Thomas Tripp

Name:
Tripp, Thomas

Date of Booking:
11/14/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
Hit & Run; Driver To Stop/ Return To Accident Scene

Driving While License Is Suspended Or Revoked, Misd

No Insurance

Following Too Closely

Failure To Secure Load

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 11/14/2025 I was dispatched to W Walnut Ave at the intersection by the Kroger entrance for a hit and run.

Upon my arrival I saw a black Chevrolet Silverado (tag #[REDACTED]) parked on the curb. The rear of the truck had damage and the white front bumper of the other vehicle was still stuck to the truck. I spoke to the driver of the truck, [VICTIM #1]. [VICTIM #1] stated that while sitting at the red light, he was rear ended.

A witness, [WITNESS #1], stated that she was behind a white Chevrolet Trailblazer driving east. The Trailblazer had a wooden trailer attached to it. [WITNESS #1] said that the Trailblazer rear ended the Silverado and then drove around the Silverado and continued east. [WITNESS #1] followed the Trailblazer and saw it had parked in the Sextons parking lot.

[VICTIM #1] was taken by EMS to be evaluated and officer wingate let other units know about the Trailblazer’s location. Officer Sosa located the vehicle and spoke to the driver, Thomas Tripp. Officer Sosa discovered that Thomas’ license was suspended and his vehicle did not have insurance. After Bob’s towing came to pick up the Silverado, I moved to officer Sosa’s location at Sextons.

When I arrived, I saw a white Trailblazer with a wooden trailer (tag #[REDACTED]). The Trailblazer was missing its entire front bumper. I spoke to Thomas to try and get his side of the story. Thomas said he tried to slam the brakes, but nothing happened and he rear ended the Silverado. He then kept driving and pulled into the Sextons parking lot. I asked Thomas why he did not call 911 or walk back to the crash and he did not give any good reason. Thomas claimed that he spoke to a firefighter and said he was in the crash, but no firefighter relayed this information to me. Yates was called to tow away the Trailblazer.

I then placed Thomas in handcuffs and escorted him to the front of my vehicle. I searched Thomas in front of my dash camera and then secured him in the back seat of my vehicle. I confirmed he was a US citizen and then transported Thomas to the Whitfield County Jail.

Upon my arrival at the jail, I secured my firearm in the sally port and transferred Thomas and his belongings to the booking staff. I then wrote the following citations:

#658586 40-6-270A hit and run
#658587 40-5-121 driving while license suspended/revoked
#658588 40-6-10 driving without insurance
#658589 40-6-49 following too closely
#658590 32-6-21 failure to secure load

I informed Thomas of these citations and notified him of this court date.

[End of Narrative]