Three Arrested in Separate Traffic Stops

Traffic stops last month lead to drug charges against three people in the city of Toccoa.

According to Toccoa Police Chief Tim Jarrell, the stops occurred between November 21 and November 23.

The first stop occurred around 11:30 p.m. on November 21.

Jarrell said an officer conducted a traffic stop at the corner of Franklin and Arleen Streets because of a vehicle having defective equipment, but also because the vehicle was acting suspiciously.

“The officer had contact with the vehicle and noticed it had loud exhaust, but what really rose the level of suspicion on the officer’s part was when he came back around the block, the vehicle was in the church parking lot,” said Jarrell.

Jarrell said that drew the officer’s attention because of a string of church burglaries earlier this year.

As a result of the traffic stop, police arrested 41-year-old Robert Jeffrey Segars of Toccoa and charged him with Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Methamphetamine, and Possession of Drug Related Objects.

The second traffic stop occurred just a few hours later, during the early morning hours of November 22.

Jarrell said that just before 1:45 a.m., officers stopped a vehicle on U.S. Highway 123 near the Hart EMC office for failing to maintain its lane of travel.

The chief said that a search of the vehicle turned up suspected drugs on one of the passengers inside.

“The investigation led officers to obtain a plastic baggy with white crystal-like rocks that field tested positive for methamphetamine,” said Jarrell.

Police arrested 28-year-old Fredrico Duanne Purnell of Athens for Possession of Methamphetamine.

The third traffic stop took place on November 23 at about 9:30 p.m. at the corner of Big A Road and Memorial Drive.

Jarrell said officers stopped a vehicle because the vehicle was not maintaining its lane of travel and when officers talked to the driver, they noticed he had slurred speech and also had trouble comprehending what officers were asking him.

The chief said that the stop resulted in the arrest of 44-year-old Jason Paul Williams of Eastanollee on a charge of DUI-Drugs, as well as Possession of Methamphetamine.

“In Williams’ coat pocket, officers discovered a white plastic baggy with a white substance inside with crystal-like rocks suspected to be methamphetamine,” said Jarrell.

Jarrell said Williams faces other charges as a result of the traffic stop as well.