Rachel Allred was pulled over for speeding by sheriff deputies over six months ago.
She has been living with the threat of a felony charge for over six months, but she firmly believes that a straightforward test could prove her innocence.
On January 31, Allred was pulled over by the authorities.
According to Sheriff Deputies, the woman was driving at a high speed and was under the influence.
During the car search, a Delta 6 vape pen was discovered by the authorities.
Court documents reveal that authorities conducted an investigation on the Delta 6 pen and found that the website stated the pen contained a significant quantity of terpenes and cannabinoids.
Allred was accused of committing a felony by possessing a Schedule 1 controlled substance.
Allred expressed surprise when she found out she was going to be charged while she was in jail with the general population. “I was not aware I was going to be charged with that until I was in jail,” she said.
According to documents shared with Channel 2 Action News by Allred, the vape pen was purchased from a nearby smoke shop and appeared to comply with all regulations for products derived from hemp.
It has been months since the GBI received the vape pen for testing, but the product is still pending examination.
Sheriff Jud Smith of Barrow County expressed concerns over the excessive testing that has caused delays of several months and even years in some cases.
According to Sheriff Smith, all departments across the state send evidence to the GBI for testing. Unfortunately, the results on DUI cases are often delayed for several months, causing inconvenience.
According to Smith, the priority is given to more serious cases like murders and rapes.
Testing sometimes takes longer for cases like Allred’s to yield results.
Smith acknowledged that in that type of situation, one is caught in a catch-22. “You’re kinda a catch-22,” he said.
Defense Attorney Bruce Hagen expressed that individuals are subject to the system’s mercy in this situation.
According to him, it is common for individuals like Allred to wait for test results for 8 to 12 months. Unfortunately, this extended wait can have a detrimental effect on people with pending felony charges. It can follow them around, hindering their ability to move forward with their lives.
According to Hagen, the impact of this situation goes beyond just being an inconvenience in one’s life. It could potentially hinder one’s chances of getting hired for a job.
Allred’s location is precisely there.
Despite waiting for a test that could potentially clear her name, she continues to struggle with finding work due to a pending felony that appears on job applications.
Allred expressed the difficulties of finding a job due to being labeled a pending felon. She shared, “It becomes challenging to secure a job that can sustain my expenses.”
Unfortunately, at this time, the GBI has not provided us with data regarding their current backlog.
According to reports, the lab has made significant efforts to reduce the backlog over the past year.
