Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch to return to active duty Tuesday

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch will return to active duty Tuesday, June 16, following the expiration of a suspension imposed by Gov. Brian Kemp after the sheriff’s DUI arrest and subsequent driving-related charges.

Attorney Blake Poole confirmed Couch’s return in a media statement issued Monday afternoon.

“Sheriff Couch is fit for duty and eager to get back to work for the people of Hall County,” Poole said. “He has used this time away from the office to reflect on his commitment to public service and the community he has dedicated his career to protecting.”

Couch was first suspended March 17 after a state-appointed investigative committee recommended Gov. Brian Kemp remove him from office for 60 days following his Feb. 27 arrest on charges of DUI, failure to maintain lane and possession of an open container while driving a Hall County Sheriff’s Office vehicle. The committee had been appointed by Kemp at the request of the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association to investigate the circumstances surrounding the arrest.

According to a Georgia State Patrol report previously obtained by Now Georgia, Couch’s blood alcohol concentration was nearly three times the legal limit at the time of the traffic stop. He was arrested after deputies and state troopers responded to reports that he was driving erratically.

Following the arrest, then-Chief Deputy Kevin Head assured residents that the Hall County Sheriff’s Office would continue operating without interruption. Head said the agency remained fully committed to serving the public and that command of the office had transferred to him in Couch’s absence.

Kemp extended Couch’s suspension for an additional 30 days in May after the sheriff was arrested in Dawson County on charges of failure to maintain lane and violating the conditions of a limited driving permit. The governor’s order kept Couch out of office through June 15.

During the suspension, Hall County Superior Court appointed Major Chris Matthews to serve as interim sheriff.

Couch has served as Hall County sheriff since 2009.