MACON, Ga. — An incident report has shed new light on the events that led to a Houston County Sheriff’s Deputy being arrested in front of a Bibb County elementary school last Tuesday.
Garrison Page, a former Bibb County Sheriff’s Deputy, had been on the job in Houston County for just eight days when he was arrested in front of Skyview Elementary for a DUI.
Page is accused of placing a hard lemonade into his patrol car, trying to leave the scene and later attempting to take a needle from his arm during a blood test.
The report says Page was in plain clothing outside the school, directing traffic when parents called into the Bibb Board of Education Police about his behavior.
Witnesses called into the school after seeing Page at Carr’s Convenience Store. They said he appeared intoxicated and was fumbling with the payment machine. Another parent said Page did not appear "right", and that he was out in the road talking to himself while attempting to direct traffic.
The first officer on the scene said Page was directing traffic where there were no vehicles in the area.
As officers approached, they said they noticed he was unsteady and slurring his words. They said he attempted to walk away from the officers and entered into the turning lane of the road.
When he was questioned he walked over to his Houston County patrol vehicle and put what appeared to be a beer can inside.
The report says they later found an open can of Mike’s Harder Lemonade in the passenger seat, several bottles of Sprite Zero and an unopened can of Natural Light beer in a black bag.
The report says Page tried to leave the scene and asked for the keys to his patrol vehicle, but officers on the scene would not give them to him.
Officers said they smelled alcohol on his breath, and that Page refused to take a breathalyzer at the scene. The report says Page’s eyes were reddish and glassy, and that his speech was slurred. They arrested him and charged him with DUI.
He also refused a chemical test of his blood, but a warrant was later obtained. As they were drawing his blood, Page tried to pull the needle out. A sample of his blood was sent off to the GBI Crime Lab.
The patrol vehicle and all of his equipment were released to Sergeant J. Andrews with the Houston County Sheriff’s Office. The office previously told 13WMAZ that Page was suspended pending termination.