A woman was seen wearing a headlamp in a pickup truck. Cherokee deputies then uncovered a chop shop

19/07/2023

CANTON, Ga. — Four people were arrested after a suspicious call leads to Cherokee deputies uncovering an alleged chop.

It was Friday night when Cherokee County deputies responded to a suspicious activity call at a home on Lower Scott Mill Road in Canton.

Officials said when they arrived, deputies saw a woman, later identified as Heather Bird, 47, of Canton in the bed of a pickup truck wearing a headlamp.

Heather Bird and her husband, David Bird, 53, of Canton reportedly walked up and began talking to deputies.

Cherokee authorities said the couple told deputies that the truck belongs to Terry Spriggs, 51, of Canton.

Deputies later learned that the truck was reported stolen out of Athens and that Heather Bird was wanted for failure to appear in court.

According to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies made contact with Spriggs who told deputies the truck was not his but later explained that he had just purchased the vehicle.

Deputies said a stolen motorcycle was also found at the home along with a stolen motorcycle engine that had been put on a different motorcycle frame.

Then authorities said, a fourth suspect, Justin Benson, 27, of Canton was found hiding under a bed. He had an active warrant for his arrest for violation of probation.

Officials said deputies said a search warrant was conducted at the home. Cherokee deputies said trafficking amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl were found inside the home along with prescription medication that did not belong to any of the suspects.

All four were arrested and taken to the Cherokee Adult Detention Center.

Springs was charged with trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking cocaine, trafficking fentanyl, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of MDMA with intent to distribute, possession of a Schedule II narcotic with intent to distribute, possession of a Schedule IV narcotic with intent to distribute, possession of a Schedule I, possession of a Schedule III narcotic, operating a chop shop, and two counts of theft by receiving.

Heather Bird was charged with trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking cocaine, trafficking fentanyl, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of MDMA with intent to distribute, possession of a Schedule II narcotic with intent to distribute, possession of a Schedule IV narcotic with intent to distribute, possession of a Schedule I, possession of a Schedule III narcotic, and violation of probation.

Benson was charged with possession of Schedule IV narcotics with intent to distribute, possession of Schedule III narcotics, two counts of possession of Schedule II narcotics and probation violation.

David Bird was charged with felony theft by receiving, theft by receiving property from another state, operating a chop shop, felony possession of Marijuana, Possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug-related objects.

Spriggs, Heather Bird, and Benson remain behind bars without bond. David Bird remains in custody with a $25,375 bond.