According to a Floyd County Police Department incident report, on March 20th, 2023, at 9:40 PM, while Officer Vicente was observing traffic, he noticed a vehicle in the distance traveling northbound on GA-1 ( Cedartown Hwy) with it’s high beam headlights activated and was not dimming them to oncoming traffic or to the vehicles directly in front of it. Officer Vicente then initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver Maria Lee Crocker, 42, of Cedartown. Crocker’s driver’s license was on a permit, and she was suspended for DUI. Crocker’s permit only permits her to drive when going to school , doctors, or work. Officer Vicente reported, “[I] approached Mrs. Crocker and asked where she was headed, and she advised she was going to a job interview. [I] advised making sure she did not continue driving with her high beam headlights on and to drive safe. [I] returned to my vehicle, and while advising dispatch that [I] had ended my traffic stop, [I] observed Mrs. Crocker put her vehicle in reverse and began to accelerate in reverse toward my vehicle. Mrs. Crocker stopped shortly before colliding with the front of my vehicle and proceeded to put her vehicle in drive and accelerate.[ ]I advised dispatch that Mrs. Crocker almost collided with my vehicle and advised PFC Smith to start heading my way.” During field sobriety tests, Crocker showed several signs of impairment and a BAC of .07 on a PBT. During the tests, the officer could smell the odor of alcohol coming from Crocker’s breath. While searching her vehicle, officers located an open bottle of whiskey halfway empty in the center console and a big unopen bottle of whiskey on the floor broad in the passenger side, and an unopened beer in her lunch bag. Crocker showed a BAC of .065 on the state test. She was transported to Floyd County Jail, where she was charged with DUI less safe, open container violation, and failure to dim headlights.
Cedartown woman arrested for DUI after nearly backing into Floyd County officer during traffic stop
