Name:
Kelley, Tyler Adam
Date of Booking:
09/16/2022
Reason(s) For Booking:
AGGRESSIVE DRIVING
DRIVING ON WRONG SIDE OF ROAD
DUI./ALCOHOL
FAILURE TO EXCERCISE DUE CARE
FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE
FAILURE TO STOP AT SIGN
FLEEING OR ATTEMPTING TO ELUDE POLICE OFFICER
FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY
IMPROPER LANE CHANGE
LITTERING HIGHWAY
POSSESSION OF FIREARM OR KNIFE DURING COMMISSION OF OR ATTEMPT TO COMMIT CERTAIN
POSSESSION OF FIREARM OR KNIFE DURING COMMISSION OF OR ATTEMPT TO COMMIT CERTAIN
RECEIPT, POSSESSION OR TRANSPORT OF FIREARM BY CONVICTED FELON OR FELONY FIRST
RECEIPT, POSSESSION OR TRANSPORT OF FIREARM BY CONVICTED FELON OR FELONY FIRST
RECKLESS DRIVING
SAFETY RESTRAINT VIOLATION
SPEEDING (120/55)
TRAFFICKING IN COCAINE, ILLEGAL DRUGS, MARIJUANA, OR METHAMPHETAMINE
TRAFFICKING IN COCAINE, ILLEGAL DRUGS, MARIJUANA, OR METHAMPHETAMINE
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 16th, 2022, at approximately 12:22 hours, I was patrolling north on I-75 in Tift County, Georgia. I observed a tan Chevrolet Silverado traveling north in front of my patrol vehicle. I observed the driver fail to maintain his lane several times as well as failing to use his turning signal when changing lanes. I activated my emergency equipment and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle.
I observed the driver look at my patrol vehicle over his right shoulder several times as well as using his left side view mirror. I observed the driver lay over his center console while continuing to travel north, failing to yield to my emergency equipment, and look as if he were attempting to grab or hide something. I observed this behavior for an alarming amount of time. I observed the vehicle exit I-75 north bound and approach the stop sign at Chula Brookfield Road. I observed the driver continue to ignore my emergency equipment and make a left turn onto Chula Brookfield Road to travel west. I observed the driver accelerate his vehicle, continuing to ignore my patrol vehicle’s emergency equipment, initiating a pursuit. I notified my Communications Center I was in a pursuit and continued after the vehicle.
I observed the vehicle traveling west on Chula Brookfield Road, approaching the stop sign at its intersection with SR7. I observed the driver fail to maintain his lane multiple times before approaching the stop sign at SR7. Once at the stop sign, I observed the driver fail to stop at the stop sign, make an abrupt right turn onto SR7, and accelerate his vehicle very quickly. While traveling north on SR7, I observed the driver driving in a very reckless manner. I observed the vehicle’s speed was well over the posted speed limit of fifty-five miles per hour as well as the driver continuing to driver all over the roadway. As we approached the intersection of SR7 and J.R. Wynn Road, I observed the driver make a sudden left turn onto J.R. Wynn Road without using his turn signal as well as failing to maintain his lane.
Once on J.R. Wynn Road, I observed the driver operating his vehicle at speeds well over one hundred miles per hour while continuing to drive in a very reckless manner. I observed the driver use the entire roadway while fleeing. I observed the driver pass a vehicle in a no passing zone, just before approaching a sharp curve to the right. I continued after the vehicle that was still traveling at speeds well over one-hundred miles per hour.
I observed the vehicle negotiate a curve to the right, and as I followed suit, I observed the driver attempt to make a sudden left turn onto Mount Zion Church Road. The driver was driving too fast for the conditions and as he attempted his turn, he traveled off the north shoulder of Mount Zion Church Road and struck the railroad crossing arm support system with its front end, sustaining disabling damage and rendering the vehicle disabled. As I approached the scene, I failed to slow my patrol vehicle enough to prevent traveling off the north shoulder of Mount Zion Church Road as well. My patrol vehicle left the roadway and landed on top of the railroad tracks, just beside the left side of the violator’s vehicle. As I exited my patrol vehicle, I drew my duty weapon and began giving the driver loud verbal commands to exit his vehicle with his hands in the air. The driver did not comply. From my angle, I could not see the driver’s hands, but I could see he was digging through the center and rear areas of his vehicle. I continued to give him loud verbal commands and he continued to disregard them.
I observed Agent Germaine with Mid-South Narcotics Task Force arrive on-scene to render aid. Agent Germaine drew his duty weapon and approached the passenger side of the vehicle, giving him the better vantage point. Agent Germaine advised me the driver had his hands out of the passenger’s window. I approached the vehicle and made my way to the passenger’s side where Agent Germaine opened the door, and we placed the driver on the ground and executed the arrest. I searched the driver’s person and did not find any weapon or contraband. I asked the driver if he was hurt, and he did not respond. I repeated the question and he continued to not respond but instead looked off into the distance. I observed the driver’s pupils were dilated and he was sweating profusely. I placed the driver in a secure position on the ground near the crash scene due to the fact my patrol vehicle was sitting on top of the railroad tracks and had been rendered disabled. I read the driver his Miranda Warning and he continued to stay quiet. I asked the driver if he was hurt, again, and he responded by stating he wanted to go to the hospital.
A Tift County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived on scene to transport the driver, later identified as Mr. Tyler Kelley, to Tift Regional Medical Center. After the driver had been transported, Agent Germaine and I searched the vehicle. During our search, I located three digital scales used to measure the weight of narcotics. I located a black Canik 9MM (Serial# T6472-20) and a Smith and Wesson .38 (Serial# DKA3574) in the front passenger area of the vehicle. Neither firearm had been reported stolen. After relaying the driver’s information to my Communications Center, I was advised Mr. Kelley was a three-time convicted felon for numerous weapon and gun charges and had also been previously banned from Tift County, Georgia.
While storing the firearms in Agent Germaine’s vehicle, I observed a large glass saltshaker on the ground near Mr. Kelley’s vehicle. Inside of the saltshaker was a large quantity of a crystal-like substance as well as a large quantity of a powder-like substance. Agent Germaine came to my location and retrieved the evidence and stored it in his vehicle with the firearms. I did not locate any further contraband or firearms. Mr. Kelley’s vehicle was removed from the scene by Prince’s Towing and my patrol vehicle was removed from the scene by BB’s Towing.
I rode with Agent Germaine to his office where we tested and measured the contraband. It was determined Mr. Kelley had approximately [REDACTED BY AGENCY] (trafficking amount) as well as [REDACTED BY AGENCY] (trafficking amount). I relinquished all seized evidence to Agent Germaine. Shortly after I left Agent Germaine’s Office, I was notified by Deputy Dorsey with the Tift County Sheriff’s Department that Mr. Kelley had been cleared by the medical staff and was in transit to the Tift County Jail. Shortly after, Mr. Kelley arrived at the jail and was turned over to the jail staff for processing.
Mr. Kelley was charged with Trafficking [REDACTED BY AGENCY] Trafficking [REDACTED BY AGENCY], two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, two counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, Felony Fleeing and Attempting to Elude and numerous misdemeanor traffic infractions observed during the pursuit.
[End of Narrative]