The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office reported the following incidents:
BRIGHT LIGHTS: On Dec. 31, Deputy Chris Haag was patrolling shortly after 10 p.m. on Epps Bridge Parkway when an approaching car failed to dim its lights. He made a traffic stop and noticed an open bottle of Corona in the car with the woman driver and her male companion. The 47-year-old Athens woman explained they were on their way to a restaurant. She said she did not have anything to drink in the last two hours. However, she smelled of alcohol. She offered to take tests and insisted, “I ain’t drunk.” But after testing, the woman was charged with DUI and failure to dim her car lights.
FENCE DAMAGED: On Jan. 3, Cpl. Lex Ogan responded to a damage report on Garrett Road, Statham, where a vehicle ran off the road and destroyed 100 feet of wood fence. The deputy determined the northbound vehicle crossed into the southbound lane then ran off the road and hit the fence. A witness told the officer she saw a black pickup cause the damage. Ogan found a vehicle piece that belonged to a 2005 to 2007 Ford F-250 or F-350.
AUTOMATIC GUN: On Jan. 3, Cpl. Lex Ogan was dispatched to a location on Georgia Highway 316 near McNutt Creek Road, where a Georgia State Patrol trooper had conducted a traffic stop and seized contraband. The trooper explained he stopped the Chevrolet Malibu after observing the driver, a 20-year-old Bethlehem resident, was not wearing a seatbelt. A Glock 21 gun and bags of marijuana were found in a backpack. The man explained he paid $220 for the marijuana and it was for his personal use. Ogan discovered the Glock had been illegally modified to make it an automatic gun. The man said he paid $100 to have the gun modified and he expressed regret at having done so. Later some pills of Oxycodone and Acetaminophen were found in his socks and he explained he forgot the pills were in the socks.
Armed Robbery: Athens-Clarke police try to ID armed robber of CVS store
COUPLE ARGUES: On Jan. 6, Cpl. Quinton NeSmith was dispatched to a dispute on Astondale Road, Watkinsville. When he arrived a 21-year-old Statham man stuck his head out a window and told the officer to enter through the back door. The deputy called for the woman, but received no response. He found her on a couch texting on a phone. She would not respond to questions, but later admitted she argued with the man. She explained she became more angry when he threatened to call police. She claimed he slammed her to the floor. The man explained the 20-year-old woman wanted sex, but due to the hour he was not interested. She broke the Roku remote and when he locked himself in a room, she broke the door in. She was taken to jail.
SHOPLIFTING SUSPECT: On Jan. 7, Cpl. Lex Ogan was dispatched to Walmart, where a loss prevention officer spotted a man opening two bags of tank tops and concealing the clothing inside his jacket. When confronted, the man denied shoplifting and fled in a Chevrolet Sonic. The deputy viewed the video and realized he had previous dealings with the 72-year-old Athens man. He called the suspect, who denied he left the store with the clothing. The deputy told him to report to jail and the man did.
DRUNK MAN: On Jan. 12, Deputy Gregory Harrison was dispatched about 5 p.m. to Costco off Parkway Boulevard, where a man was reported sleeping under a stop sign and they wanted him removed. The man showed signs of intoxication and when given a breathalyzer, he read 0.22. The deputy offered to give the 48-year-old Gainesville man a ride to his motel room in Athens. However, when the suspect began cursing the officer, he was taken to jail and charged with public drunkenness.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Oconee Blotter: Sex desire leads to dispute and trip to jail for woman