DCSO Drones Deployed Three Times Last Week
By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor
From Oct. 22-24, the Dade County Sheriff’s Office deployed a drone three times. Working with other agencies (including Trenton Police Department and Marion County Sheriff’s Office), the department located two suspects and a missing juvenile. Sheriff Ray Cross contacted the Sentinel to inform citizens about how valuable these drones are to law enforcement’s work.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, a traffic stop on GA-299 turned into a chase when two suspects in the vehicle fled west. When the driver reached the Haletown intersection and took the turn too fast, the car landed in the river. The male and female in the car attempted to swim away, but the female returned quickly because it was cold. The male continued, so DCSO deployed the drone to search for him.
Marion County assisted with this pursuit, and once the drone located the suspect, he was taken into custody. He had warrants from about five nearby counties, and drugs were found in the vehicle.
Then, on Oct. 23, Trenton PD asked DCSO to use the drone to help locate a female juvenile who had run away from a residence in the city. In response to a tip, the sheriff’s office deployed the drone to search woods in the Piney area.
Another caller reported seeing the missing teen around Moore Funeral Home walking north. The drone and a DCSO deputy reached the teen at the same time. She did not resist going with the deputy, but if she had run, the drone could have maintained a visual.
Third, on Oct. 24, the sheriff’s office was called to a house fire on Belk Road because an armed subject was threatening suicide and had fled from the scene of the fire to the woods. Between the drone and the work of DCSO deputies, the department was able to capture the man.
Sergeant Chad Payne (public information officer) said, “The drone’s been very beneficial for us in locating people, whether it be suspects or missing people. They’re one of many tools, not least of which are our people: road patrol, investigations, our fellow agencies. Locating the missing juvenile was the work of the community coupled with the drone, road patrol, and Trenton PD.”
Sheriff Cross thanked all involved in these cases for their excellent work.
