Driver found guilty of running stop sign after officer dashcam and bodycam evidence; $300 fine ordered

A Clayton County judge found Janaya Monique Clark guilty on Thursday of failing to stop at a stop sign after the state played officer dashcam and bodycam footage and called Detective Pearson as a witness. The court imposed a $300 fine, with surcharges that bring the total to $444, and gave Clark 30 days to pay.

Detective Pearson of the Clayton County Police Department identified the dashcam video for the court and said she observed the vehicle proceed through the stop sign without making a complete stop. "No. She did not make a complete stop," Detective Pearson testified when asked whether the driver stopped.

The prosecutor played both the patrol dashcam and the officer’s body-worn camera. The officer testified that the dashcam captured the vehicle passing through the intersection and that the bodycam recorded the subsequent traffic stop and the driver’s acknowledgment that she had not made a complete stop.

Judge Tammy Long Hayward said the state met its burden and observed that Clark’s on-camera remarks amounted to an admission. "I've seen enough. The state has made its case. You're guilty," the judge said.

Prosecutors requested a $300 fine based on Clark’s prior driving history; the judge imposed that amount and ordered payment within 30 days or otherwise face the usual enforcement consequences. The transcript records that the state relied on the dashcam and bodycam evidence; the defense made argument but declined to call additional witnesses.

The charge was recorded on the calendar as case 202401541 for failure to stop at a posted stop sign within Clayton County. The transcript does not show any immediate post-decision motion.