A routine traffic stop for a missing license plate Saturday in Chattooga County escalated into the arrest of an Alabama man found to be driving a stolen 1979 Chevrolet Corvette. Phillip Wayne Gibson, 60, of Alabama, was taken into custody on charges of Theft by Receiving Stolen Property.

According to a report from the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy A. Garmany initiated the stop on September 6, 2025, after observing a white Chevrolet Corvette traveling on Highway 48/JP Thornberry Drive without a visible registration tag.

Upon making contact with the driver, identified as Phillip Gibson, Deputy Garmany noted Gibson’s “very nervous” demeanor. Gibson reportedly told the deputy he was returning from Atlanta, Georgia, where he had picked up the vehicle from a garage for his boss, and was en route to Huntsville, Alabama.

Deputy Garmany returned to his patrol car to run Gibson’s driver’s license and the vehicle’s VIN, also requesting a backup unit due to Gibson’s behavior. Chattooga County E911 subsequently alerted Deputy Garmany that the Corvette had been reported stolen by the Dekalb County Police Department just the day prior, on September 5, 2025.

With the arrival of Deputy Whitworth and Georgia State Patrol Trooper Gant, a felony takedown was executed. Trooper Gant positioned his patrol vehicle to block the Corvette, while Deputy Garmany ordered Gibson out of the vehicle with his hands up. Gibson was then placed in handcuffs by Deputy Whitworth.

During questioning, after being read his Miranda Rights, Gibson reportedly stated that he “had a feeling that the vehicle maybe stolen” and declared that “if it does then he ain’t the only one going down for it.” He claimed he was hired by an individual named “Craig,” with whom he hangs sheet rock, and his “boss Dennis” to pick up the car for $500, needing the extra cash. Gibson also told deputies he was instructed not to turn the vehicle off because “it wouldn’t start back up,” further raising his suspicions about the car’s legitimacy. He also stated he saw “Craig” hand a large quantity of cash in a brown envelope to a “young black male” before they left for Alabama.

A K9 unit, including K9 Deputy N. Robinson and K9 Kendy, was called to the scene. K9 Kendy alerted several times on the driver’s side of the vehicle, though a subsequent search by deputies yielded no findings of narcotics.

Gibson was transported to the Chattooga County Jail without incident by Deputy Whitworth. The stolen Corvette was impounded by LuAllen’s wrecker service and placed on hold for the Dekalb County Police Department. The entire incident was captured on Deputy Garmany’s Body Worn Camera (BWC).

Authorities from Dekalb County have been notified regarding the recovery of the stolen vehicle and the ongoing investigation into the individuals Gibson identified.