A Dowelltown man was arrested  last Wednesday after he stumbled onto a meeting of law enforcement officers while allegedly looking for a place to inject Dilaudid.
Dustin Allen Pedigo, 22, was charged with a second offense of driving under the influence and unlawful possession of a Schedule II drug (Dilaudid) for resale.
He was further cited for possession of drug paraphernalia.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that Pedigo pulled into the driveway of the county fire department's main station on King Ridge Road on Sept, 26.
More than 10 police vehicles were reportedly parked in the lot of the station, and more than 12 law enforcement officers were at the location for an in-service training session.
A few officers who were outside the building when Pedigo drove up allegedly saw him pull up and then back up several times, almost hitting the keypad for the gate at one point.
The sheriff said he believes Pedigo was looking for a place to “shoot up some dope.”
Pedigo got out of the vehicle and the deputies could reportedly see him holding a cut straw and a hypodermic needle.
He submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks, and submitted to a blood alcohol/drug test at the hospital.
Ray said Pedigo admitted to drinking beer.
While at the hospital, Pedigo reportedly went to the restroom and a small clear package fell onto the floor.
Inside the package were four small yellow pills believed to be Dilaudid.
His bond is $6,500 and he will be in court on Oct. 4.
James Paul Wright, 37, and 29-year-old Jessica Louise Verbeke, both of Lebanon, were charged with theft of property over $500 on Sept. 27.
Ray said that Wright and Verbeke allegedly stole a trailer and a weedeater, valued at over $600, from a residence on Dry Creek Road.
Wright and Verbeke have allegedly admitted to taking the items.
Bond for each is $4,500 and they will be in court Oct. 11.
A Sparta woman was charged with aggravated assault after an altercation at Ragland Bottom Motel on Sept. 29.
Ray said that 53-year-old Annette Melvin assaulted a man in her room at the motel.
The victim had been hit in the back of the head with a glass beer bottle, causing a cut.
He also had a cut on his right hand.
Melvin and the man reportedly got into an argument, and when he tried to take the bottle away from her, she hit him with it. DeKalb EMS was called to the scene.
The responding officer determined that Melvin was the primary aggressor.
Her bond is $3,500 and she will be in court Oct. 4.
Mark E. Soales, 61, was charged with driving under the influence on Sept. 27.
He was also cited for violation of the implied consent law, violation of the registration law, violation of the financial responsibility, no drivers license, and for having a headlight out.
Ray said that a deputy warned to be on the lookout for a possible drunk driver on Highway 56 South spotted Soales’ vehicle and followed it a short distance, observing that the driver crossing the center line of the highway several times.
The officer activated his blue lights and signaled for the driver to stop.
Soales reportedly stopped in a lane of travel.
The deputy found that Soales had a very strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person and his speech was slurred.
Soales allegedly admitted to being drunk and told the officer to take him on to jail.
Ray said Soales was very uncooperative with the officer, and refused to submit to any field sobriety tasks or a blood alcohol test.
His bond is $2,000 and he will be in court on Nov. 1.
A 24-year-old Liberty woman was charged with aggravated burglary and theft of property over $500 on Sept. 28.
Lindsey Paulette Davenport is under an $11,000 bond, and she will be in court Oct. 4.
Ray said that on Wednesday, Sept. 12, Davenport broke into a residence on Cecil Hale Road on Sept. 12 by prying open the front door.
She allegedly stole nose trimmers, a Radio Shack Weather Alert Radio, two fishing poles, a wind-up grandfather clock and a red tool box with miscellaneous tools with a total estimated value of $817.
The case was investigated by a criminal investigator of the sheriff's department.
Crispin Gonzalez Perez, 24, was charged with driving under the influence on Sept. 29.
He was also issued a citation for no drivers license, violation of the financial responsibility law (no insurance), violation of the implied consent law, and for driving on the wrong side of the road.
According to the sheriff, a deputy saw a small pickup truck traveling on the wrong side of the road on Lee Braswell Road.
The officer stopped the vehicle and spoke to the driver, Perez, who had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person.
Perez reportedly told the officer that he had consumed six beers.
He submitted to, but performed poorly on, field sobriety tasks, and was allegedly very unsteady on his feet.
Perez refused to submit to a blood alcohol test.
His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court Oct. 4.
Meanwhile, 34-year-old James Frederick Summers of  Dowelltown was cited for simple possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance (Diazepam), simple possession of a Schedule III drug (Hydrocodone), and simple possession of a Schedule VI drug (marijuana).
Ray said a deputy found Summers in possession of these drugs in his vehicle, including four Diazepam pills, two Hydrocodone pills, and some marijuana.
He will be in court Oct. 25.