DOUGLAS, Ga. — A routine traffic stop on May 6, 2025, led to multiple charges for Matthew Rowe, 40, of Douglas, after it was discovered that the four-wheeler he was driving had been reported stolen.
According to the Douglas Police Department, three officers observed Rowe driving a white Polaris Sportsman four-wheeler on North Peterson Avenue near the OYO Motel just after 10 p.m. The officers stopped Rowe, explaining that driving four-wheelers on state highways was not allowed. During the stop, they discovered that Rowe’s driver’s license had been suspended for several reasons.
While officers were investigating, a report came in about a stolen four-wheeler taken from a cargo trailer plant on Johnson Street near North Gaskin Avenue. Further investigation revealed that the four-wheeler Rowe was operating was the one that had been reported stolen.
In addition to the theft, Rowe told officers that he had swallowed an eight-ball (a reference to a drug, likely methamphetamine). Rowe was taken to Coffee Regional Medical Center for evaluation before being booked into the Coffee County Jail.
He now faces multiple charges, including burglary in the second degree, theft by taking, driving with a suspended license, operating a low-speed vehicle on the highway, and several other violations related to traffic and safety regulations.
