the exception of my rear lights due to traffic. The ground where we were standing was clear of all debris and was level. I positioned the driver in front of Lt. Chadwick’s patrol car for the evaluation due to him having a working dash camera.

I asked the driver if she had any prior brain injury, eye injury or if they wore contacts or glasses. The driver stated no to injuries and stated no to glasses. I explained the instructions for the test and attempted to start the test.

The subject failed to keep their head in a forward position and would not focus on the stimulus. I attempted the test at minimum 3 times before ending the attempt due to the subject not following the instructions for the test.

Walk and Turn (_/8)
Not attempted due to location, safety of suspect and the inability of the suspect to follow directions.

One Leg Stand (0/4)
Not Attempted due to location, safety of suspect and the inability of the suspect to follow directions.

Due to the subjects inability to complete the tests, I placed her in custody. I handcuffed her behind her back, double-locked the cuffs and checked for fit. I secured her in the backseat of my patrol car while I searched her vehicle for the impairing substance.

During the search, two bottles of Jose Cuervo Blue Agave were located in the backseat floorboard, within the driver’s immediate area. Located in her purse, in the passenger seat, I located her wallet which had US Currency (not counted), her drivers license and a small baggy with a crystal like substance that I believe to be suspected Methamphetamine. The weight of the suspected methamphetamine was estimated at approximately one gram.

When I went back to my patrol car to secure her purse, the evidence and to fill out an impound slip, I noticed that the suspect was laid across the backseat asleep. I finished filling out the paperwork I had and turned the vehicle over to S&P Towing. I woke the suspect up and seat belted her in the backseat for her safety.

The driver was read the Georgia Implied Consent Notice (DDS-354 05/2019) GREEN card, for suspects age 21 or over and requested Blood. The driver refused. Once at the jail, I obtained a search warrant for blood signed by Judge MacDowell. I presented the search warrant to the suspect and she agreed to give the blood test.

I left the suspect in the custody of the jail, in order to obtain a GBI Test Kit. Nurse [REDACTED], performed the blood draw on the driver, who provided two valid samples. The results of which are currently pending. The driver was then released to jail personnel.

After turning over custody to the jail, a backseat check for contraband was conducted and nothing was found. (Recorded at Jail Sally Port). I placed the GBI Blood Test Kit into evidence after submitting a GBI-DFOS form along with an evidence voucher.

The subject was arrested for the following charges

– Possession of Methamphetamine
– Reckless Driving
– DUI Drug/Alcohol
– DUI Less Safe
– Safety Belt over 18
– Change of Address
– Wrong Side of Road (Failure to Maintain)
– Striking Fixed Object

My vehicle does not have a dash camera currently. However Lt. Chadwick’s dash camera was currently recording. My vehicle does not have a backseat camera.

[End of Narrative]