
News
Warren County DA Indicted in Shots Fired Incident Last Month in Smithville
December 16, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
The DeKalb County Grand Jury met today (Monday) in a special session and returned a sealed indictment against Christopher Robert Stanford of McMinnville, the District Attorney General of the 31st Judicial District, charging him with reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm into an occupied habitation stemming from a shots fired incident near Bell Street Apartments in Smithville during the apprehension of three suspects in a Warren County triple homicide last month.
Stanford, age 43, turned himself in this morning (Monday) and has posted a $10,000 bond. He will make an appearance in DeKalb County Criminal Court for arraignment on January 7.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said the investigation of Stanford was conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at the request of Bryant Dunaway, District Attorney General of the 13th Judicial District who serves DeKalb County.
The shots fired incident occurred during the apprehension of 28-year-old Caleb Dias Brookins and Jessica Root, wanted by the Warren County Sheriff’s Department as suspects in the triple murder, and 21-year-old Hannah McKenzi Rose of Hickory Hollow Terrace in Antioch, Tennessee. Rose was charged locally by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department with aggravated assault on a first responder and evading arrest in a motor vehicle.
During the episode, Sheriff Ray said a Homeland Security agent from Warren County sustained a leg injury after being struck by a vehicle trying to make a getaway being driven by Rose with Brookins as her passenger. Before that, Rose rammed a DeKalb Sheriff’s Department truck operated by Chief Deputy Brian Williams with Detective Stephen Barrett as a passenger, but they were not injured. Although no one else was hurt, Sheriff Ray said Stanford, the Warren County District Attorney fired shots on Rose’s vehicle. Neither the vehicle nor the suspects were hit by the gunfire. However, according to the TBI the shots fired by Stanford struck a home occupied by a woman and her three children. They too were apparently not injured. Brookins fled on foot but was taken into custody a couple of hours later without incident by TBI. Brookins was found near Bell Street on Wade Street walking down the road. He was unarmed. According to Sheriff Ray, one of the suspects (Root) had lived here at one time and she has family here.
Todd Cantrell Awarded DCHS Teacher of the Month for November
December 16, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
The November Teacher of the Month award at DeKalb County High School goes to Todd Cantrell.
For winning the honor, Cantrell received a certificate from the school and a gift card for a meal at F.Z. Webb & Sons Soda Fountain.
Cantrell, a machine shop teacher, was selected by the administration as Teacher of the Month. He has been a DCHS educator in the CTE program for 16 years. His father-in-law, Wayne Fuson held the same position, formerly known as general metals instructor, for more than 30 years until his retirement.
“Its really good knowing people appreciate you. I have been blessed in my teaching career to work with some good administrators,” said Cantrell.
Todd and his wife Jenny have two grown daughters, Madison, who is now working for a consulting firm in Dallas Texas, and Megan Cantrell, who attends Tennessee Tech and is doing her student teaching in PE at Algood Elementary School.
“I went to TCAT in machine shop at McMinnville, formerly known as Vo Tech. I worked at Smithville Tool and Die for a few months, then went to Kingston Timers for 12 years in a tool & die apprenticeship program. From there I was at Shiroki for a year and a half working a weekend shift and I then started subbing (teaching),” said Cantrell.
He is the son of Charles “Chili Bean” and Diana Cantrell
Smithville Police Officer Presented THSO Award
December 16, 2024
By:
Smithville Police Officer Nik Agee was presented an Impaired Driving Enforcement award from the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO), Thursday, December 12 at the Cumberland Law Enforcement Liaisons Holiday Network Meeting and Awards in Cookeville for his dedication to keeping impaired drivers off the roadways.
THSO recognizes law enforcement from different agencies who may have saved a life through their extraordinary efforts to reduce alcohol and drug-impaired driving.
The Smithville Police Department is proud of Officer Agee for demonstrating proactive policing and his dedication to traffic safety.
