Driver arrested on DUI charge after golf cart stop in Newton County
A driver was arrested on a DUI charge after a deputy stopped a golf cart on a Newton County road Thursday afternoon, according to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office.
The traffic stop took place at about 4 p.m. on August 27 near the intersection of Eagle Drive and Dearing Road. A deputy reportedly saw the golf cart travelling along Dearing Road before pulling it over.
Investigators determined that the cart had been driven from Ashton Hills Golf Course before the stop. The driver was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.
The sheriff’s office did not release the driver’s identity or specify the person’s blood-alcohol level. It also did not provide further details about the circumstances leading to the arrest.
Following the incident, the agency reminded residents that DUI laws apply to golf carts when they are operated on public roads.
In Covington, motorised carts may be driven only on designated streets and must comply with Georgia law and local requirements. The city says operators must have a valid driving licence or instruction permit, while carts must be registered and covered by liability insurance. Local rules also require safety equipment, including headlights, taillights and seat belts, and prohibit carts from using certain roads and pavements.
The Newton County Sheriff’s Office issued the reminder in a light-hearted social-media post, saying: “Don’t drink and drive” includes golf carts and that the vehicle “is not a loophole”.
The post urged anyone who had been drinking to leave the cart parked and arrange a sober ride home. It added that the agency had consulted its H.E.A.T. — Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic — unit before confirming that the same traffic rules applied.
The arrest came after what the sheriff’s office described as a final round at the golf course ending with a traffic stop by a deputy.
