Russell Ingram

Name of Accused:
Ingram, Russell

Date of Arrest:
07/10/2024

Charges For Arrest:
HIT AND RUN
FAILURE TO REPORT ACCIDENT
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
On 07/10/2024 at approximately 0951 hours, Woodstock Police Department (WPD) officers were dispatched to 900 Towne Lake Parkway Woodstock, Cherokee County, Georgia in reference to a single vehicle motor vehicle collision. A white-colored Hyundai Elantra bearing Georgia tag [REDACTED BY AGENCY] was described by a witness, later identified as [WITNESS #1] (DOB: [REDACTED BY AGENCY]/1958), as crashing into a concrete pole twice before trying to drive away from the scene. [WITNESS #1] described the male as possible being “under the influence.” Additionally, the vehicle almost struck a pedestrian while backing up. Because I was relatively close by and I was the on-duty traffic unit officer, I responded to assist.
Upon my arrival at approximately 1000 hours, I drove through the parking lot and multi-level parking deck until I located the white-colored Hyundai Elantra bearing Georgia tag [REDACTED BY AGENCY] near the Northern (rear) entrance to the building. This area is approximately between the medical offices building and a multi-level parking deck located on the northern side of the property. The vehicle was parked in an area that appeared to be for patient and disabled person drop-offs due to the presence of a sign which indicated that along with indicating that parking was not permitted. The vehicle had crash damage to the driver’s side front tire which consisted of a “flat” or deflated tire which did not appear safe to drive on as a result.
The driver’s side, front wheel’s plastic fender liner was sticking out from the fender. The driver’s side of the front bumper was noticeably and heavily dented and had light tan-colored paint transfer on it. Additionally, the driver’s side front fog light lens was damaged and partially missing. I would later observe the keys to the vehicle to be sitting in the middle of the dashboard while the driver’s door window was open. I observed (2) bollards nearby which matched the tan-colored paint transfer from the front of the vehicle. The bollards were between (2) large brick columns on a sidewalk-type path which went between the parking deck and the medical building.
The bollards, along with a nearby trash can, appeared to restrict the path to pedestrians, bicycle, wheelchair, or similar traffic. It was immediately apparent to me that the path was not intended for motor vehicle traffic due to the spacing between the bollards and the large columns along with benches being present which blocked approximately half of the width of the path. It appeared to me that a golf cart would only narrowly fit through the area, if it could even fit at all. Between the vehicle and the bollards, I observed a curved groove which appeared to begin approximately near the base of one of the bollards and continued across the concrete sidewalk and into the bituminous pavement (“Asphalt”) of the street.
Based on my observations thus far, I suspected that this mark was caused by the driver’s side front rim bead once the tire was deflated. I also observed a debris field near the bollards. In the debris field was a clear plastic piece which was curved and appeared to be from a headlight or fog light. In the debris field, I observed white-colored paint chips on the ground which appeared to match the white-colored paint of the vehicle. On one of the bollards, I observed black-colored scuff marks while a metal-collar of one of them had been ripped off and was resting near the trash can. The totality of the damage that I observed appeared to be more than $500.00. I observed no surveillance cameras in the surrounding area which would have documented the incident.
I spoke with a security employee who told me that she spoke with the driver of the vehicle following the collision at approximately 0934 hours. The employee stated that the male identified himself as “Russell Ingram” and provided his phone number of [REDACTED BY AGENCY] The security employee offered to call fire/EMS personnel for the driver who declined it and instead went upstairs because he needs to go to his doctor’s appointment after calling his wife about the vehicle. The employee described the driver as a skinny white male with black hair. The employee was unable to provide a good clothing description. The employee described the driver as being “upset” and not appearing to be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The employee also did not believe the driver was having a medical emergency to include a diabetic emergency.
Ofc. Stone arrived on scene and called the phone number provided while on speakerphone near me. A male, who identified himself as Russell Ingram, answered the phone and told us that he was at his doctor’s appointment in Suite #320 of the building. Russell told officers over the phone that he had already called a tow truck for the vehicle.
Ofc. Stone and I went to the Northside Orthopedic Institute-Sports Medicine office located at suite #320 and located Russell Ingram (DOB: [REDACTED BY AGENCY]/1978). I observed Russell to be wearing a white-colored knee brace on his left (my right) knee. Russell followed us outside the office to speak. Russell appeared to walk with only a slight limp at this time and did not appear to be in serious pain. Russell was not walking with a supportive device such as a cane or walker. Russell would later tell me that his walker was in the back of his car. Russell first accused me of preventing him from seeking medical treatment so I asked him what his medical issues were so I could assist him as best as I could to include requesting an ambulance. Russell declined the ambulance as well as stated “It doesn’t matter. According to the law, it doesn’t matter” regarding what was specifically wrong with his knee.
Russell then told me that he was not having a medical emergency that was going to cause him to pass out nor did he have diabetes. I asked Russell why he did not remain at the scene to report the collision to law enforcement and he told me it was because it took the security employee 1.5 hours to report it to law enforcement. Russell further elaborated that he believed it was the security employee’s responsibility and not his. Russell would later utter that he placed his trust in the wrong person. Russell confirmed the collision occurred between approximately 1.5 hours prior which would’ve been at approximately 0845 hours before he told me that it occurred between approximately 0900-0915 hours. Russell stated the collision he occurred because he thought you could drive down the path because people have always been able to.
During my time employed with WPD which has been over 4 years at the time of this incident, I don’t ever recall that path being a road for motor vehicles. Russell was unsure exactly how much the damage to his vehicle cost; however, he believed it would be “a lot.” Russell denied consuming alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription medications, pain medications, or over-the-counter medications prior to the collision.
Russell later spontaneously uttered that he was waiting in the parking lot for approximately 1 hour after the collision occurred. Following this utterance, it seemed even more reasonable for Russell to have reported the accident to us. I even told Russell that I was nearby and could have responded and quickly completed the accident report and got him on his way to his doctor’s appointment.
Based on the totality of the facts and circumstances I observed during my investigation, Russell had not notified the WPD of the accident and I believed his intention was not to do so at any point in the future due to him calling a tow truck to remove the vehicle. Additionally, Russell had left the damaged vehicle unattended at the scene and did not immediately return to report the accident. Russell did not appear to be attempting to contact the property owner to provide the information required by law to them. The security employee appeared to me to be responsible for the entire property as opposed to each office contained within and was someone, I believed that a reasonable person would believe is the representative of the owner.
Finally, Russell’s did not appear to be having a medical emergency so severe that it required him to neglect his duties in remaining at the scene and reporting the accident to WPD. As a result of my observations thus far, I placed Russell under arrest. I placed Russell in properly fit and double-locked handcuffs behind his back and searched him incident to arrest. This search found no weapons or contraband. I placed Russell in the back seat of my patrol vehicle, which was searched prior, and secured him with a seat belt.
While I remained on scene to complete paperwork, a witness, later identified as [WITNESS #2] (DOB: [REDACTED BY AGENCY] 1975) was located. [WITNESS #2], [WITNESS #1], and another co-worker, [WITNESS #3], work in the Northside Heart office located in Suite #400 when they observed the incident after hearing the initial collision occur. Russell was described as hitting the bollards, reversing, hitting them for a second time, reversing, and almost hitting a male and a female pedestrian. The female pedestrian ran to get out of the way and not get hit by Russell’s vehicle.
[WITNESS #2]’s description of the incident left me with the impression that Russell was trying to force his way between the bollards with his vehicle because he was described as ramming them. [WITNESS #2] showed me photographs and a video recording of the incident which were taken from their 4th floor office at approximately 0932 hours. In the photographs, I observed a male matching Russell’s appearance to include his clothing, the white-colored knee brace on the left knee, and his hat. [WITNESS #2] saw Russell’s tire deflate causing him to no longer be able to drive. These observations did not allow me to dispel Russell’s involvement in this incident.
I transported Russell to Cherokee County Adult Detention Center and transferred him and his personal property to the custody of jail staff without incident. While at the jail, Russell told medical staff that he was insistent that he wanted medical treatment for his knee as soon as possible despite having the injury for approximately 8 months prior. When medical staff asked Russell questions about his knee, he told them while he doesn’t want to use it, he could use his knee and even run with it if he had to. After transport, I searched the backseat of my patrol vehicle and did not find any contraband or property belonging to Russell.
Pursuant to OCGA 40-6-206 and WPD Policy 2.40, the vehicle was towed from the scene by Mauldin Towing and taken to their impound lot. A Woodstock Police Department vehicle inventory form was completed and submitted to the records department.
Russell was charged with the following via citations:
Hit and Run in violation of OCGA 40-6-270 (Citation #147A00407)
Failure to report accident in violation of OCGA 40-6-273 (Citation #147A00408)
At approximately 1120 hours, I received multiple emails from [WITNESS #3] which contained (3) photographs, (1) video recordings, and a statement regarding Russell and his vehicle during the incident.
At approximately 1225 hours, I received an email from [WITNESS #2] which contained (7) photographs of Russell and his vehicle during this incident. The photographs showed Russell and his vehicle in the area that I observed on scene and showed him sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle as well as standing near it and appearing to be talking on a cell phone. In summary, these photographs corroborated what I observed and was told by witnesses on scene. I saved the emails, photographs, and video recording into a folder which I uploaded into evidence using Pro Suite’s digital upload function.
[End of Narrative]