Sixty Three Test Negative for COVID-19 in DeKalb County with Five Confirmed Cases

April 1, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

For the first time, the Tennessee Department of Health began releasing the number of negative tests for COVID-19 on a county level Tuesday and is expected to start releasing county-level fatality data by the end of the week.

DeKalb County has 5 confirmed cases of the coronavirus but 63 people in DeKalb County have tested negative as of Wednesday, April 1. As of Tuesday the virus had infected at least 2,239 Tennesseans and killed 23.

Governor Bill Lee said the state has been cautious about releasing too much information because Tennessee is among a group of states that are legally bound by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known as “HIPPA” and that some portions of the state’s health care operations are covered by the federal privacy law.

This week the Governor issued a two-week statewide “Safer at Home” order closing non-essential businesses and telling Tennesseans to stay home in an effort to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Although healthcare professionals and others have urged him to do so. Governor Lee has resisted declaring a statewide mandated “shelter in place” order because it infringes on personal liberties.

Could DeKalb County issue its own “shelter in place” order?

“No” according to County Mayor Tim Stribling.

“I reached out to the County Technical Advisory Service (CTAS) and to Mike Harrison, the Director of the Tennessee Association of County Mayors and they say I do not have the authority to issue a “shelter in place”, said County Mayor Stribling.

“We can encourage one (shelter in place) but we as county mayor or city mayor do not have the authority to issue a “shelter in place”. That authority has to come from the regional medical director. Not our local medical director of the health department but the regional or state medical director. If we issued a “shelter in place” as a county mayor or city mayor it is not enforceable because we do not have the power to do that. We can only encourage it,” said County Mayor Stribling.

Meanwhile, the DeKalb County Health Department is continuing to conduct COVID-19 drive thru assessments this week at the health department on Tiger Drive with help from members of the Tennessee National Guard.

Drive thru assessments are being held Monday through Friday each week from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. until further notice.

“If you have symptoms of COVID-19, we encourage you to stop by our health department for an assessment,” said County Mayor Stribling.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit: https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html which also has a link to the Center for Disease Control website.

April 1, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

A drunk driver found with drug paraphernalia after crashing his truck into a gate will soon be in court.

41 year old Jerry Henry Goff of East Main Street, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence. He was also cited for no insurance and possession of drug paraphernalia. His court date is May 7.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on March 13 a deputy was dispatched to a motor vehicle accident on Midway Road where a truck had crashed into a gate. Upon arrival the officer spoke with the driver of the truck, Goff and found his speech to be slow and slurred. Goff also appeared to have been unaware of his surroundings. Goff submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. An inventory search of the truck turned up a set of digital scales with residue, two spoons with residue, and a cut straw. Goff was placed under arrest.

55 year old James William Summers is charged with domestic assault. His bond is $5,000 and he will be in court May 7.

Sheriff Ray said that on March 24 a deputy was called to a residence on Midway Road in reference to an assault and upon arrival spoke with a woman who had fled to a neighbor’s home to seek refuge. The woman said her boyfriend, Summers was next door at his mother’s home on Midway Road, but that earlier during a verbal confrontation Summers had pushed her down, struck her in the head, and pulled out patches of her hair.

23 year old James Alexander Ross of Kingsport Circle is charged with aggravated assault. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court May 7.

Sheriff Ray said that on March 25 a deputy was dispatched to the area of Adcock Cemetery Road in response to a 911 hang-up call. Upon arrival the officer spoke with a woman who said that on the night of March 24 she and her boyfriend, Ross got into a physical altercation and that he had hit her several times causing multiple lacerations to her face and head and bruising to her body. The woman was  taken by EMS to the hospital. Ross confessed to the crime.

29 year old Dustin Lynn Sissom of Old West Point Road, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence and his court date is May 7.

Sheriff Ray said that on March 28 a deputy pulled over a black Nissan SSR for failing to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Dunn Lane and Midway Road. Upon speaking with the driver, Sissom the officer detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Sissom’s person. He performed poorly on field sobriety tasks and although he agreed to submit to implied consent, a blood search warrant was obtained.

58 year old Landy Gene Kash of Hickman is cited for improper passing, driving on a revoked license, and violation of financial responsibility. His court date is May 6.

Sheriff Ray said that on March 15 a deputy while on patrol at New Hope Road in Alexandria spotted a red Dodge pickup truck pass another vehicle in a no passing zone (double yellow line). After pulling over the truck, the officer spoke with the driver, Kash and learned that he had no driver license. A background check through central dispatch also revealed that Kash has several offenses of driving on a revoked license.

29 year old Kasey Neville Belcher of Toad Road, Smithville is cited for a second offense of driving on a suspended license, violation of the registration law, and a light law violation. The court date is June 3rd.

Sheriff Ray said that on March 16 a deputy pulled over a vehicle for a light law violation (broken right rear tail light). The vehicle also displayed the wrong license plate. A background computer check also revealed that Belcher, the driver, had a previous suspended driver license offense.

April 1, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Dowelltown Mayor Pam Redmon has announced that the City of Dowelltown will have no trash pickup on Saturdays until further notice.

“Do not save your trash. When we resume, only 3 garbage bags per house will be picked up and cannot weigh over 30 pounds. Bags that are torn or not securely closed will not be picked up. We are sorry for this inconvenience and hope this will not last long,” said Mayor Redmon.

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