MOULTRIE — A traffic stop for a non-working brake light led to the arrest of five people early Wednesday morning.

Margarito Gomez, 23, of Sardis Church Road, Lot 12, was charged with driving without a license, brake lights required, DUI, an open container violation and duty to obey an officer. Valentiz Gomes, 29, of Sardis Church Road, Lot 12, was charged with an open container violation. David Briones, 17, Gerardo Briones, 20, and Guadalupe Perez Gonzalez, 17, all of Sardis Church Road, Lot 12, were each charged with an open container violation and illegal possession of alcohol.

A Moultrie police officer on patrol spotted a GMC Safari van with one brake light not working on First Avenue Southeast at 2:07 a.m. Wednesday. The officer turned around and pulled the vehicle over a short distance away.

As the officer parked her patrol car, the driver, identified as Margarito Gomez, allegedly ran away from the Safari as a second officer chased after him. Gomez was found by another officer a short time later and placed under arrest.

The first officer went to the van and found four passengers inside and allegedly smelled alcohol coming from inside the vehicle. When the front passenger was asked to exit, the officer allegedly spotted several cans of beer, and all four passengers were placed under arrest and taken to Colquitt County Jail.

Gomez allegedly refused to take a breathalyzer test twice while at the scene and again while at the jail. He and the four passengers were then booked into the jail on the charges against them.



Arrests

Moultrie Police

• Jauntae Antown Hutchinson, 25, of 1112 14th St. S.E., was charged Wednesday with an open container violation and tag lights required.

• A juvenile girl was charged Tuesday with being a runaway and being an unruly child.

• Travis Lavon Carlton, 19, of 202 21st Ave. N.E., was charged Tuesday with theft by taking.



Colquitt County S.O.

• Brenda Joyce Sellers, 59, of 257 Lee Lewis Road, was charged Tuesday with obstruction and two counts of simple battery.

• A 16-year-old boy was charged Nov. 2 with possession of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school.



Other Incidents

Moultrie Police

• Michael Ragsele, of Fourth Avenue Southwest, reported a thief stole two suitcases, containing suits, pants, shirts and shoes, and food between 11 p.m. Monday and 4 a.m. Tuesday. The value of the stolen items was $1,020. Ragsele gave officers the name of a male suspect.

• Aundra Williams, of 10th Street Southeast, reported someone scratched all over his Ford F-150 truck between 6 p.m. Monday and 3 p.m. Tuesday.

• Phyllis McNiel reported Tuesday a thief stole her Chevrolet Suburban from her cousin’s house on 10th Street Southeast Oct. 5. The value of the stolen vehicle was $10,000.

• Dorothy McNeal, of 10th Street Southeast, reported someone keyed the driver’s and passenger side of her Dodge Neon, spray painted it all over and broke out a passenger window between 11 p.m. Sunday and 6:30 a.m. Monday.

• Lawrence Woods reported a thief pried open a crawl space door at a house on Sweet Bay Court and stole various lawn equipment between 5 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday. The value of the stolen items was $668.

• Bob Gosson, of Fifth Street Northeast, reported a thief stole $170 in cash and change between 10:30 a.m. and 12:23 p.m. Sunday.

• Becky Vinson reported someone keyed her Nissan Sentra while it was parked at Wal-Mart on South Veterans Parkway between 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday. Damage was estimated at about $450. Vinson gave officers the name of a male suspect.



Colquitt County S.O.

• Juan Govea reported a thief stole an LG cell phone from his jacket pocket at Colquitt County High School on Park Avenue Oct. 4. The value of the stolen cell phone was $300.

• Adelaido Gonzalez, of Green Street, reported someone broke out a window with a paint can Wednesday.

• Dennis Troutman, of Magnolia Avenue, reported a thief stole a plastic drum containing pieces of copper tubing from his workshop between 4 p.m. Saturday and midnight Sunday. The value of the stolen copper was $300.

• Frank Goza, of Highway 37 East, reported a thief stole a 16-inch gold chain and his debit card between noon and 9:15 p.m. Sunday. The value of the stolen items was $326. Goza gave sheriff’s deputies the name of a female suspect.

• Curtis Crawford, of Grady Mathews Road, reported a thief stole a box of shrimp from his refrigerator between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday.

• Will Whitfield, of Highway 202, reported a thief stole a Farm & Country sprayer, an Echo leaf blower and a Craftsman air compressor from under his carport between Oct. 23 and 9 a.m. Friday. The value of the stolen items was $400.

• John Touchton, of Mills Street in Norman Park, reported a thief stole his Ford F-150 truck with tools inside it between 9 p.m. Saturday and 10:30 a.m. Sunday. The value of the stolen items was about $12,000.