A former sheriff was arrested after a drunk-driving crash in the county where he was the top law enforcement officer just a few months ago.
Jody Ashley, 56, was charged with DUI-first offense and reckless driving by Waynesboro police after having a wreck on a dead-end street in that city just before 5 p.m. Saturday, according to the incident report.
Ashley crashed a Ford F150 through a yard and into a ditch on Savannah Street, off Fairview Drive. A container that was in the vehicle spilled and the contents smelled like an alcoholic beverage, the report continued. Ashley was transported to Wayne General Hospital, where blood was drawn, but he was charged with DUI on suspicion of drunk driving. He was booked into the jail but was later transferred back to Wayne General for medical reasons, according to reports.
Ashley was a longtime conservation officer for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks then became a two-term sheriff in Wayne County. He was voted out of office last year, finishing third in the Democratic primary. Jerry “Juicy” Mosley emerged as the winner from a crowded field of candidates.
In January 2023, Ashley crashed and “totaled” his new Wayne County Sheriff’s Department vehicle near his residence at the Jones-Wayne county line sometime between 3-4 a.m. and was taken to the emergency room by a Jones County Sheriff’s Department deputy who lived nearby. There were accusations that Ashley had been drinking when that crash occurred and that led to more accusations being aired out during a special Wayne County Board of Supervisors meeting after a handful of deputies walked off the job.
Ashley did not respond to a message seeking details or comment on the latest incident.
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