Carlos Morales

Name:
Morales, Carlos

Date of Booking:
04/03/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
Dui- Driving Under Influence Of Alcohol

Hit & Run; Driver To Stop/ Return To Accident Scene

Failure To Maintain Lane

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 3, 2026, Deputy Kadinger was dispatched to Hester Cir in reference to a motor vehicle accident. Upon Deputy Kadinger’s arrival, he observed a silver Chrysler 300 (GA registration: [REDACTED]) off the roadway that appeared to have hit multiple mailboxes and was stuck on a tree stump.

[WITNESS #1] was attempting to get the vehicle off the stump when Deputy Kadinger arrived. Deputy Kadinger asked [WITNESS #1] what had happened, and [WITNESS #1] answered, stating that he was driving and the brakes on the vehicle had failed, causing him to crash into the mailboxes belonging to [200 BLOCK] Hester Cir, [200 BLOCK] Hester Cir, and [200 BLOCK] Hester Cir.

Deputy Kadinger requested Frank’s Towing to be en route to the scene to retrieve the vehicle. Deputy Kadinger returned to his vehicle and ran the vehicle’s registration plate in NCIC, which showed it to be owned and registered to Carlos Morales. While inside his vehicle, Deputy Kadinger was informed by Deputy Bandy that a resident of [200 BLOCK] Hester Cir, [WITNESS #2], witnessed the incident and that [WITNESS #1] was not the driver.

Deputy Kadinger then went to speak with [WITNESS #2] at her residence, and she advised that [WITNESS #1] was not the driver of the vehicle and that the actual driver ran to [400 BLOCK] Hester Cir through the woods. [WITNESS #2] advised that she had video evidence of the incident and proceeded to show Deputy Kadinger the video.

In the video, Deputy Kadinger observed the Chrysler 300 stuck on the stump of a tree, but due to the grainy quality of the video, Deputy Kadinger could not see any distinguishable features. [WITNESS #2] then pointed out to Deputy Kadinger that [WITNESS #1] arrived at the scene after the accident. Deputy Kadinger returned to [WITNESS #1] and asked him if he was the driver of the vehicle.

[WITNESS #1] sighed and stated that he needed to be truthful with Deputy Kadinger. [WITNESS #1] stated that he was trying to cover for his brother, Carlos. [WITNESS #1] stated that Carlos had been consuming alcohol, had driven his vehicle around the neighborhood, and had crashed into the mailboxes. [WITNESS #1] stated that he was at home with his family when Carlos returned and asked him to get his vehicle. [WITNESS #1] advised Deputy Kadinger that Carlos was still at his residence. Deputy Kadinger thanked [WITNESS #1] for his honesty and requested Deputy Bandy to go to [WITNESS #1]’s residence at [400 BLOCK] Hester Cir. to see if he could make contact with Carlos.

Deputy Bandy advised Deputy Kadinger that he had made contact with Carlos. Deputy Kadinger then went to [400 BLOCK] Hester Cir., where he made contact with Carlos.

Deputy Kadinger smelled a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from Carlos’s person. Carlos also spoke with a very slurred speech. When Deputy Kadinger asked what had happened to Carlos’s vehicle, he stated that someone had stolen it from [WITNESS #1]’s driveway. Deputy Kadinger advised Carlos that multiple witnesses had stated he was the one driving the vehicle, including [WITNESS #1], who admitted to trying to take the blame for him. Carlos stated that whatever [WITNESS #1] said was on [WITNESS #1] and not Carlos.

Carlos stated that he was just hanging out at his brother’s residence and that he did not know his car was gone, and that his daughter was inside the house. Carlos stated that he wanted Deputy Kadinger to speak with his daughter, and when Deputy Kadinger advised that he would in a second after he was done talking with him. Carlos then advised that his daughter was eight years old and would not allow it.

Deputy Kadinger then asked Carlos if he would comply with taking SFSTs to which Carlos refused. Carlos advised that the reason is that he was at his brother’s house and his daughter was inside. Carlos advised that he had left his vehicle running with his phone inside the car, charging. Deputy Kadinger questioned his reasoning why he would charge his phone in his car and not inside his brother’s residence, and Carlos replied, stating that he could not charge it inside. Carlos then offered his arms in a fashion to be handcuffed, asking if Deputy Kadinger wanted to “Run this.”

Deputy Kadinger then placed Carlos into custody by placing him into handcuffs, checking for fit, and ensuring the handcuffs were double locked. While being put into handcuffs, Deputy Kadinger observed numerous fresh lacerations on Carlos’s arms. When asked how he got the lacerations, Carlos answered, stating that he received them at work. Deputy Kadinger then searched Carlos’s person.

Inside Carlos’s front right pocket of his pants, Deputy Kadinger located a pair of vehicle keys. When asked where the keys belonged, Carlos advised that they belonged to his company truck. Carlos then requested his keys to be left with [WITNESS #1]’s wife. Deputy Bandy then went to give the keys to [WITNESS #1]’s wife.

After searching Carlos, Deputy Kadinger escorted him to his patrol vehicle and placed him into the passenger side back seat. Deputy Bandy returned to Deputy Kadinger and advised that [WITNESS #1]’s children advised him that Carlos was the driver of the Chrysler 300 when it had crashed.

Deputy Kdinger then went back to the scene of the accident and made contact with the owner of the mailboxes, [VICTIM #1]. [VICTIM #1] advised that he valued the mailboxes at approximately $360.00.

Deputy Kadinger then read Carlos the Georgia Implied Consent Notice and asked if Carlos would submit to any of the state-administered tests, to which Carlos refused. Carlos’s vehicle was released to Frank’s Towing. The driver for Frank’s Towing requested the vehicle’s key, to which [WITNESS #1] stated that Carlos should have had them with him.

Deputy Kadinger advised that he gave the key to his wife and asked him to go and retrieve them. Upon [WITNESS #1]’s return, Deputy Kadinger looked at the keys, and it was the same keys that he retrieved from Carlos’s pocket. When asked, Carlos stated that he had multiple keys for the vehicle.

Carlos was transported to the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, where he was charged with the following: (O.C.G.A. 40-6-39(a)(1) DUI Less Safe on traffic citation 318669, (O.C.G.A. 40-6-270) Hit and Run on traffic citation 318670, and (O.C.G.A. 40-6-48) Failure to Maintain Lane on traffic citation 318671. Deputy Kadinger attempted to have Carlos sign the Administrative License Suspension form (DDS 1205), but Carlos refused. Carlos was then turned over to the booking staff with no further incident.

[End of Narrative]