A Smithville man was seriously injured in a pickup truck crash Tuesday night on Dale Ridge Road (Highway 96) about a mile from Highway 70.

According to Trooper Sean Tramel of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 70 year old Robert Page was driving south in a 1993 Nissan pickup truck when he went off the edge of the roadway while going around a curve. As the truck slid sideways, Page overcorrected and the vehicle clipped the end of a guardrail before going down an embankment. The truck then crashed into a tree.

Although there were no eye witnesses to the wreck, Trooper Tramel said Richard Summers, a resident closeby, heard the crash but didn’t see the truck at first when he went outside his home to investigate. A short while later, Summers spotted the truck from the lights of a passing car on the highway and alerted authorities.

Members of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Team were summoned to the scene to perform extrication as Page was trapped in the truck.

Page was taken by DeKalb EMS from the scene to a helicopter landing zone on Highway 70 at the top of Snow Hill. From there he was airlifted to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.

Members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department were also at the scene of the crash to provide traffic control and other assistance.

The investigation was conducted by Trooper Tramel and THP Sergeant Eric McCormick. Trooper Tramel said Page was wearing his seatbelt.

The price of the property for a new DCHS Soccer playing field is costing the Board of Education a little more than originally anticipated.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the county commission approved a budget amendment of $6,677 to allow the school board to buy an additional acre of land. This includes $5,000 for the property and the rest to cover costs associated with the purchase.

The initial deal was for five acres of property adjoining the northside of the high school campus to Allen Ferry Road at a cost of $25,000.

Although the school board had the funds in capital outlay to make the purchase, approval of a budget amendment by the county commission was required last fall to transfer the money for the land purchase from the capital outlay line item in the budget.

County Mayor Tim Stribling explained Monday night that after a survey, it was discovered that the five acres did not extend all the way to Allen Ferry Road and that an additional acre would be needed to square up the property.

The school board had already voted to ask the county commission to approve the new budget amendment.

The soccer teams have never had a playing field to call their own. They use the high school football field to play their regular season games in the spring and fall.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has made arrests recently in separate domestic assault cases.

32 year old Joseph Edward Kilzer of Parkway Drive, Smithville is charged with domestic assault. His bond is $3,500 and his court date is April 12.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Friday, March 23 a deputy was called to a residence on Parkway Drive due to a physical domestic. Upon arrival the officer spoke to a woman who said that she and her boyfriend, Kilzer had gotten into an argument and that he had kicked her in the upper leg and tried hitting her, leaving scratches on her arms, back, and chest. Kilzer was placed under arrest.

42 year old Rebecca Joy Larue of Hickman Road, Alexandria is charged with domestic assault. Her bond is $3,500 and she will make a court appearance April 5.

Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, March 24 a deputy was dispatched to a residence on Hickman Road due to a possible overdose. Upon arrival the officer spoke with Larue. After an investigation, the deputy concluded there had been no overdose but that Larue had assaulted her husband while he was trying to prevent her from taking all of her medication. Larue admitted to having scratched and slapped him on the right side of his face. She was then placed under arrest.