18-year-old Jacob Cox-Brown (mug shot above) of Astoria, Oregon was arrested on New Year’s Day after police were tipped off to a post he had made on Facebook bragging about hitting another vehicle while driving drunk on New Year’s Eve.
Here’s Jacob Cox-Brown’s original post:
Astoria Police Officer Nicole Riley was made aware of the post by one of Jacob’s Facebook friends, and another friend called Astoria police Sgt. Brian Aydt with the same tip.
Earlier that morning, officer Riley was on the scene of a hit and run accident in which “a white-colored Scion had been sideswiped, leaving significant damage to the car.” There were “several pieces of tail light and bumper cover” recovered at the scene, believed to be from the car that caused the damage.
After receiving the tips about the Facebook post, Sgt. Brian Aydt and another officer went to Jacob Cox-Brown’s house and found a vehicle with damage consistent with the accident that also matched the debris found at the scene.
Cox-Brown was arrested and taken to Clatsop County Jail. He was charged with two counts of failing to perform the duties of a driver.
According to KGW, “Deputy Chief Brad Johnston said the teen was not charged with drunken driving because the Facebook post is not sufficient evidence that he was intoxicated.”
“Astoria Police have an active social media presence,” reads a Wednesday press release from Astoria Police. “It was a private Facebook message to one of our officers that got this case moving, though. When you post … on Facebook, you have to figure that it is not going to stay private long.”
Fascinated by people who break the law and then brag about it online? Then be sure to check out our post on 19-year-old Hannah Sabata, who posted a lengthy video on Youtube sharing details about how she stole a car and robbed a bank in Nebraska! (Hannah’s story is pretty amazing, and seemed to be more of a psychological cry for help than an act of stupidity.)
