Leonard Kitten

Leonard Kitten, a resident listed in public arrest records, was taken into custody on April 3, 2025, in Effingham County, Georgia. According to the official booking report, the arrest was made by local authorities and the subject was charged with the following offense(s): HIT AND RUN; DUTY OF DRIVER TO STOP AT OR RETURN TO SCENE OF ACCIDENTOfficer’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 April 3, 2025, I was dispatched to a hit-and-run at the Love’s Truck Stop on Highway 21. Upon arrival, I made with [VICTIM #1], who stated that his pickup truck had been struck and dragged off the roadway by an oversized load. He reported that the oversized 26-wheeler and its blue follow truck continued traveling after colliding with his vehicle.[WITNESS #1], a witness in a nearby vehicle, observed the collision. She stated to other officers that she followed the involved vehicles as they stopped on the side of Highway 21 in front of the Savannah Tech Campus. She observed the drivers inspecting their vehicles before getting back inside and continuing southbound. [WITNESS #1] maintained visual with the vehicles until officers from the Rincon Police Department (RPD) stopped them.[VICTIM #1] complained of back pain. EMS evaluated him on scene, but he refused transport to Effingham Hospital and signed a medical refusal form before leaving. I checked with Love’s Truck Stop, who advised that they did not have any video footage facing the intersection.I then made with [WITNESS #2], the driver of the follow truck, who claimed he had returned to the scene to take pictures for insurance purposes. [WITNESS #2] stated he was unaware of the collision and had been focused on looking to the right—away from the intersection—when the incident occurred. When asked if they had stopped at any point prior to being pulled over by RPD, [WITNESS #2] denied stopping. I spoke with [WITNESS #2] about arranging a qualified driver for the oversized load, and he clarified that he was only responsible for the flagger truck and not the movement of the load itself.I then proceeded to RPD’s traffic stop and spoke with Leonard Kitten, the driver of the oversized load. He also claimed he was unaware of the incident. Upon inspecting the trailer, I observed damage to the metal frame, wiring, and reflectors on the back left corner. The damage was consistent with red plastic light residue found at the scene and inconsistent with the otherwise mostly undamaged condition of the commercial trailer.As a result of my findings, I placed Leonard Kitten under arrest for leaving the scene of an accident. I worked with Leonard to his family for bond proceedings and allowed him to his employer in an attempt to arrange for a qualified driver and move the vehicle from Highway 21. I also worked with Leonard and [WITNESS #2] to gather his personal belongings.After an extended period without any word or resolution regarding moving the truck in a timely manner, I requested Rahn’s to tow the oversized load due to its excessive weight, which was estimated at approximately 225,000 pounds.Later, [WITNESS #2] approached me after speaking with Leonard and asked to move the truck himself. I requested to see his CDL. [WITNESS #2] handed me a Class C license out of Texas and stated that it was his CDL. I informed him that it was not a commercial driver’s license. He continued to insist that it was, until I told him to stop lying and clarified that I knew it was not a valid CDL.I transported Leonard to the Effingham County Jail, where he was issued his property, a tow slip for the vehicle, and a citation for the moving violation. When I explained the process for paying online or reporting in person to contest the citation, Leonard confirmed that he intended to fight both the citation and the arrest. The vehicle was towed by Rahn’s, and all relevant paperwork was submitted to the proper office bins.[End of Narrative]. This incident was officially recorded and made publicly available by law enforcement agencies in the state of Georgia. The details provided reflect the arrest information at the time of booking and do not indicate guilt or conviction. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Name of Accused:
Kitten, Leonard Lee

Date of Arrest:
04/03/2025

Charges For Arrest:
HIT AND RUN; DUTY OF DRIVER TO STOP AT OR RETURN TO SCENE OF 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 April 3, 2025, I was dispatched to a hit-and-run at the Love’s Truck Stop on Highway 21. Upon arrival, I made with [VICTIM #1], who stated that his pickup truck had been struck and dragged off the roadway by an oversized load. He reported that the oversized 26-wheeler and its blue follow truck continued traveling after colliding with his vehicle.
[WITNESS #1], a witness in a nearby vehicle, observed the collision. She stated to other officers that she followed the involved vehicles as they stopped on the side of Highway 21 in front of the Savannah Tech Campus. She observed the drivers inspecting their vehicles before getting back inside and continuing southbound. [WITNESS #1] maintained visual with the vehicles until officers from the Rincon Police Department (RPD) stopped them.
[VICTIM #1] complained of back pain. EMS evaluated him on scene, but he refused transport to Effingham Hospital and signed a medical refusal form before leaving. I checked with Love’s Truck Stop, who advised that they did not have any video footage facing the intersection.
I then made with [WITNESS #2], the driver of the follow truck, who claimed he had returned to the scene to take pictures for insurance purposes. [WITNESS #2] stated he was unaware of the collision and had been focused on looking to the right—away from the intersection—when the incident occurred. When asked if they had stopped at any point prior to being pulled over by RPD, [WITNESS #2] denied stopping. I spoke with [WITNESS #2] about arranging a qualified driver for the oversized load, and he clarified that he was only responsible for the flagger truck and not the movement of the load itself.
I then proceeded to RPD’s traffic stop and spoke with Leonard Kitten, the driver of the oversized load. He also claimed he was unaware of the incident. Upon inspecting the trailer, I observed damage to the metal frame, wiring, and reflectors on the back left corner. The damage was consistent with red plastic light residue found at the scene and inconsistent with the otherwise mostly undamaged condition of the commercial trailer.
As a result of my findings, I placed Leonard Kitten under arrest for leaving the scene of an accident. I worked with Leonard to his family for bond proceedings and allowed him to his employer in an attempt to arrange for a qualified driver and move the vehicle from Highway 21. I also worked with Leonard and [WITNESS #2] to gather his personal belongings.
After an extended period without any word or resolution regarding moving the truck in a timely manner, I requested Rahn’s to tow the oversized load due to its excessive weight, which was estimated at approximately 225,000 pounds.
Later, [WITNESS #2] approached me after speaking with Leonard and asked to move the truck himself. I requested to see his CDL. [WITNESS #2] handed me a Class C license out of Texas and stated that it was his CDL. I informed him that it was not a commercial driver’s license. He continued to insist that it was, until I told him to stop lying and clarified that I knew it was not a valid CDL.
I transported Leonard to the Effingham County Jail, where he was issued his property, a tow slip for the vehicle, and a citation for the moving violation. When I explained the process for paying online or reporting in person to contest the citation, Leonard confirmed that he intended to fight both the citation and the arrest. The vehicle was towed by Rahn’s, and all relevant paperwork was submitted to the proper office bins.
[End of Narrative]