Employee steals steak from Walmart
On July 1, law enforcement was dispatched to Walmart, at 2592 N. Columbia St., in reference to an employee in custody for stealing. Asset Protection apprehended the employee for a theft that occurred on June 23.
Willie Scott was seen on camera taking a Walmart bag and stealing a steak from the store without paying for it. When taken into custody, Scott admitted to taking the package of steaks. A warrant for theft by taking was taken out against Willie Scott.
Stolen vehicle recovered
On July 2, law enforcement was able to locate a stolen vehicle but is still on the lookout for the offenders. An officer spoke with the owner of the 2016 Ford Explorer who stated that he had left his car unlocked with the key fob in the middle console. Using an apple tag, the vehicle was shown as being parked at 441 E. McIntosh. Lieutenant JD Allen was able to locate the car near this address outside of the Riverbend Apartments. Video footage from the property showed two unidentified males walking across the parking lot. One male entered a Mustang in the parking lot and the other male entered the Explorer and drove off meeting the other male at the roadway. The vehicle was processed for latent prints and the case was turned over to a lieutenant for further investigation.
Man threatens Dollar General staff
On July 4, law enforcement was dispatched to Dollar General, at 2622 Irwinton Rd., in reference to threats.
Durante Smith reportedly threatened and yelled at multiple employees after being informed he could not get a refund without speaking to a manager. The manager would be in the store the next day. When Smith went to leave the store, he stole a bag of ice cream from the cooler located outside and an employee confronted him. The employee informed police that he threatened her, motioned as if he had a gun in his waistband, and told her that he would shoot her. Smith then dropped the bag of ice and walked away. The verbal altercation outside the store was caught on surveillance camera without audio and confirmed the male in the footage was Durante Smith.
During transport to the jail, Smith started kicking the walls and doors of the patrol vehicle. When he arrived at the jail, Smith refused to exit the patrol vehicle and jail staff forced him out.
Smith was charged with disorderly conduct and misdemeanor obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
Intoxicated driver crashes into ditch
On July 7, law enforcement was dispatched to the 2300 block of Irwinton Road in reference to a vehicle accident. A witness called 911 stating a red Jeep was swerving all over the roadway and crashed. The witness believed the person was intoxicated. An officer located a red Jeep Wrangler in the ditch next to 2355 Irwinton Rd. with Harrison Kitchens standing near the vehicle. An odor of alcohol was coming from Kitchens, and so he was briefly detained. Kitchens stated he had been drinking, but his sister, later identified as Meagan Jones, had been driving the vehicle. Jones stated she had been driving and the odor of an alcoholic beverage was also coming from Jones. She stated she last had an alcoholic drink at approximately 5 a.m. and that she was traveling south on Irwinton Road when a vehicle entered her lane. She swerved to avoid it, which resulted in a collision with the mailbox and a ditch. Kitchens stated that he was at home when he was notified that Jones had wrecked his vehicle. Kitchens stated he had not been driving today and was released from custody. Dispatch advised that Jones had a learner's permit out of Florida and was unlicensed in Georgia. A lieutenant conducted a Standardized Field Sobriety Test and advised there was probable cause to believe Jones was impaired. Jones was issued citations for driving under the influence, seat belt violation, duty upon striking fixture, driving on learner's permit without a licensed driver, and failure to drive within a single lane.