January 29, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
The Smithville Police Department has taken a warrant against a Sparta man who was involved in a wreck following a White County Sheriff’s Department pursuit just before 2 a.m. on Saturday, January 13.
36 year old Charles R. Wilmoth is charged with being involved in an accident with damage to a vehicle.
According to the warrant, on Saturday, January 13th police located a vehicle that was involved in a pursuit from White County that had wrecked and struck a stop sign at the intersection of Hayes and South Mountain Street. The driver of the vehicle, Wilmoth was apprehended and transported back to White County on active felony warrants. Wilmoth was the operator of the vehicle during the time of the wreck and fled on foot after striking the stop sign. A warrant for an accident involving damage to a vehicle was issued for his arrest and a hold was placed on him. Wilmoth will be transported back to DeKalb County after serving his time in White County. Wilmoth’s bond on this charge is $3,500 and his court date is February 1.
Wilmoth and Amber Madison Rhea, also of Sparta were in a 2005 red Dodge Neon when they crossed into DeKalb County from White County, trying to elude officers of the White County Sheriff’s Department, who were looking to serve warrants on Wilmoth for a violation of probation. After White County officers terminated their pursuit, local law enforcement were advised to be on the lookout for the car at 1:56 a.m. Saturday, January 13 and Smithville Police found it abandoned at the intersection of South Mountain and Hayes Street at 2:10 a.m. The car had knocked over a stop sign and the occupants of the vehicle had fled on foot.
Members of the Smithville Police Department, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, and White County officers converged on the scene and began looking for the couple. They were found in the area shortly thereafter, taken into custody, and transported back to White County.
According to officials of the White County Sheriff’s Department, Wilmoth and Rhea are each charged with evading arrest, possession of schedule II drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Wilmoth also has warrants against him for two counts of violation of probation, evading arrest in a motor vehicle and reckless endangerment.
32 year old Christopher L Cripps was arrested on Saturday, January 13 for a 2nd offense of driving on a revoked license while being an habitual offender. His bond is $5,000 and his court date is February 1. Police received a “be on the lookout” BOLO for a vehicle from Warren County and spotted it. An officer initiated a routine traffic stop after checking the tag with central dispatch and discovering that the automobile was stolen in Warren County. Cripps was the driver. A validation check of Cripps’ license through dispatch revealed it to be revoked. Cripps has a prior offense against him for driving on a revoked license after an habitual offender conviction in Warren County on October 28, 2015.
35 year old Cody Leon Davenport was cited on Sunday, January 14 for possession of a prohibited weapon. Police responded to Wal-Mart in reference to a shoplifter and found Davenport with a large knife on his person. According to Davenport, he uses the knife, approximately 12 inches in length,to defend himself from animals as he walks down the road. His court date is February 8.
34 year old James L Bullard was cited on Monday, January 15 for simple possession. Police were called to a local half-way house where a man, Bullard, was found to be swinging a hammer at other residents. During the investigation, the officer spotted a spoon with residue believed to be methamphetamine on a shelf in Bullard’s bedroom. Bullard was the only person living in the house at the time of this incident. His court date is February 8.
41 year old Bobby Pinegar was arrested on Sunday, January 14 for tampering with evidence and cited for simple possession. Police responded to Wal-Mart in reference to a suspicious person. During a computer background check on the suspect, Pinegar, the officer was informed by an employee that Pinegar had a bottle of pills on him. In Pinegar’s hand were two vials. The officer ordered Pinegar to hand them over. Pinegar turned over one of the vials to the officer but tried to swallow the contents of the other vial. Two pills from that vial fell to the floor, including an 8 milligram buprenorphine hydrochloride, a schedule III drug for which Pinegar had no prescription. The other drug that fell on the floor was not a controlled substance. Pinegar’s bond is $7,500 and his court date is February 1.
44 year old John William Cline was arrested on Friday, January 19 for theft. Police received a report on November 22 of a 2006 35 foot American Camp travel trailer that had been taken from the victim’s residence. During an investigation police learned that Cline had sold the trailer without the permission or consent of the owner. The trailer has been recovered. Cline’s bond is $5,000 and his court date is February 1.
32 year old Justin Lynn Murphy was arrested on Monday, January 22 for public intoxication and cited for simple possession. Police responded to a call of an unwanted guest and upon arrival spoke with Murphy and a woman who were involved in what appeared to be a verbal altercation as they stood outside the back door of a residence. Murphy turned and began to walk away from officers once he noticed that they were there. Murphy initially failed to heed police commands to stop but he finally turned around and began pulling items from his pockets including a bottle containing 20 blue and white capsules which were later identified to be Vyvanse. Murphy had no prescription for the medication. Murphy appeared to be unsteady on his feet and his speech was slurred. He was placed under arrest for public intoxication and cited for simple possession. His bond is $1,500 and his court date is February 15.
34 year old Christy Diann Reeder, charged with filing a false report, and 34 year old Steven Darrell Bly, charged with evading arrest, were picked up on Thursday, January 25.
Police responded to a 911 hang up call at a residence where they had received domestic calls in the past and had before tried unsuccessfully to serve pending warrants against a suspect there.
Upon arrival they approached the residence and could hear a woman crying and talking to someone inside the door. Officers knocked on the door and called for the occupants inside to come to the door but no one responded. Due to past knowledge of domestic abuse there, the officers contacted the landlord and asked that the door be opened so that police could make sure no one inside was hurt. The officers identified themselves and made entry but a woman inside called out informing them that she was taking a bath. Officers ordered her to get dressed and to come out. She complied. Police asked if anyone else was in the house. The woman, Reeder replied no but neighbors reported seeing a man going inside the residence before police arrived.
Officers asked Reeder specifically if Steven Bly was in the residence but she again insisted that no one else was there but her. Bly has multiple warrants against him for violation of probation out of Circuit Court and a Failure to Appear in General Sessions Court.
Knowing that Bly often hides in the attic, police warned Reeder that if Bly were found to be in the residence she would be charged. Officers went to the attic entrance in a rear bedroom and called several times for Bly to come down. Police used a camera and light to aid them in looking in the attic to see if anyone was present. There they spotted cushions lined up like a bed with a bag of chips beside it. Officers then obtained a ladder and made entry into the attic where they heard a noise and saw Bly’s hands and forearms protruding up from the insulation. Bly was taken into custody and transported to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department for processing. While he already had active warrants against him, police took an additional warrant for evading arrest. Reeder was also arrested for filing a false report. Bond for each is $5,000 and their court dates are February 8 for Reeder and February 15 for Bly.