Drunk Driver Caught with Children Passengers

May 3, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A drunk driver with two young children in the vehicle with him was arrested last week.

31 year old John David Anderson of North Drive, Cookeville is charged with a 4th offense of driving under the influence and 2 counts of reckless endangerment. He was further cited for violation of implied consent and driving on a revoked license. Anderson’s bond is $16,000 and his court date is May 16.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on April 27 a deputy was patrolling on West Broad Street in Smithville when he spotted an SUV in the turning lane in front of Walmart. The entire vehicle was across the white stopping line. The officer conducted a traffic stop and spoke with the driver, Anderson whose eyes were red and glossy. As he got out of the automobile, Anderson was unsteady on his feet. He performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. After refusing to submit to implied consent a search warrant was obtained for a blood sample. The two children in the vehicle with him were ages almost seven months and 21 months. The charges of reckless endangerment against him were for placing these children’s lives in danger. Anderson’s license were revoked for a previous DUI conviction on January 4, 2018.

44 year old Randall Mitchell Tittle of Village Place, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence. Tittle’s bond is $1,500 and he will make a court appearance on May 16.

Sheriff Ray said that on April 28 a deputy was patrolling on Nashville Highway when he spotted a silver car almost run off the right side of the roadway. He conducted a traffic stop and spoke with the driver, Tittle whose speech was slurred. His eyes were dilated and blood shot. He performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. After refusing to submit to implied consent a search warrant was obtained for a blood sample.

39 year old James Thomas Bailey is charged with being a fugitive from justice. His court date is May 9. Sheriff Ray said that on April 23 a deputy spotted Bailey walking on Highway 70 west. After stopping to speak with Bailey, the officer conducted a background check through the National Crime Information Center which revealed that he was wanted in Covington County, Alabama for failure to appear in court for possession of dangerous drugs. Bailey was to be extradited back to Alabama.

32 year old Timothy Leon Summers, Jr. of Students Home Road, Smithville is charged with resisting stop, frisk, halt, arrest, or search and evading arrest. His bond is $6,000 and he will make a court appearance on May 16.

According to Sheriff Ray, deputies went to Summers’ residence on April 23 to execute a warrant and upon arrival saw Summers looking out through a window. As the officers called for Summers, he tried to flee the residence on foot but was taken to the ground by the deputies. Summers initially tried to resist arrest by refusing to place his hands behind his back. He was subsequently handcuffed and placed in custody.

35 year old Brandon Lynn Tallent of West Broad Street, Smithville is charged with driving on a revoked license. His bond is $1,500 and he will make a court appearance May 9.

Sheriff Ray said that on April 23 a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle at Bridgeway Motel knowing that the driver, Tallent did not have a valid license. Tallent’s license were revoked for driving under the influence on August 10, 2017 and he had another DUI in 2018.

62 year old Johnny Wayne Trapp of Holmes Creek Road, Smithville is charged with public intoxication. Trapp is under a $1,500 bond and his court date is May 9.

Sheriff Ray said that on April 25 a deputy was dispatched to Nashville Highway due to a suspicious person. The complainant said this individual (Trapp) was crawling on the ground because he was unable to walk. Upon arrival the officer found Trapp unsteady on his feet and he had a strong odor of alcohol on his person. Trapp was placed under arrest for his safety.

22 year old Isaiah Curtis Sutherland of Hillwood Acres, Alexandria is charged with joyriding or unauthorized use of an automobile. His bond is $3,500 and he will make a court appearance May 9.
Sheriff Ray said that on April 25 Sutherland took a family member’s 2019 Hyundai and drove out of the county. He returned the car the next day on April 26.

May 3, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

County officials here and across the state are getting a pay raise this year.

Compensation for most county officials is governed by state law which establishes the minimum for Assessors of Property, County Clerks, Clerks of Court, Trustees, Registers of Deeds, County Mayors, Sheriffs, and Highway Officials. This law provides for an automatic increase in the minimum salary each year based on the percentage increase given to state employees for the previous fiscal year.

The state commissioner of finance and administration certified on October 5, 2018, that state employees received an average increase of 2.5 percent for the fiscal year 2018-2019.

The salaries of the county officials are partly based on the population class of the county and the office. Not all office holders earn the same amount of pay.

Under state law:

•The County Mayor’s compensation shall be at least 5% higher than the salary paid to any other county constitutional officer.

•The Sheriff’s salary shall be at least 10% higher than the salary paid to the general officers of the county.

•The Road Supervisor’s compensation shall be at least 10% higher than the salary paid to the general officers of the county.

•The salary of the General Sessions Judge is to be increased annually in the same manner as state court judges, which is the actual percentage change in the consumer price index between the two previous calendar years. The CPI change between 2017 and 2018 has not been calculated at this time. When released, the increase in salary of the general sessions court judges will be updated for the coming fiscal year.

•The Administrator of Elections salary is 90% of the base salary of the Assessor of Property.

The new salary schedule as set by the state for DeKalb County effective July 1 is as follows:

•General Sessions/Juvenile Court Judge: Currently $94,093 per year (To be updated later)
•County Mayor: $85,435 per year, up from $83,238.
•Road Supervisor: $81,368, up from $79,276
•Sheriff: $81,368, up from $79,276
•Trustee: $73,971, up from $72,069
•County Clerk: $73,971, up from $72,069
•Circuit Court Clerk: $73,971, up from $72,069
•Clerk and Master: $73,971, up from $72,069
•Register of Deeds: $73,971, up from $72,069
•Assessor of Property: $73,971, up from $72,069
•Administrator of Elections: $66,574, up from $64,862

May 3, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The Board of Education wants to give teachers and other certified personnel a $2,000 pay raise and is asking the county commission for sufficient funding to help make it happen.

During a brief special called meeting Friday morning, the Board approved a proposed budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year which includes pay raises for teachers and support staff.

(PART 1 BELOW)

(PART 2 BELOW)

IMG_5803 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

If approved, the actual local increase for the 225 teachers would be $1,200 each since the state is funding an $800 raise per teacher. The 200 non-certified staff members would get a $600 pay raise, all funded by local dollars.

The Board of Education plans to purchase Chrome Books for the 3rd through 5th grades for the new school year. Students from the 6th grade through high school already have Chrome Books. One new bus is usually purchased each year. The board plans to buy two buses next year along with a new work truck for the maintenance department. The total cost of the buses would be around $220,000. No new money would be needed to fund the extra bus, the work truck, or the Chrome Books. Sufficient funds can be shifted within the line items of the school budget to pay for them.

A total of $50,000 has been budgeted as incentive pay for teachers. According to Director Patrick Cripps, the money would be distributed as a bonus or reward money among deserving educators for going above and beyond their duties, such as writing grants, etc.

The proposed 2019-20 school budget comes to $24,235,000 including an expected increase in state BEP funding of almost $600,000.

The county commission’s budget committee will get its first look at the proposed spending plan for schools when it meets Wednesday night, May 8 at 5:00 p.m. at the courthouse.

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