Monday, May 13, 2024–7:41 p.m.

-Adam Carey, Rome News-Tribune-

This story is possible because of a news-sharing agreement with the Rome News-Tribune. More information can be found at northwestgeorgianews.com

The Georgia State Patrol arrested 33 people on charges of driving under the influence in Floyd and Bartow counties on Friday and Saturday nights. 

This past weekend several thousand people attended the Rock the Country concert at Kingston Downs, with headliners Kid Rock on Friday night and Jason Aldean on Saturday night. 

According to the Sgt. Doug Shamblin of the GSP, they made a concentrated effort over the weekend to crack down on impaired drivers. GSP issued 53 citations and was involved in one high-speed chase as a driver fled a checkpoint.

There were also DUI arrests made in Floyd by the Rome Police Department, the Floyd County Police Department and the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.

“We know that giving out DUIs can make us unpopular,” Shamblin said. “But our focus is to reduce fatalities and accidents.”

“Mixing alcohol and driving is always a bad idea,” Shamblin said. 

Troopers arrested 17 on Friday night and 11 on Saturday night in Floyd County alone, according to jail reports:

• John Charles Worley, 55, of Adairsville, DUI.
• Lawrence Chastain Moss, 27, of Ranger, DUI, bad tires.
• Joey Wayne Roberts, 47, of Rome, DUI, fleeing police officer, improper lane change, driving with a suspended license, stop sign violation, speeding, probation violation.
• John Tyler Eshelman, 28, of Knoxville, Tenn., DUI, open container.
• Daniel Eugene Matthews Jr., 49, of Pinappolis, Ala. DUI.
• Taylor Eha-Marie Taake, 31, of Rome, DUI.
• Joshua Buford Wendell Rayburn, 41, of Bremen, DUI.
• Christopher C. Noland, 46, of Talking Rock, DUI, endangering a child.
• Tonya Beth Crum, 45, of Church Hill, Tenn., DUI, improper turn.
• Jonathan Byrd MacDonald, 49, of Atlanta, DUI, open container.
• James Norman Beard, 53, of Ringgold, DUI.
• Ronald Patrick Rewers, 51, of Chicago, DUI.
• Jimmy Harold Weaver, 54, of Phenix City, Ala., DUI.
• Heather Lee Spyra, 59, of Spring Grove, Ill., DUI.
• John Woody Johnson, 65, of Rutherfordton, N.C., DUI.
• Cantrell Davis Whittinghill, 22, of Castalian Springs, Tenn., DUI.
• Brian Todd Decook, 53, of Dunwoody, DUI.
• Eric Rammon Johnson, 54, of Cave Spring, DUI, possession of meth, possession of THC edibles, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, failure to maintain lane, open container, driving with a suspended license.
• Jeffrey Michael Poe, 51, of Calhoun, DUI, display of license plate, speeding, open container, failure to use turn signals.
• Timothy Paul Perkins, 37, of Cedartown, DUI, failure to maintain lane.
• Drake Alton Wade, 23, of Greenville, DUI, failure to maintain lane, driving with a suspended license, failure to use safety belt.
• William Michael Giles, 20, of Atlanta, DUI under the age of 21, failure to maintain lane.
• Christopher Lance Chavers, 23, of Macungie, Pa., DUI.
• Parag Juyentilal Kansagara, 42, Rome, DUI, illegal U-turn.
• Lorena Lopez-Vicente, 45, of Rome, DUI, open container, driving without license in possession.
• Jose Luis Reyes-Cruz, 21, of Rome, DUI.
• Keipris Lee Smith, 29, of Cave Spring, DUI.