Twiggs County deputies recognized at law enforcement awards, urge residents to drive sober over the holiday weekend

Two Twiggs County sheriff’s deputies and a leadership team were recognized at an annual law enforcement banquet last week.

Deputies Lexi Marks and Bobby Black received special awards for their work in taking drunk drivers off the road.

Officials say Marks made 56 DUI arrests in 2025, earning her a Silver Pin and special recognition at the ceremony. Black, who made 25 DUI arrests in 2025, was also honored with a Bronze Pin.

Captain Lee Smith and Sgt. Tracy Golden were also named Traffic Enforcement Network of the Year, for their work as coordinators of the Middle Georgia Traffic Enforcement Network leadership team with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

The banquet itself, the Annual Golden Shield Awards hosted by MADD, is a yearly ceremony where law enforcement, DUI prosecutors and community advocates are recognized for their efforts to keep Georgia safe from impaired drivers. This was their 22nd year.

“For the past 22 years, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety has partnered with MADD Georgia to recognize the individuals who work tirelessly to keep our highways and communities safe,” MADD’s webpage reads. “These are the men and women who respond to the crash scenes, investigate the cases, testify in courtrooms, and stand in the gap for victims and their families.”

MADD, which stands for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, organizes the banquet every year. According to its official webpage, MADD’s mission is to end impaired driving, support victims of impaired driving and prevent minors from drinking and using illicit substances.

“Every impaired driver removed from our roadways represents lives protected and tragedies potentially prevented,” a Twiggs County sheriff’s office official wrote. 

Chief Deputy Buddy Long called the recognition “very special.” He also commended the deputies for their efforts at keeping Twiggs roads safe on top of their other duties. In addition to manning the roads, sheriff’s deputies are also responsible for domestic calls, animals on the loose, and other emergencies, he said.

According to Long, DUI arrests are vital in keeping the roads safe from dangerous, potentially fatal accidents.

“It’s amazing to see the DUIs they pull off the interstate,” he said. “I’ve seen people they got that were so drunk they couldn’t hardly stand up, and they’re driving 70, 80 miles an hour down the interstate.”

According to a study done by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the average risk of severe injury to a pedestrian when struck by a car is at 75% when the car is traveling at 39 miles per hour. At 46 miles per hour, the risk of severe injury jumps to 90%. The risk of death in a struck pedestrian climbs to 90% at only 58 miles per hour.

Drunk driving kills 32 Americans every day. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 11,904 people were killed in 2024 as a result of alcohol-impaired driving.

With the Fourth of July coming up this Saturday, Long warns residents against drunk driving, urging them to plan ahead and set up a designated driver.

If you can’t find a designated driver, he said, tell someone. By calmly explaining your situation, someone will likely find a way to get you home.

“Somebody will get you home safely,” he said. 

If you can’t find another safe way home, contact the sheriff’s office. 

“If you’re in the county and [call the sheriff’s office], we’ll come take you home,” he said. “Just don’t get under the steering wheel and take the risk of killing someone.”