Gerald Couch (Hall County Sheriff's Office)
HALL COUNTY, Ga. - Hall County Sheriff Gerald Jay Couch was released from the county jail Friday evening following his arrest earlier that day.
What we know:
Couch, 63, was charged with driving under the influence, failure to maintain a lane, and possession of an open container. He posted a $1,560 bond and was released at approximately 6 p.m., according to jail records.
According to the Hall County Sheriff's Office, around 10:30 a.m. Friday, a deputy in an unmarked vehicle saw a black Chevrolet Tahoe failing to maintain its lane while traveling on Green Hill Road. The deputy followed the SUV, Couch's county-issued vehicle, into a private driveway.
Upon making contact with the driver, the deputy reported "a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage" and "clear signs of impairment," including slurred speech and unsteadiness. Recognizing the driver as the sheriff, the deputy requested the GSP to take over the investigation.
According to a GSP spokesperson, a trooper arrived at the private residence at 11:30 a.m. to assist. The trooper noted that Couch was "unstable on his feet when exiting the vehicle" and smelled of alcohol.
After the trooper administered a field sobriety test, investigators determined Couch was under the influence of alcohol and placed him under arrest.
What we don't know:
The sheriff’s office took possession of the county-issued SUV and notified state officials of the arrest. It is unclear what, if any, action the governor's office may take.
While the booking information was available Friday afternoon, the arrest record no longer appears under the "recent arrests" section of the Hall County Jail’s website.
No word on his next court appearance.
Dig deeper:
Couch had previously stepped away from his duties in December, citing the need to deal with an unspecified health condition. He had since returned to his duties.
He was first elected into office in 2012 and has been with the sheriff's office since 1981.
The Source: The details in this article come from the Hall County Sheriff's Office and the Georgia State Patrol. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting had also been used.