GAINESVILLE, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia sheriff is facing DUI charges after authorities said he was nearly three times the legal alcohol limit and admitted to drinking Four Loko before driving his county-issued vehicle.
Gerald Couch, the elected sheriff of Hall County, was arrested Feb. 27 after deputies reported seeing a county-owned Chevrolet Tahoe weaving across lanes on Dawsonville Highway near Gainesville.
According to the incident report, a deputy recognized the SUV as belonging to the sheriff and contacted the Georgia State Patrol to conduct the traffic stop to avoid a conflict of interest.
Authorities said Couch drove into the driveway of his home, where troopers began a DUI investigation after noticing signs of impairment and the smell of alcohol.
A breath test later showed Couch had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.212%, nearly three times Georgia’s legal limit of 0.08% for drivers.
Investigators also reported finding two open alcoholic beverages in the vehicle. According to the arrest report, Couch told troopers he had been drinking Four Loko beginning around 6 a.m. earlier that day.
Four Loko, a flavored malt beverage with high alcohol content, has been controversial in the past due to concerns about its strength and earlier formulations that included caffeine.
Couch was charged with driving under the influence, failure to maintain lane, and possession of an open container of alcohol in a vehicle. He was booked into the Hall County Jail, the facility operated by his own office, and later released on bond the same day.
Following the arrest, Brian Kemp ordered a review of the case, a step that could lead to disciplinary action against the sheriff under Georgia law.
The case is also expected to be reviewed by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, which oversees the certification of law enforcement officers across the state.
Couch, who has served in law enforcement for decades, has not publicly commented on the charges. The Hall County Sheriff’s Office has said the agency continues normal operations while the case proceeds.
The DUI charges will move forward in court while state officials determine whether further administrative action is warranted.
