InTucker Magazine

On the Beat with Lt. Smith

With school getting ready to start back, I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone about stopping for school buses. Not only is it a safety concern for children, but not stopping for school buses is also against the law.

A citation for passing a stopped school bus can cost you up to a $1,000 fine and six points on your license. The only time you do not have to stop is if there is a physical median between you and the bus. Please keep this in mind so that our children can safely get on and off of school buses.

In case there’s any confusion, here’s how the law sees it:

O.C.G.A. 40-6-163 (2010)
40-6-163. Duty of driver of vehicle meeting or overtaking school bus; reporting of violations 

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, the driver of a vehicle meeting or overtaking from either direction any school bus stopped on the highway shall stop before reaching such school bus when there are in operation on the school bus the visual signals as specified in Code Sections 40-8-111 and 40-8-115, and such driver shall not proceed until the school bus resumes motion or the visual signals are no longer actuated.

(b) The driver of a vehicle upon a highway with separate roadways need not stop upon meeting or passing a school bus which is on a different roadway, or upon a controlled-access highway when the school bus is stopped in a loading zone which is a part of or adjacent to such highway and where pedestrians are not permitted to cross the roadway.

It seems like we’re always in a hurry, but no hurry is worth the possibility of endangering a young life.

Police Blotter

Do You Need A Ride? – On June 24, officers responded to a person stabbed call that occurred at Mountain Industrial Boulevard and Hirsch Drive. Once they arrived, the victim stated that he had stopped at the bus stop and offered a female a ride. She said “yes” and they stopped at a gas station so he could purchase some condoms.At this time, the female produced a knife and demanded money from him. When he said he didn’t have any, she stabbed him in the chest and then fled the location on foot.The victim went to a friend’s house and called for an ambulance and the police. He was transported to Grady Hospital for treatment and the female suspect has yet to be apprehended.

Gotta Be Quicker Than That – On June 21, officers responded to the TitleMax on Lawrenceville Highway in reference to an armed robbery that had just occurred. Officers arrived on the scene quickly and were able to immediately broadcast a “look-out” over the radio of the suspect. Several officers were circulating in the area when one observed the suspect exit a nearby business on foot. The officer attempted to stop him and the suspect took off running. Additional officers responded to the area and were able to surround and then apprehend him without incident.As they were taking him into custody, they located the firearm and cash on him from the robbery. They then conducted a show-up line-up where the victim positively identified him as the suspect. At that point, the suspect again attempted to flee on foot. He was once again apprehended and arrested for the armed robbery.

Indecent Proposal – On July 12, detectives with our vice/narcotics unit conducted an undercover operation at the Hot Stone Massage Parlor with the assistance of Tucker Precinct officers. They had received complaints that employees of the business were illegally soliciting customers for extra services during their massage. During the operation, detectives witnessed this occur and uniformed officers moved in to make the arrest. A search warrant was later executed at the location, where records and money were seized as part of the investigation. Two females were subsequently arrested and transported to the DeKalb County Jail where they were lodged.