High Speed Pursuit Early Sunday Morning Results in Crash

May 2, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A McMinnville man who led a county deputy on a high-speed pursuit early Sunday morning before crashing his car on Jacobs Pillar Road remains in the hospital and is facing several charges when he gets out.

28-year-old Chase Fults was airlifted after the 2:30 a.m. crash Sunday morning and at last report was in Vanderbilt hospital with serious injuries.

According to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, a deputy spotted Fults’ 2008 Audi on Highway 70 east (Sparta Highway) near the location of the former Dots Sport Print and noticed it failing to maintain its lane of travel. He got behind the vehicle and tried to pull it over near Terrell Road, but the car accelerated. A high-speed pursuit ensued for several miles into Smithville and onto Short Mountain Highway and then to Jacobs Pillar Road before the car crashed.

Trooper Bobby Johnson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, who assisted Trooper Dylan Palmer in the wreck investigation said Fults failed to negotiate a curve on Jacobs Pillar Road and went off the left side of the road and through a fence before hitting a large tree. Fults was ejected from the car. He was treated by DeKalb EMS and taken to a helicopter landing zone nearby where he was airlifted to Vanderbilt Hospital.

Both the Sheriff’s Department and THP have charges pending against Fults including evading arrest, reckless endangerment, failing to maintain lane of travel, excessive speed, and possibly DUI.

Meanwhile, the THP investigated two other crashes Monday.

Trooper Bobby Johnson said a head-on wreck at Bright Hill Road involved two drivers, neither of whom was believed to have been seriously hurt.

He said 67-year-old Ronald Taylor of Smithville was traveling west in a 2011 Toyota Tundra when he veered into the eastbound lane as 80-year-old Frances Storie was approaching driving a 2011 Kia Soul. As Taylor tried to get back into his lane, Storie swerved to avoid the collision as well and both hit head on. Storie was taken by DeKalb EMS to the hospital.

Meanwhile three people were involved in a crash on South Congress Boulevard Monday afternoon. No one was injured.

Trooper Johnson said 61-year-old Steven France of Smithville, operating a 2004 GMC Sierra pickup truck was stopped by a flagger in the construction zone. The car behind France, a 1997 Pontiac Grand AM, driven by 53-year-old Blanca Alvarez was also stopped. Behind Alvarez was a 2000 Chevy Silverado, driven by Bradley (Buck) Luna of Smithville who failed to stop. Luna’s truck rear-ended the Alvarez car forcing it into France’s truck.

Luna was cited for driving on a suspended license, failure to exercise due care, expired registration, and no insurance. Alvarez was cited for no driver license and no insurance.

May 2, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Obstruction mitigation will soon get underway at the Smithville Municipal Airport as required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ensure the safe operation of the airport.

During Monday night’s monthly meeting, the Smithville Mayor and Aldermen awarded a bid to GBR Construction and Landscaping, LLC in the amount of $267,625 for the project. A grant will cover all but about $18,000 of the cost. The city will pick up the tab for that ($18,000) for the local grant match.

“This grant will allow the city to clear most if not all obstruction at the airport that among other things keeps pilots from using instrument landing in bad weather,” said Alderman Shawn Jacobs, member of the City’s Airport Advisory Board, in making a motion to accept the bid of GBR.

Although it’s bid was not the lowest of the 4 submitted, Alderman Jacobs said GBR met all the state’s requirements including being able to provide documentation of certification in the federal disadvantaged business enterprises program.

All state and local government entities who are recipients of funds from the FAA and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) must have a DBE program if they plan to award contracts exceeding $250,000 and must show that they have awarded contracts to companies who are DBE certified.

The primary remedial goal and objective of the DBE program is to level the playing field by providing small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals a fair opportunity to compete for federally funded transportation contracts.

The other bidders were Tridens Builders, LLC for $210,500; Southeast Moving, LLC for $274,700; and Engineer’s OPC for $318,560.

Trees around the airport deemed to be obstructing the flight path will be topped or cut down.

“For the past few years, the city has been buying property or securing air rights to properties around the airport (with grant funds) in order to cut trees that are just too tall. Our goal at the airport is to mitigate those obstructions around the airport and make it safer for pilots to land and for the people living around the area,” said Airport Manager Caitlin Sanders.

In other business, the city is moving forward with a project to install a new irrigation system for the fairways and green at the Smithville Golf Course replacing the 56-year-old infrastructure.

During Monday night’s meeting, the Aldermen voted to award a bid to Oasis Irrigation of Nashville in the amount of $191,400 to provide materials, labor, and equipment to install the irrigation system for the golf course. The work includes all labor and equipment, pump installation, and gravel backfill for the cart paths.

City Administrator Hunter Hendrixson said some of Oasis’ clients include Vanderbilt University, the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Sounds Baseball, among other golf courses, cities, etc.

Oasis’ bid was the lowest of the two submitted. The other bid was from Pro Rain Irrigation Services, LLC in the amount of $261,290. The project will be funded in the city’s 2023-24 budget.

Last fall, the aldermen adopted a budget amendment ordinance in the amount of $375,000 to purchase materials for the project.

The city’s financial advisor Janice Plemmons Jackson said last fall that funds are available in the city budget thanks in part to golf course generated fees over the years.

May 1, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Dry Creek Road is now closed to thru traffic at the site where the contractor is preparing to replace a small bridge with a hole in it over Fall Creek just off of West Broad Street.

Last month the Smithville Mayor and Aldermen awarded a bid for the replacement of the bridge. Most of the funds for the project will come from the city’s share of American Rescue Plan Act money. Twin K. Construction of Helenwood, Tennessee was the only bidder and the aldermen accepted their bid of $630,605. In addition to the construction bid, other added costs including engineering have been or will be incurred that will possibly put the total project at more than $700,000.

The street at the site of construction will remain closed until the project is completed. Motorists needing to travel the street will have to take an alternate route.

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