A Troup County jury convicted John Ware of possession of cocaine, OCGA § 16-13-30 a, and the trial court sentenced him to 20 years, including 15 in confinement. Ware appeals from the order denying his motion for a new trial, arguing that the trial court erred in admitting similar transaction evidence. Ware also raises the general grounds. We affirm. 1. In his second enumeration of error, Ware contends that the evidence was insufficient to support the verdict. We disagree. On appeal from a criminal conviction, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict and an appellant no longer enjoys the presumption of innocence. This Court determines whether the evidence is sufficient under the standard of Jackson v. Virginia , 443 U. S. 307 99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560 1979, and does not weigh the evidence or determine witness credibility. Any conflicts or inconsistencies in the evidence are for the jury to resolve. As long as there is some competent evidence, even though contradicted, to support each fact necessary to make out the state’s case, we must uphold the jury’s verdict.1 Properly viewed, the evidence adduced at trial reveals that on August 14, 2006, Brent Storey, a drug investigator with the LaGrange Police Department, responded to a call about the theft of a lawn mower. The victim told Storey that Ware, who lived nearby, was the only person who knew where the mower was kept. Storey determined that Ware had an outstanding warrant for a felony probation violation, and Storey summoned Corporal Greg Sivers for assistance because he knew Ware. The officers hid themselves near Ware’s house and conducted surveillance. After ten or fifteen minutes, a vehicle pulled up and Ware exited the passenger side. The officers commanded Ware to come to them. Before Ware obeyed, he walked to a truck that was parked at the back of the house and made a throwing motion with his hands. After handcuffing Ware, the officers walked to the truck and saw three rocks of crack cocaine laying on the ground. Although it had been raining heavily that day, and the ground was saturated, the cocaine was dry. According to Storey, crack cocaine is very absorbent and will “turn to mush” if it sits on wet ground for a few minutes. The three rocks were dry, clean, and hard.
Ware argues that the evidence does not support his conviction for cocaine possession because it shows nothing more than his spatial proximity to the contraband. We disagree. “Possession of cocaine may be joint or exclusive, actual or constructive. A person who knowingly has direct physical control over a thing at a given time is in actual possession of it.”2 In the case at bar, the evidence was sufficient to support a finding that Ware had actual possession of the cocaine. After observing Ware make a throwing motion with his hands, the officers immediately proceeded to the location where he had been standing and retrieved the cocaine from the ground. Although the ground was saturated with water, the cocaine was dry and hard. No other person had been present in the vicinity of the cocaine during the time the officers had the area under surveillance. Accordingly, the evidence, both direct and circumstantial, was sufficient to support the jury’s finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.3
