The man in charge of law enforcement in Hall County was arrested Friday morning on drunk driving charges — in the very county he was elected to protect.
Why It Matters: When the person responsible for enforcing the law breaks it, residents deserve to know. This arrest raises real questions about accountability at the top of Hall County’s law enforcement chain.
🔍 What’s Happening: Gerald Jay Couch, the elected Sheriff of Hall County, was taken into custody Friday morning after a traffic stop on Green Hill Road around 10:30 a.m.
- Couch faces charges of DUI/alcohol less safe, failure to maintain a lane, and possession of an open container
- He was driving a county-issued black Chevrolet Tahoe at the time of the stop
Between the Lines: A Hall County deputy in an unmarked vehicle spotted the SUV drifting out of its lane. During the stop, the deputy reported a strong smell of alcohol and observed signs of impairment.
Because the driver turned out to be the sheriff himself, the deputy called in the Georgia State Patrol to handle the arrest — a move that kept the situation at arm’s length from Couch’s own department.
By the Numbers: Couch was released from the Hall County jail — the same jail he oversees — on a $1,560 bond around 6 p.m. Friday. The county-issued SUV he was driving was impounded.
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