University student arrested on DUI charges while looking for friend’s phone

University student Chan Westin Cash, 21, was arrested Sunday morning on charges of DUI and failure to maintain lane, according to an Athens-Clarke County police report.

An officer patrolling on Barnett Shoals Road saw Cash’s car on the side of the road and slowed to see if there had been an accident or if the driver needed help. As the officer approached the vehicle, it backed up across both lanes and into the turn lane, then “began driving towards the Woodlands,” according to the report.

The officer followed the silver Jeep Grand Cherokee, and watched it repeatedly cross into another lane. The car did not stop until it parked in front of a building at the Woodlands. It hit the curb in front of the space as it parked, rocking the car back and forth.

The officer told Cash to remain in the car as he noted a very strong odor of alcohol coming from the Jeep.

The officer asked Cash why he stopped on the side of the road and he said he was looking for a friend’s phone he had dropped. Cash also told the officer he saw the police car “but was just driving home,” according to the report.

The officer said Cash’s eyes were red and watery and his eyelids seemed heavy. His speech was also slurred and slowed, according to the report. Cash told the officer he hadn’t had anything to drink, then said he had a few beers around 7 p.m.

The officer then noticed that Cash was not wearing shoes. He said he had taken them off after walking home from downtown. He said he walked home from downtown because he did not need to drive, according to the report. He told the officer he decided to drive when he got home because a friend had lost his phone and he went to find it. He also told the officer he had been at Sideways and had two beers before leaving and walking home at 12:30 a.m.

When the officer placed Cash in handcuffs and told him he was under arrest for DUI, Cash protested, saying he “only drove a quarter of a mile to look for a phone,” according to the report. The officer then asked him to take the breath test, Cash agreed.

He was transported to the Lexington Road police department where blew a .215 and a .211.

He was charged with DUI and transported to Clarke County Jail.

University student suspect for possession of marijuana

A University student has been named the suspect of a possession of less than one ounce of marijuana charge, according to an Athens-Clarke County Police report.

An officer was dispatched to an apartment in Cloverhurst Condominiums because of a loud music complaint. The officer said he did not find the resident of the condo in violation of the ordinance but wanted to contact the resident to make him aware of the complaint.

The officer made contact with the male student in the apartment and smelled the odor of burned marijuana coming from inside the apartment. The officer “requested that [the student] give [him] the contraband,” according to the report.

The student complied and the marijuana was seized and placed into evidence to be destroyed.

University student caught with passed-back ID outside Bourbon Street Bar

University student Joseph Donald Hunter, 19, was arrested on charges of possession of a fake ID and underage consumption, according to an Athens-Clarke County Police report.

An officer standing outside of Bourbon Street Bar witnessed a male within the bar’s railing pass an ID to Hunter, according to the report. When the officer made contact with Hunter, he “immediately threw the ID the in the air and stated it was not his.”

When asked for identification, Hunter presented his real Georgia ID indicating he was under 21. The officer said he smelled a strong odor of alcohol coming from Hunter’s breath.

The ID that was passed to Hunter was a South Carolina license that did not run through the police system. The ID was placed into evidence.

Hunter was placed under arrest and transported to Clarke County Jail.

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