A Cornelia man was arrested on January 7 after a deputy stopped his vehicle and linked him to drugs found in a gas station bathroom, officials said.
Deputies charged 30-year-old Austin Orien Rhodes with possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, abandonment of a dangerous drug, and defective tires.
According to the incident report from the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy was conducting a business check at the RaceTrac in Cornelia around 1 a.m. He observed a woman and Rhodes at the coffee station. The deputy noted the smell of marijuana coming from the pair.
The two left the store in a gray Jeep Wrangler. The deputy inside the convenience store said he observed the vehicle had tires with “wires and metal showing in places” and pulled the vehicle over.
During a search of Rhodes, the deputy found a jewelry bag containing a box and a black metal container.
“Austin stated it contained cocaine,” the deputy wrote in the report regarding the box. “Austin stated this contained cocaine as well as some pills,” he added regarding the metal container.
Deputies said they found drug paraphernalia, suspected marijuana and various pills, including hydrocodone and alprazolam, on Rhodes.
While conducting the investigation, the deputy who stopped Rhodes learned that another deputy had found a bag of methamphetamine in the RaceTrac bathroom. The deputy with Rhodes noted that he had used the restroom just before Rhodes and knew no one else had entered or exited in that time.
When asked about the drugs found in the store, Rhodes reportedly admitted they were his.
“Austin stated he thought he had bought cocaine,” according to deputies. “Austin stated he stuck his finger in the bag while in the bathroom, and it burned his gums, so he left it there.”
Rhodes was arrested and transported to the Habersham County Detention Center.
