DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE
On Aug. 4, an officer with the Manning Police Department was dispatched to a residence in Manning where the caller reported that a subject left her residence in a white Jeep Wrangler. The caller mentioned that the subject was driving recklessly and was drinking. Later, the caller called back to report that the subject was driving back to her residence. The officer decided to wait for the subject at Manning Restaurant on Sumter Highway, within the city limits. Officers spotted a white Jeep Wrangler with a male driver entering the city limits, which fit the description given by the caller. The officer observed the driver holding a silver object, which appeared to be a drink can, to his face. The officer initiated a traffic stop. The driver, identified as John Robert Cole, was asked to exit the vehicle. The officer noted Cole had slurred speech and an odor consistent of alcoholic beverages emanating from his person. The officer asked Cole if he had been drinking, and Cole admitted to having two 12-ounce berrs at 11:30 a.m. The officer asked Cole to perform a field sobriety test to which Cole agreed but mentioned that he had limitations due to a recent vehicle accident where he suffered a head injury. During the test, the officer advised Cole that he would be doing the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test, and he would need to have his hands by his sides and his feet together. The officer asked Cole to touch the tip of his finger to ensure Cole could see the officer’s finger, which Cole was able to do. The officer then instructed Cole to follow his finger with his eyes only. Cole was unable to smoothly follow the officer’s fingers with his eyes, indicating impairment. Following this, the officer requested Cole’s consent to search the vehicle, which he granted. The officer found two open cans of Natural Light beer in the vehicle’s center console wich were still cold to the touch and had condensation on them. As a result, the officer placed Cole under arrest for an open container violation and transported him to the Clarendon County Detention Center. At the detention center, the officer informed Cole that he stated the wrong charge and that Cole was not being charged with open container and that he was being charged with DUI. A breath sample was requested but Cole declined. The officer informed Evans that his license would be suspended for six months due to his refusal to give a breath sample.
MISUSE OF 911
On Aug. 8, officers with the Manning Police Department and multiple deputies from the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about a woman being shot at a residence. A male caller contacted dispatch and advised the dispatcher he had shot his mother in the stomach, adding in that he couldn’t take her abuse anymore. An officer advised the dispatcher to ask the caller to step outside so EMS could locate the victim. An officer arrived on scene in just over a minute. Dispatch then advised that the caller hung up the phone. Officers surrounded the residence and additional Manning command units arrived on scene including the Sheriff’s Office tactical team. Some time later the homeowner opened the front door on the phone and the officers waved her outside. The homeowner was scared as she came outside but she said she was fine. Somebody had called her telling her the officers were outside her home. The homeowner said no male lived in the residence, just herself and her sister who was not home at the time. Officers cleared the home as a precaution and left without incident. Officers checked all the surrounding homes and found everything to be okay. Officers went to dispatch for further information and continued to check homes with similar addresses without further incident.
