Sheriff Glass,Trooper Hall, Ivestigator Rathel and Trooper Fretwell check guns. A law enforcement officer never knows what will happen on any given call or stop he or she makes, and last Thursday was one of those days.

On Thursday, March 25, 2010, Trooper D. Fretwell was sitting stationary on GA 91 just south of U.S. Highway 24/ GA 1. At approximately 10:23 a.m., he observed a 1997 Ford Taurus making a left turn onto GA 91 traveling south from GA 1. As the vehicle passed, the officer observed a white male driving the vehicle without a seat belt. As the driver made eye contact with Trooper Fretwell, he had a big grin on his face and put his arm up to hide himself from the seat belt.

The officer turned his patrol vehicle around to intercept the vehicle. Once he caught up with the vehicle, the officer activated his blue lights and came to a stop on GA 91 at mile marker 10, which is located directly in front of the Georgia Forestry Commission.

Trooper Fretwell with confiscated weapons As Trooper Fretwell approached the vehicle, he observed the driver smiling at him in his driver's door rearview mirror. The officer asked the driver for his driver's license and observed a pistol in the center console of the vehicle. As the trooper opened the driver's door, he noticed another pistol in the storage compartment of that door.

After the driver stepped out of the vehicle, Trooper Fretwell asked him to step to the rear of his vehicle in order to be separated from the weapons. The driver then became argumentative. The officer again instructed the driver to step to the rear of the vehicle. Trooper Fretwell told the suspect he was going to obtain his weapons for his safety. The driver then stated to the officer that he had to have consent and that he was not going to obtain his weapons.

Some of the evidence gathered in the traffic stop is displayed. Trooper Fretwell walked to the driver's door and obtained a Glock 40 and a 380 pistol. He then placed them in the front seat of his patrol car. During this transfer, the driver continued to be argumentative.

The trooper told him he needed to stop with his actions. As the officer started to walk to the front of the vehicle to obtain the other weapons, the suspect tried to block Trooper Fretwell from getting to his vehicle. The officer then grabbed the driver by the left arm to arrest him, which at that time he resisted arrest.

As they scuffled, the driver began to swing at the officer, which at that point, the officer hit him in the head with his right fist. The driver then got loose and began to run. Trooper Fretwell chased the driver and tackled him on the shoulder of GA 91 at the location of the stop.

Two officers at the Georgia Forestry station saw the incident and had started out to assist the trooper, but the scuffle was over when the officer handcuffed the subject. The driver is 6 feet, three inches, and weighs 235 pounds.

The suspect had just stated, "Officer, please put the handcuffs on me!" The subject was handcuffed, and Trooper Fretwell was then able to obtain his driver's license. The driver's license showed he was Jesse Nash Steen, 27, of a Bainbridge address. He was checked for any other weapons on his person.

Trooper Fretwell placed Steen in the back of his patrol car. Sheriff H.E. Glass and Investigator Shane Rathel came to give the trooper backup. Trooper Charles Hall arrived at the location. Trooper Fretwell explained to Trooper Hall what had transpired. The officers inspected the vehicle. They then obtained a 223 rifle and a 20 gauge shotgun. Also found in the vehicle were a backpack, containers, survival supplies, and copper metal plates.

Trooper Hall contacted Steen's parents and was told that he had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenic; he had been on depression medicine and had been up all night talking to himself.

After the officers obtained all the evidence from the vehicle, Steen was transported to the Miller County Jail for booking.

Steen was charged with felony obstruction to an law enforcement officer, concealed weapon, and no seat belt. All the evidence was turned over to the Miller County Sheriff's Office.

It pays to wear your seat belts. It’s the law, except for pickup trucks in Georgia alone.