Wrong-way Cordele driver arrested for DUI

A man found walking along I-75 toward the 138 exit ramp was arrested on Sunday, January 9 when he was found to be under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

A Houston County Sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to the area in reference to a dark vehicle that had been traveling southbound in the northbound lanes. While the deputy was en route to the scene, he received another call from dispatch informing him that the vehicle had just turn around.

“I arrived in the area and found a maroon Chevrolet Malibu in the ditch on the right side of the road approximately one-half mile north of the 138 southbound exit ramp,” the deputy reported. He noted large tire tracks in the grass on the side of the ditch were indications that the vehicle had clearly driven off the roadway.

“The vehicle also had damage to the back left quarter panel and the back left tire was completely blown,” the deputy revealed.

While he was making his way to the wrecked vehicle, the deputy observed a male person walking away from the scene and toward the 138 exit ramp. He appeared disoriented and attempted to run away when the deputy activated his emergency lights.

When the deputy called for the man to come and speak to him, he said, “The man complied and began walking toward me but almost fell several times as he was walking. At one point, the man fell and had to use the guard rail to catch himself.”

The subject was later identified as 28-year-old Reginald Darnell Lawrence Jr. from Cordele, Ga., and the closer he got to the deputy the obvious smell of alcohol was detected as well as the strong odor of marijuana. Furthermore, Lawrence’s speech was “extremely slurred”, he had trouble answering the deputy’s questions, and he could not maintain his balance on his own accord.

During his interrogation of Lawrence, the deputy was first told that the subject was coming from the strip club. He claimed that he was not driving the Malibu on the side of the road.

“I asked him how he knew the vehicle on the side of the road was a Malibu since I hadn’t told him what kind it was,” the deputy reported. “Reginald replied by saying that it was his vehicle, but a friend was driving it. I asked where Reginald’s friend was and he told me his friend was on the way to pick him up. He said his friend was driving a separate car to come get him, which did not make any sense at all.”

The deputy reported that Lawrence changed his story many times as they spoke, but after gathering multiple indicators pointing to the fact that he had indeed been driving the vehicle while impaired Lawrence was placed under arrest.

A search of his vehicle uncovered a THC edible bag containing a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana.

A search of Lawrence’s person revealed that he had urinated on himself and had a large amount of cash in his pockets totaling $5,119. He also had the keys to the wrecked Malibu he claimed not to be driving.

Lawrence was taken into custody and charged for his infractions accordingly.

HHJ News