A Smithville man who was seriously injured in a pickup truck crash last week has died.

70 year old Robert Page passed away Monday night at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga. The body is at DeKalb Funeral Chapel. Arrangements are incomplete.

The accident occurred Tuesday night, March 27 on Dale Ridge Road (Highway 96) about a mile from Highway 70.

According to Trooper Sean Tramel of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 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.

Two men who allegedly participated in firing a flare gun into homes in December have been indicted by the Grand Jury

19 year old Kylan Taylor Leeper of Man Road Lebanon is under indictment for aggravated arson, reckless endangerment, and theft under $1,000. Another defendant in the case, 20 year old Daniel Lewis Dillard of Lee Braswell Road, Smithville has been indicted for attempted aggravated arson.

According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, Leeper went to Walmart in Smithville on December 1, allegedly stole a flare gun (valued at $47), and went to a residence on Short Mountain Highway where he fired the flare gun placing the victim (woman) in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury constituting the offense of reckless endangerment

Three days later, Leeper and Dillard allegedly participated in firing the flare gun at a home on Lee Braswell Road while a woman and a minor were inside causing damage to the residence. There apparently were no injuries. Leeper is indicted for actually damaging the residence. Dillard’s indictment is for attempting to damage the home.

Dillard was already on probation for a separate offense at the time of the incident.

Smithville Elementary would like to recognize Students of the Month for March. These students were selected for their outstanding character, academics, and other traits that make them an all-around excellent student. Selected as Students of the Month for March are:

Pre-K: Braylen Ferrell

Kindergarten: Gabriel Stuart

1st grade: Baylee Killian

2nd grade: Peyton Bandy
(Photo attached, students are pictured with Assistant Principal Anita Puckett and Principal Julie Vincent)