Year in Review – Part II
The top stories of 2023 included tragedy and triumph, sorrow and happiness, and a bit of politics. Here’s the high and lows of 2023, from July to December.
July
Goebel repeats as Fiddle champions
The 52nd Annual Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival is in the books and we can’t say it went off without a hitch. While the evening competitions for Friday had to be called off due to extreme weather, Saturday’s competitions also faced a three-hour delay due to rain and lightning.
This year was a repeat for last year’s Fiddle Champion with 14-year-old Noah Goebel of Elkton, KY, once again earning his way to the Fiddling Title.
Nichols given 20 years for rape, sexual battery of child
The 48-year-old Smithville man indicted for two counts of rape of a child and aggravated sexual battery made a plea in Criminal Court. David Wayne Nichols, pleaded guilty to one charge of aggravated sexual battery and was given a 20-year prison sentence.
One injured in Marina fire
The DeKalb County Fire Department responded to a blaze at a local marina that threatened several boats. One person was injured at one of the scenes and had to be airlifted to the hospital.
Stanley announces resignation as Administrator of Elections
After more than 14 years of service, the DeKalb County Administrator of Elections is leaving the post.
Dennis Stanley announced this week he is resigning at the end of August, a date that allows ample time for his successor to be trained and prepared for the 2024 election cycle. The DeKalb County Election Commission is set to name his successor at a regular meeting August 15.
Car group facing felony charges for burnouts
A group of car and truck enthusiasts, including a former Smithville Police officer, have found themselves in hot water after doing damage to the newly paved County Complex parking lot.
Police say the group was performing burnouts in the parking lot, which produced ruts and holes in the surface. A total of 10 people faced felony charges for the incident. Authorities say the damages are at least $3,500.
Manning charged in fatal shooting
A call to E-911 reporting shots fired has led to the discovery of a murder victim, and an investigation by Sheriff’s officials and special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in the arrest of a Smithville man on a murder charge.
According to Chief Deputy of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department Brian Williams, 56-year-old Thomas Dwayne Thomason suffered a gunshot wound outside his home and died after being transported by DeKalb EMS from the scene to Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital. The shooting was reported to Central Dispatch and a deputy was on the scene within minutes.
Also found at the scene was 39-year-old Jarrett Manning of Ferrell Road, who is believed to have been responsible for the shooting. He has been charged with second degree murder and is under $500,000 bond.
Redmond arrested for murder
A local man faced second-degree murder charges in Warren County for the January 2023 death of his girlfriend. A Warren County Grand Jury indicted 38-yearold Michael Brandon Redmond, and a yet to be named co-defendant, through a sealed indictment on July 14, charging them with second degree murder and aggravated assault.
The victim in the case is 39-year-old Robin Lynn Crouch Emigh of Warren County.
According to the indictment, “Michael Brandon Redmond, on or about the 27th day of January, 2023, did kill Robin Emigh, constituting the offense of Murder in the Second Degree, a Class “A” Felony.”
August
State electrical inspector indicted by Grand Jury
A state electrical inspector is facing charges after an investigation by the 13th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office resulted in a sealed indictment by the DeKalb Grand Jury. The indictment alleges official misconduct and theft of property $10,060,000.
Named in the case was 55-year-old Shannon Lee Patterson of Olen Drive, Smithville. He is under a $10,000 bond.
New Alexandria police chief named
The Town of Alexandria has a new top cop, following the departure of longtime Police Chief Chris Russell. Travis Bryant will be taking the reins of the Department after being sworn in last week during the regular town meeting.
Bryant is a former police officer with the Smithville Police Department, and was hired by the Alexandria Mayor and Aldermen to take over Russell’s duties. Chief Russell announced earlier last month that he would be resigning the position in order to accept a position as detective for the DeKalb Sheriff’s Department.
Local man charged with sex crime against child
A Liberty man was being held without bond after being named in a seal indictment. The DeKalb Grand Jury indicted 67-year-old James Michael Carpenter, charging him with aggravated sexual battery of a child just four years of age.
According to the indictment, the incidents occurred between April 17, 2015 and April 17, 2017, where Carpenter allegedly unlawfully made sexual contact with a minor child under the age of 13.
Carpenter is a local clergyman in the community and was arraigned on August 7.
Estes named as new Administrator of Elections
The DeKalb County Election Commission has announced its choice for the new Administrator of Elections. The commission’s voted on the position during its regular meeting.
A majority vote of the five-member commission chose 33-year-old Dustin Estes of Smithville to succeed current Administrator Dennis Stanley. Stanley, who has served as Administrator for the past 14 years, recently announced his resignation effective September 2.
Time is up for DeKalb County Jail
TCI officials are requiring that the jail’s number of certifiable beds, currently at 102 (78 males and 24 females), must be reduced to no more than 52 (16 females and 36 males) almost immediately. In addition, the 64-year-old basement portion of the jail, which housed 23 inmates, can no longer be used for that purpose.
Sheriff Ray informed members of the County Commission’s Jail Committee that 29 inmates currently in the jail complex will have to be housed at jails in other counties at a projected cost of $55.40 per day, for a total of more than $1,600 per day. To house that number of inmates for a year it would cost nearly $600,000.
September
Two die in house fire
Two people were discovered dead after DeKalb County firefighters responded to a house fire in the Riverwatch community. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the blaze.
According to the State Medical Examiner, the bodies of 33-year-old Kristin Kerrigan of Nashville, and 34-year-old William Waynick of Franklin, were discovered in the aftermath of a house fire at 110 Mountain Harbour Drive Sparta.
Fugitive couple arrested in DeKalb
A couple wanted out of Warren County on attempted homicide charges were arrested in DeKalb County Monday afternoon after a search of a Pates Ford home.
Jonathan McPeak, also known as “Geronimo,” and Christina Wallace were taken into custody after Warren County authorities contacted the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, wanting to search a home on Doss Thweat Road. McPeak was wanted for the charge of Attempt to Commit Homicide, while Wallace was wanted for Accessory to the Attempt to Commit Homicide.
October
KABOOM! Blast causes damage to Liberty
Routine blasting at a local rock quarry went terribly wrong, resulting in shattered windows, and even doors dislodged from the frames.
The incident occurred October 3, in the area surrounding the quarry run by Rogers Group at 470 Woodbury Highway in Liberty. Blasting conducted by Austin Powder Shooting ended with what the State Fire Marshal’s Office describes as an over pressurization. The blast wave ripped through the area, breaking windows and shaking foundations of local homes and businesses. The blast exceeded the state allowable level of 140dB.
Hutchins charged with money laundering, wire fraud conspiracy
NASHVILLE – A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week charging Stephanie Louise Baker, 53, of Mount Juliet, Brian Baker, 52, of Mount Juliet,, and Jerry W. Hutchins, 48, of Dowelltown, for engaging in a wire fraud and money laundering scheme to defraud a used automobile auction business in Murfreesboro, announced United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee.
All three defendants surrendered to federal agents last Friday and made an appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge that day.
November
Forks of the Pike crash claims Alexandria man
A two-vehicle crash resulted in the death of an Alexandria man and injuries for two others. The wreck occurred at the Forks of the Pike, at the yellow light intersection of Highway 70 and Highway 96 (Murfreesboro Highway).
According to Trooper Bobby Johnson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 78-year-old Sarah Harrington of Auburntown was traveling west on Highway 70 in a 2004 Toyota Hylander. At the same time, 82-year-old Alice Francis Dodd was driving a 2011 Mazda 3 with her husband, 85-yearold George Dodd, Jr., in the passenger seat.
Authorities say that as Harrington attempted to make a left turn onto Highway 96, she pulled into the path of Dodd’s vehicle, which t-boned Harrinton’s SUV, flipping it on its side. Harrington was trapped in the wreckage and had to be extricated with the Jaws of Life in order to be freed from the crash. A Vanderbilt Medical Center Lifeflight helicopter was called to the scene to transport Mr. Dodd, landing at DeKalb West School, but Dodd succumbed to his injuries in the ambulance at the scene.
Fatality on Caney Fork
A 69-year-old Cannon County man, Robert Lester, drowned last Saturday on the Caney Fork River in DeKalb County. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) officers responded to a call of an overturned kayak just after 11 a.m. (CDT), October 28.
The man and his wife left the Buffalo Valley Boat Ramp by kayak. The man’s kayak struck a tree and flipped. Rescuers searched the area, and the body was found in eight feet of water by Tennessee Highway Patrol helicopter, less than 100 yards from where the man overturned.
Grand opening held at new fire hall
The new Liberty/Dowelltown Fire Hall is up and running and the DeKalb County Fire Department held an open house/ribbon cutting ceremony for the facility last Saturday afternoon. Liberty and Dowelltown officials joined with county officials for the event, along with the Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb EMS, State Representative Michael Hale, and area citizens.
E-911 radio communications in need of upgrade
E-911 Director Brad Mullinax is warning the DeKalb County Commission of some possible dire circumstances concerning the county’s emergency radio system. At the full county commission’s meeting on November 21, Mullinax said the old antiquated system is now beyond its service life and the radios are currently working, providing communications to deputies, fire, EMS, and rescue personnel, but if it goes down again it may stay down for a long period of time.
December
Local man charged in drug-related death
A joint investigation by special agents with the Drug Investigation Division of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has resulted in the indictment of a Smithville man, in connection to the drug-related death of a DeKalb County man earlier this year.
On February 9th, agents joined deputies in investigating the death of 43-year-old William Wayne Graham. He was found deceased at a residence on Bright Hill Road. The investigation revealed that he died from acute combined drug toxicity, that included ethanol, alprazolam, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. During the course of the investigation, investigators identified Scott Ferrell as the individual who provided the cocaine to the victim.
On November 27, the DeKalb County Grand Jury returned indictments charging 59-year-old Scott Alan Ferrell with one count of second-degree murder, one count of Sale of Schedule II Narcotic, and one count of Delivery of Schedule II Narcotic. Ferrell was arrested and booked into the DeKalb County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
Smithville to renovate city pool
The Smithville Municipal Swimming Pool has seen better days and in need of some major renovations, but the city is committing $100,000 towards repairs before its planned opening next May. The city has also increased its hourly pay for lifeguards in order to attract participants this summer.
During Smithville’s regular monthly meeting on Monday, December 4, the Mayor and Aldermen heard from Tiera Nash of A Cut Above Outdoors, LLC in Cookeville, who submitted a bid of $95,700 to do the repairs for the city. The pool has been repaired several times over its 50-years, but Nash said the pool has deteriorated this time to the point that it should not be opened unless some further renovations are made.
