According to a Dalton Police Department incident report, On July 2nd, 2023,12:53 AM, Officer Ruiz was patrolling the Truist parking deck on 200 West King St when he observed a white 2017 Nissan Rogue turned off when the officer arrived. Officer Ruiz reported, “As [I] approached the vehicle, the driver door was slightly ajar, and [I] could hear what sounded like glass bottles hitting each other. I shined my flashlight through the back seat and was able to see the driver, identified as Carlos Eugenio Celestino, 17, of Dalton, reaching into the floor of the back seat, attempting to conceal the glass bottles. [I] could clearly see that the glass bottles were beer bottles. [I] reached the driver seat and asked Carlos what he was doing and that [I] could clearly see the beer bottles that he was trying to conceal. [I] asked Carlos to step out of the car as [I] waited for another unit to arrive. In the driver’s side door, I saw two more beer bottles that were mostly empty. [I] also asked Carlos for his license. Carlos began to tell me that he did not have his license. [I] asked Carlos if he did not have one at all or if he did not have his license on his person. Carlos advised me he did not have one on him but that he had gotten one a few days earlier. Carlos then changed his story and told me that he had applied to get a license, but did not get approved. Carlos advised me he was only 17 years old. [I] asked where he had gotten all the beer, and he said he had taken them from a party he was at earlier.” Carlos said he had begun drinking a few beers at the party, then drove to the parking deck and continued to drink a few more beers. During field sobriety tests, Carlos showed several signs of impairment and was placed under arrest. Carlos was refused the state test and was transported to the Whitfield County Jail, charged with DUI, underage consumption, driving while unlicensed, and open container violation.
Unlicensed teen arrested for DUI after leaving party in Dalton
