From Bryan County Sheriff Office reports:
Unwanted person: The owner of a paint and body shop in Ellabell reported someone was on his property shortly before 9 p.m. Nov. 21. The man told BCSO “his cameras alerted him that someone had gotten into the rear of his body shop where he parks all the vehicles.”
The owner “said he saw someone squatting behind a car and when he began to approach him the figure stood up and pointed what appeared to be a gun in his direction. (The owner) said he then fired two .410 rounds in the direction of the unknown person. The unknown person then fled into the woods. (The owner) said nothing was stolen because all the vehicles were locked. (The owner) said he did not need a report.”
Dispatched horse: Deputies were sent to an address on Highway 280 near Olive Branch Road on Nov. 21 “in reference to a motor vehicle crash involving one vehicle vs. horse. Upon arrival the horse was laying in the middle of the eastbound travel lane of Highway 280. The owner of the horse arrived on scene and observed the condition of his horse. (He) requested (a deputy) dispatch his horse for him. After dispatching the horse, (the owner) removed the horse from the roadway with a tractor and a trailer.”
Unruly juvenile: An Ellabell woman reported Nov. 21 her 14-year-old son was refusing to mind and wouldn’t do what she asked. She also said her son jumped on her, hurting her hip, “and he sprayed her with Lysol.”
The woman said her son takes ADHD medication and “when he gets off his medication he acts out.”
The report said she was able to get him to take his meds and didn’t want to file a juvenile complaint.
Drugs, speeding, etc: A deputy running radar around 10:20 p.m. Nov. 20 clocked a car headed north on I-95 around mile marker 81 doing 90 mph.
A traffic stop ensued.
The deputy smelled “the strong odor of burnt marijuana,” and the driver’s eyes “were blood shot, watery and dilated.”
After a field sobriety test, a search of the vehicle turned up suspected crack, then, “upon making contact back with the offender (by then in the back of a patrol car) for an additional search, the offender had concealed 1 bag 12.3 grams of marijuana and 3 bags of crack cocaine weighing 4 grams, 2 grams, 3 grams and 1 broken bag, in between his butt cheeks.”
The offender, a Florida man, also reportedly tried to hide some of the crack in the seat of the patrol car. He was taken to jail, where a strip search turned up “10 broken orange pills in his socks,” which were believed to be ecstasy.
Civil matter: Deputies were sent to a Richmond Hill address around 12:47 p.m. Nov. 21 regarding a dispute between a landlady and her tenant, who were described in the report as “two elderly females.”
The deputy reported the landlady “began yelling and advising me she received a text the night prior from (the tenant) stating she was moving out because she could not deal with the abuse (the landlady) was inflicting on a puppy at the residence. (The landlady) also stated (the tenant) has not left the property since the text. (The landlady) continuously yelled stating she wanted (the tenant) out of her residence but she was not taking her property with her.”
The landlord also told deputies the tenant owed “rent for the months of February 2021 to November 2021,” which prompted the tenant to tell the deputy “she did not owe rent, at a later time (she) stated her payment of rent consisted of her food stamps.”
Deputies explained to the landlady she couldn’t hold her tenant’s property as ransom, she would have to get a copy of the report and go to the courts.
“(The landlady) was unwilling to accept that explanation and began yelling her disgust for Bryan County and all law enforcement alike,” the report continued, noting the tenant “began calling people to help her load her property because of her disabilities and (the landlady) denied anyone on the property to help (the tenant) with her belongings.”
“A short time later (the tenant) stated she was not going to leave because she could not find anyone at the moment to help her,” the report said. “(The landlady) was informed of this decision and began yelling and cussing at deputies again.”
Deputies told the landlady how to start the eviction process in the courts, and “(she) stated she had her own way of handling an eviction,” which brought a warning that she could get into trouble if her tenant sued her.
As for the puppy, “while on scene several neighbors of (the landlady) wanted to report abuse that was occurring at (the address) by (the landlady). Neighbors stated they constantly hear the puppy hollering throughout the neighborhood. Neighbors explained (the landlady) will sit on her front porch and they can hear her all the time yell at the puppy and smack it repeatedly.”
The neighbors said the puppy was a small Chihuahua and they worry she might “fatally harm” it.
Deputies contacted animal control to investigate the allegations. Both women were given case numbers for the report generated by their dispute.
Dog bite: Deputies went to a Belfast Keller Road address around 5:30 pm. Nov. 20 because a complainant said a neighbor’s dog got into their back yard and attacked her daughter.
The girl, whose age was not available, suffered a number of injuries. EMS treated her at the scene and “advised medical follow up.” The victim said the dog got in the yard and started chasing her, and “as she got on the porch the dog latched onto her arm and drug her down the stairs.” Deputies talked to the dog owner, whose dog was then taken by animal control.
Shoplifting: A Vermont man was arrested for trying to shoplift a metal briefcase from the Loves Truck Stop in Black Creek around 8:44 p.m. Nov. 19. The man claimed he was going to pay for the briefcase, and had only gone into his vehicle to move it away from the gas pumps. Management didn’t buy it and pressed charges. The man was taken to jail.
Drugs, speeding, etc: A deputy on Highway 280 near Groover Hill Road shortly before 3 p.m. Nov. 19 spotted a car that wasn’t staying in its lane and kept on going over the overpass, cutting off an 18-wheeler before another 18-wheeler helped box the car in “preventing the vehicle from (continuing).”
The driver, a 45-year-old Ellabell woman, slurred heavily and said she tried to run because she was wanted in Effingham County, and a check showed her license was suspended, etc. She also failed a sobriety test.
She was taken to jail, where it was also learned the car she was driving had been stolen in Tattnall County, so she was also wanted there.
Damage to property: A deputy responded to a report of a vehicle fire on I-16 around 9 a.m. Nov. 20, then heard Bryan County Emergency Services Firefighters say there was “a drive shaft in the roadway, and vehicles that they believed hit the drive shaft were pulled over on the side of the road.”
The deputy checked it out, and found a Jeep with two flat tires the driver said were caused when he hit the drive shaft.
Another vehicle down the road also had tires flattened by the drive shaft, which “fell off a red 2000 Peterbilt conventional truck which (the deputy) located further down Interstate 16,” the report said.
The truck driver said the drive shaft fell off while he was driving, which made it hard to steer. While the deputy was taking down his information he saw more people “sitting in a ditch by Interstate 16 further east,” and learned their car also hit the drive shaft, which flattened one of their tires.
None of the victims wanted a report. There were no injuries.
Reckless driving, more: Deputies on I-95 near mile marker 82 around 5:44 p.m. Nov. 20 spotted a Ford Focus headed north weaving through traffic and clocked it going 109 mph. Attempts to pull the vehicle over led to near wrecks as the car and the deputies got up to speeds “In excess of 140 mph,” before the car finally got off at the Highway 17 exit.
There, deputies blocked in the Ford Focus and got it to a stop. The driver, a 19-year Texan, said he didn’t know why he decided to try to escape but thought he would lose the deputies at the exit.
The passenger, a 20-year-old from Indiana, said he told the offender to stop. He was let go, but the driver was taken to jail.