Oconee Blotter: Shoplifting suspect hears knock at bathroom stall; it's a deputy

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office reported the following incidents:

ILLEGAL U-TURN: On Aug. 7, Cpl. Lex Ogan was patrolling on Epps Bridge Parkway shortly after 11 p.m. when he observed a Kia Optima make an unlawful U-turn against a red traffic light. The deputy activated his blue lights and conducted a traffic stop. The deputy saw a heavy amount of smoke with the odor of marijuana inside the car. The man apologized for the traffic infraction and agreed to sobriety tests. However, he explained his feet hurt after working all day. The 38-year-old Watkinsville man was charged with DUI and failing to obey a traffic device.

ANGRY MAN: On Aug. 6, Deputy Bill Reynolds responded to a call on Gober Road, Bishop, where a man was reported to be headed to a house where he was not welcome. Reynolds contacted the man by phone through dispatch. The 28-year-old Statham man became agitated while speaking with the officer. He announced he was coming to the house. When he arrived, he became argumentative and began swearing at Reynolds and four other deputies. The man smelled of alcohol and was slurring his speech. He was arrested on a DUI charge and taken to a hospital for a blood test. While at the hospital, he complained of chest pains and was taken to the emergency room for a medical check. He was then transported to the county jail.

DEER WRECK: On Aug. 9, Deputy William Lewis was dispatched to a wreck where a Jeep Grand Cherokee crashed into a deer on Georgia Highway 316. The Jeep had disabling damage, but while investigating the accident, the deputy learned that the driver was wanted in Henry County on an obstruction charge. The 41-year-old Watkinsville man was taken to jail.

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STALL DOOR KNOCK: On Aug. 10, Deputy Bradley Vaughn was dispatched to Best Buy, where a manager reported that a shoplifting suspect had taken several video games into the bathroom. The manager also entered the bathroom and could hear the man inside a toilet stall opening the packages. Vaughn and Deputy Steven Heckler entered the room and knocked on the stall door. The man exited and as the officers started to put him in handcuffs, he tensed up and refused to unlock his arms which he had folded across his chest. The deputies grabbed the man and during the struggle all three fell to the bathroom floor. Vaughn reached for his stun gun and the man then became cooperative. The 32-year-old man was transported to jail. Several video games including Legend of Zelda and Luigi’s Mansion, were recovered. A 49-year-old woman who owned the vehicle that the suspect was driving came to the location. She allowed deputies to search the car and they recovered several new items including three pants, 10 shorts, T-shirts and Nike flip-flops. She said the merchandise didn’t belong to her, so the items were seized for the investigation.

FRAUD DISCOVERED: On Aug. 10, Deputy Annessa Glenn met with a 65-year-old Bogart woman, who reported she received a letter from Verizon saying she was past due on a $4,147 bill. The company was reporting her to a collection agency. The woman did not have an account with Verizon, but she discovered someone had purchased three iPhones using her personal information.

NO LICENSE: On Aug. 12, Cpl. Lex Ogan was patrolling along Epps Bridge Parkway when he ran the license plate on a 2000 Toyota Camry that was traveling in front of him. He discovered the registration had expired in May 2022. After a traffic stop, he learned the 43-year-old Athens resident only had a driver’s license out of Mexico. The man was charged with being an unlicensed driver.

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This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Oconee Blotter: Shoplifting suspect hears knock at bathroom stall; it's a deputy