A shooting in south Hall County led investigators to a major stash of heroin and methamphetamine and resulted in the arrest of two suspected drug traffickers.
Hall County deputies responded to a report of a shooting outside of a hotel in the 4,900 block of Bristol Industrial Way early on Wednesday morning, Dec. 30.
Arriving deputies found the victim, Carlos Ruben Lopez, 32, of Flowery Branch, on the ground in the parking lot of Holiday Inn Express & Suites with a gunshot wound to his side. A woman who said she was Lopez’s girlfriend, Alana Jo Latimer, 33, of Gainesville, was with him.
Hall County Fire Services personnel responded and transported Lopez to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville with non-life-threatening injuries. Latimer was later transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton when she began displaying symptoms of a drug overdose during an interview about the shooting, a press release states.
“Investigators recovered suspected illegal drugs and approximately $2,000 cash from Latimer,” says Hall County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Derreck Booth. “Investigators also found suspected drugs while processing Lopez’s clothing during the shooting investigation.”
Agents with the Gainesville/Hall County Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad were notified and obtained a search warrant for the couple’s hotel room in Buford. There, Booth says, they found approximately 340 grams of heroin, more than 400 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine and over $5,000 cash.
The estimated street value of the drugs is $142,000.
Deputies arrested Latimer on Friday, Jan. 1, following her release from the hospital. Lopez turned himself in after leaving the hospital and was booked in at the Hall County Jail on Sunday, Jan. 3. Each suspect is charged with trafficking heroin and methamphetamine and possession of heroin and meth with intent to distribute.
Lopez also had outstanding arrest warrants for obstruction of an officer, entering auto and a probation violation.
“Latimer and Lopez have been uncooperative with the shooting investigation, and there are no leads at this time,” says Booth.
Both the shooting and narcotics cases remain under investigation by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.
