According to a Gordon County Sheriff’s Office incident report, On September 17th, 2023, at 5:00 AM, Deputy Martin was on routine patrol when he observed a 2016 Nissan Frontier traveling east on Fairmount Highway at Blackwood Place, failing to maintain their lane of travel. According to the report, “Deputy Martin continued to follow the vehicle on Fairmount Highway. Deputy Martin observed the vehicle increase their speeds, and Deputy Martin, using his radar, checked the vehicle with a front antenna on Fairmount Highway at Foster Lusk Road at 80mph in a 55mph. Deputy Martin observed the vehicle stop at the stop sign at Fairmount Highway at the South Calhoun Bypass and turn left back onto Fairmount Highway to travel east. When Deputy Martin got to the stop sign to turn left, he did not see the vehicle anywhere in sight. Deputy Martin advised Gordon E911 that he was attempting to catch up with a vehicle on Fairmount Highway. Deputy Martin continued east on Fairmount Highway and observed the vehicle again at 94mph in a 55mph zone.” The weather was raining heavily, and the roadway was wet. Deputy Martin checked the vehicle at Fairmount Highway and Farmville Road at 98mph, still traveling eastbound on Fairmount Highway. The vehicle then failed to yield to an authorized emergency vehicle by pulling to the far right side of the roadway. The vehicle eventually pulled to the side of the road on Fairmount Highway just East of Cash Road. The driver, Damian Lamar Bastin, 18, of Jasper, was ordered out of the vehicle. Deputy Martin could smell a strong odor of alcoholic beverage coming from his breath, and Damian eyes were glassy. Damien stated he only had one beer before driving. Damian stated the reason he was speeding was because he was arguing with his “old lady” in the vehicle. During field sobriety tests, Damian showed several signs of impairment and showed a BAC of .162 on a PBT. Damian was placed under arrest and showed a BAC of .210 on the state test (21 under .002). Damian was booked into the Gordon County Jail and charged with DUI, speeding, reckless driving, underage consumption, failure to yield to emergency vehicle, failure to maintain a single lane x3, and too fast for conditions.
Jasper teen arrested for DUI after driving reckless at 98 mph during rainy conditions in Gordon County
