A traffic stop in Gwinnett County led to the arrest of a man on multiple charges after officers found a stolen tag, a firearm, a blue police light, and a fake badge.
What’s Happening: Police released body cam footage of a police stop on September 18. Gwinnett County Police Officer C. Chewning and Corporal B. Bartkowiak stopped a motorcycle displaying a tag listed as stolen. The driver, Brian Garrard, tried to drive away but couldn’t clear the push bumper of the patrol vehicle.
What’s Important: After his arrest, Garrard told officers he had a firearm next to a badge that read “Bail Enforcement Agent.” Officers also found blue lights installed on the motorcycle. Garrard is a convicted felon and is not allowed to possess firearms.
What Happened Next: Garrard refused to give his full name when asked. At the jail, he gave deputies a false name.
The Charges: Garrard was charged with willful obstruction of law enforcement, use of a blue light in the commission of a felony, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, giving a false name, address, or birthdate to a law enforcement officer, receipt, possession, or transfer of a firearm by a convicted felon, impersonating a public officer or employee, failure to have a license on person, failure to exhibit driver’s license on demand, failure to register a vehicle in Georgia, expired tag or registration, driving with a suspended or canceled registration, failure to maintain insurance, light violation, and driving without a valid license.
“Most people do whatever they can get away with. Most people—even rule followers—want to know how close to the line they can get without stepping over it, or they’ll step over the line when nobody’s looking.”
