James Taylor

Name of Accused:
Taylor, James Ray

Date of Arrest:
10/04/2024


Charges For Arrest:
FLEEING OR ATTEMPTING TO ELUDE A POLICE OFFICER
OBSTRUCTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS – MISDEMEANOR
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AGAINST A PEACE OFFICER
OBSTRUCTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS- FELONY
INTERFERENCE WITH GOVERNMENT PROPERTY – MISDEMEANOR
FAILURE TO REPORT ACCIDENT WITH INJURY/DEATH/DAMAGE
SPEEDING IN EXCESS OF MAXIMUM LIMITS
HANDS FREE DEVICE REQUIRED – 1ST OFFENSE
IMPROPER STOPPING ON ROADWAY
DUI – LESS SAFE- ALCOHOL
FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE
PASSING IN A NO PASSING ZONE
SEATBELT- ADULT
HIT AND RUN; DUTY OF DRIVER TO STOP AT OR RETURN TO SCENE OF ACCIDENT
RECKLESS DRIVING
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 Friday, 10/04/2024
at approximately 2234 hours, I was dispatched to the area of 9001 North Main Street, Helen, GA 30545 or the Hofbrauhaus Restaurant in reference to a Hit and Run. The report came in that a large black Chevy 2500 truck struck a building and left the scene. I was responding to this call from South Main Street, heading North on North Main Street. In the distance, I saw a vehicle with its hazard lights on in the area of Hamby Street, traveling North, but could not make out a description of the vehicle.
When I arrived on scene, I parked my patrol vehicle in the Hofbrauhaus Parking Lot and began walking towards a crowd of people in the parking lot across the street. The crowd of people began shouting “that’s the guy!” and pointing at a large black pick-up truck with its hazard lights and headlights activated. The truck was traveling down North Main Street heading South in the South Bound Lane and was listening to very loud music. At this point, I pulled out my flashlight and began signaling for the driver to pull his truck over. The driver abruptly stopped his vehicle in the middle of the roadway and began pulling over into the North Bound Lane.
With my flashlight activated and using arm signals, I was directing the driver to pull over in the parking lot closest to him. Instead of the driver pulling over into the parking lot, he maintained his direction of travel and almost hit me with his vehicle. The vehicle was so close to me that I was able to strike the front hood with my flashlight and again behind the rear passenger side door. After striking the truck with my flashlight, the vehicle maneuvered back into the South Bound Lane where it came to a controlled stop. Before the vehicle stopped, I was yelling “Police! Stop!” and waving my flashlight in his direction.
Once the vehicle was stopped, I approached the driver side where a white male stuck his head out of the window. I ordered the driver to park his vehicle several times. The driver’s eyes were wide open, bloodshot, and appeared glassy. There was also a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the vehicle. The driver then said that I hit his truck, I told him I hit his truck because he almost ran me over. The driver then stated that he almost hit me because I was in the road, this is when I told him that I had my flashlight activated, signaling him to pull over. The driver was slurring his speech and had trouble pronouncing words. I then stated again to pull his truck into the parking lot but instead he accelerated off the scene at a high rate of speed, heading South towards the Village Shops.
I then advised to Sgt Barrett that he was running from me and that the driver was heading in Sgt Barrett’s direction. I advised that he almost ran me over and that he was Driving Under the Influence. Over the radio, I heard Sgt Barrett say that the driver tried hitting him too. Sgt Barrett then said that the driver was heading towards the “putt putt place on the hill” or Bavarian Mountain Miniature Golf (8065 South Main Street, Helen, GA 30545). I also heard Sgt Rutledge over the radio attempting to locate Sgt Barrett. When I arrived on scene, there were three patrol cars in the middle of the roadway with a black truck at the front. I parked my patrol vehicle and exited it, heading towards the stopped truck. When I got to the truck Sgt Barrett, Sgt Rutledge and Officer R. Wood had the driver on the ground.
The Officers had the driver’s left arm behind his back and handcuffed but could not get the right arm of the driver due to him resisting. Sgt Rutledge then picked up the driver by the shirt which then gave me the opportunity to secure his right arm out from under him and behind his back. The driver was still resisting while trying to handcuff him. Once the driver was handcuffed, Sgt Rutledge called for EMS to come on scene. My hands, arms, and clothes were covered in blood. I instructed the driver to stay lying down until EMS arrived due to the amount of blood present, but all the driver wanted was for us to call his wife. Once EMS was on scene, they began evaluating the driver. EMS asked the driver if he had any alcohol, the driver stated that he had 4 beers.
I then left the driver with Sgt Barrett while I went to clean the blood off my hands and arms. When I went back to where the driver was, he was stood up and being escorted to my patrol vehicle, I received a wallet with the drivers information inside of it. I placed the wallet in the passenger seat of my patrol vehicle. After he was placed in my patrol vehicle, I informed White County Communications to EMS to meet me at the White County Detention Center in reference to a blood draw. Sgt Barrett informed me that a Trooper from Georgia State Patrol would be on scene soon as well. I then transported the driver to the White County Detention Center where I was let into the Sally Port by Jail Staff.
After the Sally Port door shut, I informed Jail Staff that I would need a chair for the driver to sit in for a blood draw. After a chair was retrieved, Jail Staff got the driver out of my patrol car and placed him in the chair. Jail Staff also removed the hand cuffs from his wrists. I then told the driver that I had to read him Implied Consent and that it required a yes or no at the end of it. After Implied Consent was read, the driver refused to give a blood sample. At that time, Jail Staff required the driver to be transported to the hospital due to the injuries he received. I then placed the driver back in handcuffs, double locked and checked for fit, and placed him back in my patrol car. I then got the driver’s wallet and identified the driver as James Ray Taylor. I had to fill out a form at the Jail stating that they refused James due to his injures. We then left the White County Detention Center and headed to Habersham Medical Center.
Once I arrived at the Habersham Medical Center, I escorted James inside to talk to Nursing Staff. After talking to the nurses, they escorted us to the back in Room where doctors began to interview James. Later, Trooper Jackson 31 from the Georgia State Patrol came into the room to interview James. Trooper Jackson read James his Miranda Rights; James did not wish to speak with Trooper Jackson. Trooper Jackson then read Implied Consent to James, James refused to provide blood samples and breath samples. Trooper Jackson informed me that he would be doing all traffic related charges and the crash report. James was later cleared from the hospital; I gave James’s wallet and Driver’s License to Trooper Jackson. Trooper Jackson Transported James back to the White County Detention Center where he is currently held.
I applied for and received warrants for Fleeing or Attempting to Elude (F), Obstruction of Law Enforcement (M), Obstruction of Law Enforcement (F), Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer (F), and Interference with Government Property.
[End of Narrative]