Name of Accused:
Cole, Mark
Date of Arrest:
08/24/2024
Charges For Arrest:
TAMPERING WITH EVIDENCE – MISD
OBSTRUCTION OFFICER – MISD
DISORDERLY CONDUCT
POSSESSION AND USE OF DRUG RELATED OBJECT
OPERATING W/SUSPENDED LIC – MISD
DUI – DRUGS
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 08/24/2024 at 1410hrs I was dispatched to [1000 BLOCK] Etowah Ferry Drive Acworth, GA 30102 (Knox Apartments) in reference to a report of a suspicious person. The caller, [VICTIM #1], stated an unknown white male, later identified as Mr. Mark Cole, approached her at a rapid speed in a black Jeep SUV and came to a sudden stop. Mr. Mark Cole then exited the vehicle and began following her through the apartment complex. She was able to take shelter in a neighbors apartment and requested law enforcement for assistance. I responded without delay and arrived in the area without incident.
Upon arrival I met with Mark Cole who was detained by another Deputy at the intersection of Buice Lake Parkway and the entrance of The Quincy Apartments, [900 BLOCK] Buice Lake Pkwy, Acworth, GA 30102. As I approached Mr. Mark Cole I observed him having pinpoint pupils, rapid speech, erratic and jerky movements, restlessness, and appeared to be unable to stand still. His speech was rapid and I also noticed Mark Cole had goosebumps, despite it being approximately 86 degrees and standing in the sun.
Due to the physical manifestations of probable drug use and Mark Cole’s confusing/incoherent statements, I believed Mark Cole was capable of erratic and irrational behavior and decided to detain him with handcuffs. I asked him if he had anything that would poke me, stick me or otherwise hurt me and asked him to face away from me. Upon hearing this, Mr. Mark Cole reached for his right front pants pocket and stated he had already been searched. I asked him if he had any weapons on him or and needles and he noticeable tensed.
I was standing behind Mr. Mark Cole and I attempted to pull his hands behind his back when he began to resist me by becoming tense, refusing to comply, and attempting to pull away from me. When his hands were pulled from his pockets and to his back, he stated he had a “crack pipe” several times, and a straight glass pipe consistent with smoking illegal drugs was in his hand. Mr. Mark Cole attempted to break away from me and run but he was unable to, and was brought to the handcuffing position, with his hands behind his back, and was then handcuffed. I assisted Mr. Mark Cole down to his knees and kept him from standing back up by pushing on the back of his shoulders and head while he was being secured in handcuffs. While cuffing, Mr. Mark Cole dropped the pipe and stomped on it, destroying the device.
Mark Cole was taken in custody without further incident. He was handcuffed to the rear, each cuff was checked for fit and double locked. He was searched incident to arrest for weapons, contraband, and a means of escape with nothing found. He was placed in the rear of my patrol vehicle #1018.
[WITNESS #1] arrived while Mark Cole was being placed into handcuffs, and after he was taken into custody, stayed to give her statement. She stated she lives in the apartment complex and was taking the trash out when she observed Mark Cole acting erratically and following [VICTIM #1]. She stated she was concerned and watched as another neighbor directed [VICTIM #1] to take shelter in an apartment. This neighbor then asked her to call 911 and wait for law enforcement, which she did. [WITNESS #1] described Mark Cole’s behavior as “frantic” and believed he was on “drugs”.
I then drove Mark Cole to the intersection of Owl Creek Parkway and Etowah Ferry Drive where a 2021 black Jeep Grand Cherokee bearing GA tag#[REDACTED], was found parked in the intersection. The vehicle was blocking several lanes and the registered owner, [REDACTED], was called to the scene. When [REDACTED] arrived, she stated she was the finance to Mark Cole. She told me Mark Cole took her vehicle despite him knowingly having a suspended license.
During the investigation Deputies spoke to the caller who stated she witnessed Mark Cole drive the vehicle to the intersection at a rapid pace. Mark Cole was seen stopping abruptly and exiting the vehicle where he began to follow the caller, and act erratically. See supplemental.
I believed Mark Cole was under the influence of drugs when he was operating the vehicle and searched the Jeep Grand Cherokee incident to arrest for fruits of the crime with nothing found. I then returned to Mark Cole, who was still seated in the rear passenger seat in my patrol vehicle, and read to him the Implied Consent Notice for Suspects Age 21 or Over from the green card. Mark Cole refused the blood test by shaking his head and verbally saying no.
I transported Mark Cole to Cherokee County Sheriffs Office Adult Detention Center where he and his property was released to jail deputies. I then requested, received, and served a search warrant for Mark Cole’s blood, Docket #E012522. A blood sample was successfully obtained by a trained phlebotomist, Cpl. Vasquez, and the sample was placed into evidence locker #2 at the Oak Grove precinct. I searched the rear of my patrol vehicle before and after the transport for weapons, contraband, and means of escape with nothing found.
On 08/25/2024 I obtained warrant #CE0138867 against Mark Cole for: DUI-Drugs, Disorderly Conduct, Willful Obstruction, Tampering with Evidence, Possession and Use of Drug Related Objects, Driving while License was Suspended.
[End of Narrative]