Man Suspected of Driving Under the Influence Says He was 'Stupid and Drove Off the Road'

The driver's vehicle ended up on its side in a ditch along South Broad Street.

A Barrow County resident was arrested April 5 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs after his SUV ended up in a ditch near CVS Pharmacy in Winder.  According to a Winder Police Department incident report, an officer approached the vehicle, which was on its side in the ditch, and immediately smelled a strong odor of alcohol upon opening the driver's side door. The officer assisted the driver in exiting the vehicle and observed he was unsteady on his feet and severely slurring his speech. The officer then assisted the driver in removing his driver's license from his wallet. When the officer asked what happened, the driver said he was "stupid and drove off the road."  When asked if he had consumed any alcohol, the …

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Officer Says Suspect Attempted to Hide Behind Porch Before Tossing Drugs

The Winder resident, who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, was spotted standing on the front porch of his residence.

A suspect with an outstanding warrant for his arrest was Tased after attempting to hide from a Winder officer, then refusing to comply with commands to stop and drop to the ground, according to a police report.  The man was spotted April 2 standing on the front porch of his King Street residence. Aware the suspect had an outstanding warrant for probation violation, the officer parked and walked to the location. Upon finding the porch empty, the officer walked around the residence and, turning a corner, observed the suspect crouched down on the opposite side of the porch. When the officer approached the suspect, he reportedly turned and began walking away, ignoring the officer's commands to stop.  According to the incident report, the …

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Man Walking Down King Street Gives Officer the 'Bird,' Then Says He Was 'Only Kidding'

The Barrow County resident was arrested and charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct.

An officer with the Winder Police Department was traveling along King Street on March 30 and observed a male walking down the roadway swaying. When the officer's patrol car approached the subject, the man put out his left arm and gave the officer the "bird," according to a police report.  The officer then stopped and exited the patrol car, at which time the subject said he was "only kidding" and he knew it was the police. The officer smelled an odor of alcohol on the man, who said he was going home to Shields Street and pointed to the top of a hill. The officer informed the man that Shields Street was in the other direction. At that time, the man reportedly asked the officer if he could take him home and "to leave him alone," the incident …

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Winder Business Owner Arrested

Lixuan Guan, 39, of Watkinsville has been charged with disorderly conduct.

The owner of a Winder restaurant was arrested March 30 and is facing a disorderly conduct charge.  The owner of a jewelry store adjacent to Asia Cafe called police to report the cafe's owner was disrupting his store's operation. According to a Winder Police Department incident report, the complainant told police the cafe's owner parked a truck in a space in the front of his store’s entrance door and lowered the tailgate so his door could be opened just slightly. The cafe's owner reportedly unloaded bags of rice, one at a time, onto a cart for about an hour. The man also complained of spilled rice and accused the cafe owner of putting rice into a bottle of Fanta and dropping it against his store’s glass front door, creating a "huge sticky …

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Police in South Georgia Find Car Driven by Suspect Dubbed the '316 Office Creeper'

The suspect in several area thefts, including incidents in Winder, is still at large.

The Athens Banner-Herald reports police in Savannah have found the sedan a suspect was driving when he allegedly pilfered wallets from employees at several Winder businesses. Antonio "Tony" Hornsby, who has been dubbed the "316 Office Creeper," is still at large.   Hornsby, 54, was identified as the thief who targeted commercial businesses in Winder on March 19 posing as a maintenance employee. He has been charged with felony warrants for burglary and theft, misdemeanor theft by taking and loitering and prowling by Athens-Clarke County Police. He is also a suspect in several thefts in Duluth, Braselton, Acworth, Cartersville and Henry County.   Police had believed Hornby was traveling along Interstate 75 on his way to Florida, where he has…

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Woman Follows Man She Says Hit Her Vehicle Then Drove Away

The male driver was arrested and is facing several charges, including hit and run, DUI, following too closely and texting while driving.

A Bethlehem resident is facing a hit and run charge, among several other charges, after another driver accused him of striking her vehicle and driving away.  According to a police report, the woman was driving along North Center Street near West May Street when she was rear-ended by another driver. When that driver fled the scene, the woman reportedly handed her toddler to several people standing around the scene of the accident and followed the man until he stopped at a King Street location. An officer with the Winder Police Department who spoke with the male driver smelled a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on his person. When asked about the accident, the male driver reportedly told the officer he was looking down while texting on his …

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Man Accused of Exposing Himself in View of Traffic

The Winder resident was arrested and is now facing a charge of indecent exposure.

An officer with the Winder Police Department responded to a Broad Street residence March 24 after a complainant reported a man standing in a back yard exposing himself.  According to a police report, the officer found a white male completely exposed wearing no shirt with sweatpants pulled down around his ankles. When the officer asked the suspect to pull up his pants, the man reportedly stood there nodding and shaking his head rapidly, not responding to the officer's questions. When the suspect began slowly walking forward, the officer drew a Taser and ordered the man to the ground.  Charles Brad Stephenson, 31, of 199 E. Broad St. in Winder, was arrested and charged with indecent exposure before being released to the Barrow County …

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Police Identify Suspect Known as '316 Office Creeper' Accused of Targeting Winder Businesses

11Alive reports a thief accused of entering Winder businesses recently posing as a maintenance worker and stealing women's wallets has been identified.

A thief who targeted commercial businesses in Winder posing as a maintenance employee has been identified.  11Alive News calls him the "316 Office Creeper" and reports law enforcement has identified the suspect as 54-year-old Antonio Hornsby. He has been charged with felony warrants for burglary and theft, misdemeanor theft by taking and loitering and prowling by Athens-Clarke County Police. He is also a suspect in several thefts in Winder, Duluth, Braselton, Acworth, Cartersville and Henry County.   The Winder Police Department asked for help this past week in identifying the suspect, captured in video surveillance. According to a news release issued by the department, the victims were targeted between noon and 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, …

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Crumbs on Suspect's Face and Leftover Cheese in Grocery Store Toilet Lead to Shoplifting Arrest

Management at Quality Foods in Winder told police the man picked up a package of cheese, put it in his jacket and headed for a restroom.

A Winder man was arrested March 20, 2013, and charged with shoplifting after an officer with the Winder Police Department found him in a Quality Foods restroom with "cheese residue" on his face. Store management reported observing the man pick up a package of cheese, put it in his jacket and headed for a restroom. The officer found the suspect in a bathroom stall with crumbs on his face and leftover cheese floating in a toilet. Upon speaking with the man, the officer smelled a strong odor of alcohol coming from his person.  Charles Joseph Petrin, 51, 201 Wood Ave., Apt. 14D, Winder, was placed under arrest and transported to the Barrow County Detention Center. He is charged with theft by shoplifting and public drunkenness.  You might also …

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Winder Police Say Thief Poses as Maintenance Employee

The department is seeking the public's help identifying a suspect in recent thefts at area businesses — do you recognize this man?