The Georgia State Patrol conducted two nights of road checks in Grady County and neighboring counties over Easter weekend, and made multiple arrests. Troopers from all over Southwest Georgia converged on Grady, Thomas and Decatur counties to hold the traffic stops.
“We’ve seen an uptick in fatalities in the Thomas and Grady county areas,” said SFC John VanLandingham, post commander of the GSP office in Thomasville. “We needed to get together and get out there and make contact with people driving under the influence.”
VanLandingham says the troopers conducted a total of 10 road checks in the three counties Friday and Saturday and made 42 arrests on driving under the influence, 10 arrests on misdemeanor drug charges, one on a felony drug charge, and two arrests of wanted suspects. They had to pursue two vehicles that tried to flee the scene, and had to use a taser to bring one suspect into custody, the post commander says.
The road checks in Grady County took place Friday and Saturday on Hwy. 319, one mile north of the Georgia/Florida state line, and on Old Thomasville Road at Bold Springs Road. VanLandingham says the troopers worked in groups and carried out the “concentrated patrols” from about 8 p.m. until 4 a.m.
In addition to drivers operating vehicles while under the influence, VanLandingham says troopers are also looking for people wanted by law enforcement, unsafe vehicles on the road, people driving with invalid licenses, or drowsy drivers.
Troopers with the Georgia State Patrol are expected to conduct similar checks here on a more regular basis in the coming months. VanLandingham said GSP Posts in Albany, Americus, Colquitt and Cuthbert sent about three troopers each to assist the Thomasville Post with the road checks.
