According to a Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office incident report, On May 20th, 2023, at 1:54 AM, Deputy Henry and Lt. Cantrell were operating as a two-person unit on Lakeview Drive and Castleberry Street. Deputies observed a 1983 Datsun 720 pass by with a defective tag light and tail light. According to the report, “Deputies then pulled out behind the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop using the emergency equipment on their agency-issued marked patrol unit. The vehicle then continued traveling at a slow pace down Lakeview Drive and then turned onto Park Street, and then pulled into the driveway of 307 Park Street. The driver (Robert Gordon Kerr, 54, of Rossville) then attempted to exit his vehicle and was immediately ordered back into the vehicle by Lt. Cantrell. Deputies then made contact with Kerr and could immediately smell a strong odor of alcoholic beverage emitting from Kerr’s breath and person. He was then advised the reason for the stop and asked for his license, which he provided. He was then asked if he had consumed any alcoholic beverages this date, and he advised, “Yes, but I am home. This is where I live”. He was then advised it did not matter that he was home because he was operating a motor vehicle. He was then asked how much he had consumed, and he stated, “two beers”. Kerr was then asked for his proof of insurance, and the subject started digging around on the passenger side of his vehicle, and Lt. Cantrell observed a large bottle of Evan Williams straight Bourbon whiskey with a large amount of its contents missing. Kerr was asked if he had been drinking that too while driving, to which he stated yes, he had.” During standardized field sobriety testing, Kerr showed several signs of impairment. Kerr asked multiple times why he was stopped, and he was told multiple times the reason for the stop. Kerr was placed under arrest for DUI and agreed to the state test. According to the report, “While Deputy Henry and Lt. Cantrell were completing the paperwork, Kerr stated out of a spontaneous utterance that if they continue to take so long, he will be sobered up by the time he gets to the jail.” Kerr was booked into the Catoosa County Jail and charged with DUI, open container, and taillights.
Rossville man arrested for DUI after being stopped for equipment violation in Catoosa County
