Hall County

Mail carrier charged with driving, delivering mail while high on drugs

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — A Hall County  mailman is under arrest on charges of driving under the influence of drugs and drug possession.

A Hall County sheriff's deputy stopped Edward Gay for failing to use his turn signal while delivering mail on

Longview Drive in Gainesville on Thursday afternoon.

"During the course of the investigation it was determined the postal carrier was probably under the influence of some substance," said Hall County Sheriff's Office Deputy Stephen Wilbanks.

Wilbanks said a backup unit was then called in.

"A K-9 team responded to the scene and conducted an open-air sniff and indicated a positive on the vehicle. A little less than a gram of crack cocaine was inside the vehicle," Wilbanks said.

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Gay, 50, appeared before a Hall County magistrate judge Friday afternoon. The judge told the mail carrier that she would ask for his case to be moved to drug court.

"If you're eligible and complete the program, you will not have a conviction on your history. Do you understand that, Mr. Gay?"  the judge asked.

"Yes, ma'am. That sounds good," Gay said.

Some residents on the mail carrier's delivery route were surprised by his arrest.

"I think it's sad. It's something they definitely need to check into. A mailman being responsible for everyone's personal mail. Yeah, that's strange," said Linda Robertson

The U.S. Postal Service said it is conducting its own investigation into the mail carrier's arrest and had no comment.