Hall County officials seize drugs, weapons and cash; 1 person arrested

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The Hall County Sheriff's Office has seized thousands of dollars worth of illegal drugs after arresting a Gainesville man who attempted to flee from officers on August 12, 2024. (Hall County Sheriff's Office)

HALL COUNTY, Georgia. – Following an attempted traffic stop and subsequent chase Monday morning, Hall County officials seized thousands of dollars worth of illegal drugs.

According to the Hall County Sheriff's Office, officers noticed a westbound pickup truck crossing the double yellow line on Mountain View Road around 1 a.m. on August 12. After losing sight of the vehicle on Tumbling Creek Road, officers found the truck in a parking lot on West Park Drive. When they attempted to approach the driver, identified as 22-year-old Rodolfo Rodriguez-Puentes, he backed up and fled the scene, sparking a pursuit.

Although they lost sight of the truck near Ga. 13/Atlanta Highway and Thurmond Tanner Parkway, officers had already identified Rodriguez-Puentes and later obtained arrest warrants for several traffic violations, including fleeing and attempting to elude police, driving under the influence and reckless driving.

Officers found Rodriguez-Puentes later that morning at his South Oaks Drive home, where a subsequent search revealed a bag of marijuana in plain sight. That discovery led to a larger investigation by the sheriff's Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which executed a search warrant on the property.

During the search, significant quantities of drugs were seized, including over 1,700 Alprazolam pills, 327 THC cartridges, more than four pounds of marijuana and four firearms. Investigators also confiscated approximately $7,000 in cash. The estimated street value of the drugs is approximately $61,900.

Rodriguez-Puentes is now charged with additional offenses, including possession of Schedule IV drugs, THC oil and marijuana with the intent to distribute, as well as possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He remains in the Hall County Jail without bail as of Wednesday afternoon.

The investigation is ongoing.