Sheriff: Georgia father, son arrested for emergency siren joyride

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. - Deputies have arrested a father and son who are accused of blaring an emergency siren while driving throughout the Woodstock area.

Saturday morning at around 11, deputies received a call about a vehicle driving through the area with a siren on full blast and someone on a PA system telling people to get out of their vehicles.

The siren was so loud, officials say the 911 dispatchers were able to hear it over the call.

Deputies found the driver and passengers after the vehicle stopped at a shopping center in the Towne Lake area.

In the car, deputies found 51-year-old Roswell resident Ryan Schmidt operating the siren as a passenger while his 17-year-old son, Luke Schmidt, drove. Three other passengers were in the vehicle at the time.

The father told deputies that he had recently bought the siren and PA system and was showing it off to his son and friends.

Deputies arrested the teenager and charged him with use of an emergency siren and aggressive driving. The elder Schmidt was charged with the use of an emergency siren and party to the crime of aggressive driving.

Both suspects have been released from the Cherokee Adult Detention Center on two $2,035 bonds.

UPDATE: According to court documents, Ryan Schmidt pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless conduct on April 29, 2021. As part of a court agreement, Luke Schmidt completed 20 hours of community service.