TPD makes several arrests during one day period
The Toccoa Police Department recently made several arrests during separate incidents.
According to Toccoa Police Chief Jimmy Mize, on January 20, at 3:23 a.m. officers conducted a traffic stop on Big A Road for driving without headlights.
Mize says the driver, identified as Odrionna Mercado, 24, of Toccoa had slurred speech and droopy eyes among other cues of DUI.
Mercado failed the field sobriety test and a quantity of Hydrocodone was located in a jacket pocket, in the vehicle.
Mercado refused a blood test and was subsequently arrested for DUI and possession of a controlled substance.
The next incident occurred on the same day at 10:24 p.m. when Officers were dispatched to 776 Collins Road in reference to a dispute with a gun involved.
Mize says officers met with Rashad Thomas in the Save-A-Lot parking lot.
He told officers that he and his brother Jaquan Thomas had been arguing and he wanted him to leave his house.
The officers then went to the house to speak with Jaquan. Nicholas Brownell and Haley Clark were found in one of the bedrooms at the residence.
Upon entering the bedroom, Mize says Brownell dropped a blue pill that was identified as a Schedule IV drug. This prompted the officers to search his person, where they found a magazine filled with bullets in his pocket.
A backpack with Clark’s name on it was searched and a Glock 19 was located.
Brownell said it belonged to Caresha Croft.
Officers contacted Croft and found that the gun was not to be touched and they were not to be in her bedroom. Croft told the officers that she had allowed Brownell and Clark to stay for a while because they were homeless.
Nicholas Brownell, 21, of Eastanollee was arrested and charged with possession of a Schedule I Controlled Substance, possession of a firearm or knife during he commission of a crime, and theft by receiving stolen property.
The final incident occurred at 8:00 p.m. on January 20, when officers were dispatched to Bojangles in reference to counterfeit money.
Mize says the cashier had asked the man to pull up and wait on his order.
The officers went to the vehicle, a black Volkswagen, and spoke with Malik Roberts.
Roberts told officers he was getting the food for a friend and knew nothing about the money being counterfeit.
Mize says, the officer noticed a strong smell of alcohol and asked Roberts to blow into the handheld PBT which he refused along with the field sobriety test and lab work.
Roberts’ girlfriend, Brittany Thornhill, then arrived with his brother and asked officers what Roberts’ charges were.
At this point, Mize says, the officer had to take a call and stepped away for a moment.
During that time, Mize says Roberts told Thornhill to get to his car and remove all the other fake bills that were in there.
Thornhill was seen on the officer’s car camera with Roberts telling her to go get the money.
Brittany Thornhill, 27, of Eastanollee was arrested for conspiracy to commit a felony.
Malik Roberts, 23, of Eastanollee was arrested and charged with forgery 1st degree and forgery 2nd degree.