Crime & Safety

Failure to Wear Seat Belts Nets Felony Pot Bust

The following arrest information was supplied by the Milton police department. It does not indicate a conviction.

A 21-year-old Birmingham Road resident was arrested for felony possession of marijuana after a Milton police officer pulled over his car on April 4 because he and his passenger weren't wearing seat belts.

The Milton officer spotted the car traveling westbound on Crabapple Road and west of Birmingham Highway when he made the traffic stop. When the driver opened his car door, saying the window didn't work, the officer said he smelled marijuana.

The driver said he had a bag of marijuana in his pocket, which the officer found. The passenger handed over a bag with a fraction of an ounce of marijuana in it to another officer. Both were initially charged with possession of less than an ounce of marijuana and failure to wear seat belts. But when two sealed bags were found in a bag in the car, the charge for the driver, Joseph Hardy Bush, 21, of Milton was upgraded to a felony citation. for the total of 2.4 ounces of suspected marijuana.

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He was released from Fulton County Jail on $700 bond on April 6.

Teen Cited for Fleeing from Police

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A 17-year-old Milton resident faces charges after Milton police say he fled from an officer who was trying to pull him over.

The officer was driving west on Francis Road on April 1 when a black vehicle drove by heading east that appeared to be speeding.  Checking the suspect's speed with a radar gun showed the vehicle at 68 mph in a 40 mph  zone.

But when the officer activated his lights and siren and turned around to make a traffic stop, he lost sight of the vehicle. A local resident pulled up to the officer and said it had turned into Champions Close at a high rate of speed, striking the curb and nearly wrecking while turning.

The officer drove into the subdivision and waited near the pool house to see if the suspect would leave. Once he saw the vehicle drive by, he performed a traffic stop. According to the officer, the suspect said he drove into the subdivision to get away from him.

The suspect was arrested and cited for reckless driving, attempting to elude police and speeding.

For questions about this blotter, email Bob Pepalis.


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