The Year 2021 In DeKalb County-Part 4

January 3, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

WJLE takes a final look back today on some of the top local news stories of 2021 in the last of a four part series which includes the death of a longtime physician, the opening of a revitalized children’s playground in Alexandria, a lineman surviving an electrocution, the search for a missing father and child, a 7.2% ten year growth in the county’s population, a boy threatening to bring a gun to school, and headlines on the crime and court front ranging from vehicular homicides, child sex trafficking and pornography, arsons, kidnappings, etc.

*A Smithville couple, 32-year-old Dustin Matthew Brewer and 29-year-old Brandi Louise Brewer were charged in January with child abuse or neglect for exposing their child to drugs. Dustin was also charged in a separate case for failure to appear. According to Smithville Police, officers were advised that the Department of Children Services received a referral on the Brewers for exposing their 4-year-old child to drugs. DCS then got a hair follicle from the child and the drug test came back positive for methamphetamine. Warrants were then taken against the Brewers.

*The DeKalb County Fire Department recognized and honored a few of its own during the annual awards program held Saturday evening, January 16 in a virtual setting this year due to COVID-19. The 2020 Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital Volunteer Firefighter of the Year was Steve Repasy, Station Commander of the Midway Station. Repasy, who also claimed the award in 2018 and 2019, was honored during the Annual Awards Program. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Dusty Johnson Three-repeated as the Liberty State Bank Officer of the Year and Lieutenant Blake Cantrell was selected to receive the Allen’s Allstars “Git R Done” Award. The DeKalb Telephone Cooperative (DTC) Rookie of the Year Award went to Jordan Lader of the Johnson’s Chapel Station and the Liberty Station received the FirstBank Station of the Year award. Wilson Bank & Trust was the headlining sponsor of the banquet.

*A new member was named in January to the DeKalb County Election Commission by the Tennessee Election Commission. Kim Driver Luton, a resident of Smithville, replaced Lisa Peterson as one of the two democratic members of the local commission. She served out Mrs. Peterson’s term, which expired in April 2021 and was re-appointed to a full term. Mrs. Peterson was first appointed in April 2017 and served until her death January 19, 2021.

*DeKalb County Farm Bureau announced the retirement of two long time employees in December. Agency Manager Bart Lay and Customer Service Representative Gloria Pinegar stepped down after a combined 81 years of service to the Farm Bureau. Lay was a 36-year veteran with the company including 21 years in Smithville and Pinegar completed 45 years of service here.

*A Smithville man found with images of child pornography on his mobile phone was charged in January and indicted in August with sexual exploitation of a minor. According to District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway, “Investigators with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s Office began to investigate a tip that 50-year-old David Royden Drennan of Sparta Highway, Smithville was in possession of photographic and video images of children which are sexual in nature. The ICAC unit with the Cookeville Police Department also assisted in the investigation”. “As the investigation progressed, evidence was discovered showing that Drennan had in excess of 50 images of child pornography on his mobile telephone”.

*A 63-year-old Liberty man was taken into custody after the DeKalb County Grand Jury returned a sealed indictment against him Monday, November 15 for Rape of a Child. Carlos Restrepo of Cook Road, Liberty is accused of digital penetration. The victim was 6 years old at the time. Sheriff Patrick Ray said although the case is from 2010, the victim did not disclose the crime until March 2021 after turning 16 years old. The minor child disclosed this information to the Tennessee Department of Children Service and a Detective of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office while being forensically interviewed at the Upper Cumberland Child Advocacy Center. According to Sheriff Ray Restrepo admitted to committing the offense. This case was investigated by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and the 13th Judicial District Attorney’s General Office.

*Based on overall high marks given by the Board of Education in a performance evaluation, Director of Schools Patrick Cripps was awarded a one-year contract extension and given a $3,000 bonus in March, the same amount as certified staff have received over the past two years (2019-20 and 2020-21). Cripps, who had earned an annual salary of $90,000 got the extra $3,000 bonus to be paid in equal payments before June 30, 2021. Starting July 1, 2021, the Board began paying the Director an annual salary of $93,000 and he (Cripps) will be entitled to the same salary raises that the Board shall grant to all licensed employees going forward. Cripps’ contract was to run through June 30, 2022, but with the one-year extension, he will now serve as Director at least through June 30, 2023. Cripps has been Director since July 2015. Results of the Board of Education’s annual performance evaluation of Director Cripps showed he is meeting “most” expectations of the board. Cripps’ overall average score is 4.19 out of a possible 6 score.

*It truly was a Good Friday for the DCHS Class of 2021 in April During a three-hour WJLE radiothon which was also LIVE streamed on the DCHS 2021 Project Graduation Facebook page, the community rallied in support of the class with pledges and donations totaling $10, 593 for the 2021 Project Graduation event which was held following the graduation ceremonies on Friday, May 14.

*A new member was named to the DeKalb County Election Commission in April by the Tennessee Election Commission. Mrs. Yvette Tubbs Carver, a resident of Alexandria, replaced Jackie Smith as one of the two democratic members of the local commission. Smith retired and requested that she not be reappointed to the county election commission.

*A suspected drunk driver believed responsible for a fatal head on crash in March 2019 on South Congress Boulevard was sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court Monday, April 5. 40-year-old James Christopher Vaughn, who was indicted for driving under the influence, vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, simple possession of a schedule VI drug (Marijuana), and failure to maintain lane of travel, entered a plea to vehicular assault and driving under the influence. The other charges were dismissed. Vaughn received a sentence of 4 years to serve in the Tennessee Department of Corrections for the vehicular assault and 11 months and 29 days for the DUI to serve concurrently. He was given jail credit for 495 days and will lose his driver license for one year. The crash occurred on Sunday, March 31. 2019. 65-year-old Bessie Blevins was seriously injured and died two months later. According to Smithville Police, Vaughn was driving north on South Congress Boulevard in a Chevy Cobalt when he crossed into the southbound lane and struck a Mercedes SUV driven by Billy Blevins near the intersection of Congress and Bryant Street. Bessie Blevins was a passenger. After impact, Vaughn’s car came to rest in the center of the road and burst into flames. The SUV stopped in the grass on the west side of Congress Boulevard. Vaughn, though seriously injured in the crash, was not believed to have suffered any burns. He apparently got out of his car before it caught fire. Before going to the hospital, Vaughn submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. Vaughn’s speech was slurred, and he was unsteady on his feet. He also had a strong odor of alcohol coming from his person. Vaughn agreed to a blood test. He was taken by DeKalb EMS to Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital and then airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Bessie Blevins was taken by EMS to the hospital. Mr. Belvins went to the hospital by private vehicle. Bessie passed away Wednesday May 29 at St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital in Murfreesboro. The Smithville Volunteer Fire Department was also on the scene. The crash was investigated by Smithville Police Officer Travis Bryant

*Happy, smiling faces and lots of sunshine were all around at the Chamber Ribbon Cutting for the new Alexandria Community Park Sunday, April 25. County Mayor Tim Stribling, Chamber Director Suzanne Williams, Alexandria Mayor Bennett Armstrong, UT/TSU Extension Agent April Martin, the Alexandria Volunteer Moms’ Group, Chamber Board Members, Alexandria Aldermen, Alexandria Police, and many other local leaders, adults, and children, along with a few furry friends were among the numerous attendees. The playground equipment was made possible by the DeKalb County Government and the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber being awarded a Three Star Grant sponsored by the TN Department of Economic & Community Development.

*A 53-year-old was charged with rape of a child from almost four years ago. Pablo Jacinto was arrested Wednesday, May 5 at a residence on Atnip Street. According to the warrant, Jacinto had sexual contact with his girlfriend’s daughter, who was 8 years old at the time touching her private parts resulting in penetration. This occurred several times over a period of months starting in September 2017. The child was later removed from the home. The case was investigated by Detective Brandon Donnell of the Smithville Police Department.

*A man accused in a Saturday night, June 19 kidnapping and sexual assault in Cookeville was found and arrested in Smithville Sunday, June 20. 29-year-old Tyler Hall was charged with one count of aggravated sexual battery and two counts of aggravated kidnapping. According to a press release from the Cookeville Police Department, the kidnapping occurred at the Sam’s Club in Cookeville, but Hall then forced his victims to drive to Sparta. “At approximately 11:56 p.m. on Saturday, June 19, the Cookeville Police Department was contacted by the White County Sheriff’s Office in reference to an incident that had originated at Sam’s Club in Cookeville. At approximately 10:34 p.m., two Sam’s Club employees were standing in the parking lot when they were approached by a white male, later identified as Tyler Hall. Hall then displayed a black pistol and ordered the pair into the female victim’s car. Hall ordered the male victim to drive them to White County. Near Walmart in White County, the male victim was able to wrestle the gun away from Hall. Hall then ran from the scene”. At that time, he was wearing a red shirt, white shorts, and a gray hat. He was also carrying a camouflage backpack. Police said Hall was known to frequent homeless camps in the Cookeville area. Hall was found in Smithville at the Dollar General Store Sunday afternoon, June 20 and taken into custody by Smithville Police.

*The search for a six-year-old missing child and her father ended in June. 34-year-old Nicholas Reeder and daughter Kinzleigh were found alive but barricaded in an outbuilding with little food and water on Reeder’s property in the Pea Ridge community Friday night, June 25. Authorities were led to the shed by a bloodhound used in the search. Kinzleigh was released to the custody of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services and her father was arrested for child abuse and neglect, failure to appear, and custodial interference. Kinzleigh, who had been missing since May 26, was removed from the custody of Reeder after they were found camped out under a bridge in rising creek water on the cold rainy night of March 18 at Dry Creek and Pea Ridge Road. Authorities learned that Reeder had driven his Nissan Rogue off the roadway into the creek bed where it got stuck during heavy rain and creek flooding. Kinzleigh was with Reeder at the time. Reeder was later charged with child abuse and neglect and Kinzleigh was placed into the temporary custody of a family member by the Department of Children’s Services. After Reeder’s release from jail, DCS gave Reeder approval to live in the same home where Kenzleigh was staying. On Monday, June 21 the Department of Children Services contacted the Sheriff’s Department seeking to file a missing child report. Under a court order signed June 16, the Department of Children Services was granted custody of Kinzleigh, but DCS had not been able to locate her. According to DCS the child was last seen by a family member on May 26. “After being contacted by DCS Monday the Sheriff’s Department filed a missing person report and entered information about Kinzleigh into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC),” Sheriff Patrick Ray told WJLE. “We also contacted the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation about issuing an Amber Alert or an Endangered Child Alert but were advised by the TBI that this case did not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert or an Endangered Child Alert. The TBI did assist in doing a Missing Child Alert by providing a missing poster. The District Attorney General’s Office was also notified,” said Sheriff Ray.

*The DeKalb County Jail was evacuated Saturday, July 10 after a homeless man dropped off a suspicious container on the front porch of the sheriff’s department. The man, 46-year-old Jimmy Mason Page, told a correctional officer that the contents were radioactive. It turns out that the container held a case of roadside reflective warning triangles, which are often used by semi-truck drivers during a breakdown on the highway. Page was charged with filing a false report (bomb threat).

*18-year-old Ellisyn Kelsey Cripps is the 2021 DeKalb County Fairest of the Fair. Cripps, daughter of Troy and Jamie Cripps of Smithville, won the crown Monday evening, July 12 during the annual pageant held on opening night of the DeKalb County Fair in Alexandria. She was also named Miss Congeniality and Most Photogenic. Cripps succeeded the 2019 Fairest of the Fair, Destiny Danielle Franklin, the 22-year-old daughter of Jennifer and Charlie Ware of Smithville. There was no Fairest of the Fair pageant in 2020 due to COVID-19.

*An arrest was made in July in a 2018 DeKalb County fatal hit and run case. 34-year-old Anthony Hartle was picked up in Warren County Tuesday, July 13 on a DeKalb County grand jury sealed indictment for vehicular homicide in the death of 51-year-old Gyula Gulyas of Brush Creek and originally from Hungary. Gulyas’ body was found on Highway 70 in front of DeKalb Middle School early on Sunday, morning December 9, 2018, the victim of a fatal hit and run. According to Trooper Bobby Johnson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, a motorist spotted the body lying in the highway around 2:40 a.m. that morning and reported it to 911. It’s not known exactly what time the hit and run occurred. Trooper Johnson said Gulyas had been at Twisted Oaks on Highway 70 earlier and as he started to leave the parking lot his Kia Soul got stuck in a ditch. Gulyas later got a ride into town and was dropped off near the hospital. That was the last reported sighting of Gulyas alive. Although the Tennessee Highway Patrol had not identified the person or vehicle responsible for the hit and run at the time officials believed the automobile was a silver colored 2006 to 2010 model Jeep Commander SUV because of paint chips and pieces of a front grill found on the highway near the body. Hartle was later identified as a suspect and after a THP investigation the case was taken to the DeKalb County Grand Jury where a sealed indictment was returned against him for vehicular homicide. Hartle had remained at large for several months since that indictment was handed down, but authorities got a tip in July week that Hartle was staying at a town house in McMinnville, and they found him there. He was placed in custody.

*A man charged in a five-year-old arson case was sentenced Monday, July 19 in DeKalb County Criminal Court. 26-year-old Zackery Walker entered a guilty plea to the charge and received a three-year sentence to serve. He was ordered to make restitution of $10,000. Walker was given 86 days jail credit. Walker’s arrest in 2019 came after an investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and fire investigators with the Department of Commerce and Insurance. On July 2, 2016, fire investigators responded to a fire scene at Old Bildad Road & Green Hill Road. During the course of the investigation and examination of the scene, investigators determined the cause of the fire to be arson, and that Walker was the individual responsible for setting fire to the home which was destroyed in the blaze. On November 22, 2019, the DeKalb County Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Walker with one count of Arson. TBI Agents later arrested Walker and he was booked into the DeKalb County Jail.

*New spending, No New Taxes, the DeKalb County Commission adopted the consolidated budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year on August 17 which included pay raises for teachers and school support staff along with a particular group of county employees among others. New spending was added for another full-time employee at the animal shelter operated by the DeKalb Animal Coalition and at the E911 Center. The ambulance service day truck operation was to be expanded to 12 hours a day, seven days a week with three new EMS employees. New money was also included for a variety of other projects. While assessments changed due to reappraisal, the county’s new certified property tax rate is actually lower than last year dropping from $2.1235 to $1.7308 per $100 of assessed value but it is expected to generate about the same amount of local revenue as this past year.

*A man indicted in a 2019 child porn case sentenced in criminal court in July. 69-year-old Rick Allen Meurer entered a plea to sexual exploitation of a minor and received a two-year sentence to serve. He was fined $200 and must be listed on the State’s sex offender registry. The indictment alleged that on December 10, 2019, Meurer did knowingly possess material that includes minors engaged in sexual activity.

*Although he survived a lineman reportedly suffered second degree burns on 45% of his body after being electrocuted at a job site Tuesday afternoon, July 27 in Smithville. Robert Lynch of Crossville was part of a crew for Gallaway Construction of Sunbright, Tennessee doing contract work on behalf of Smithville Electric System when the incident occurred near the intersection of Broad Street and Anthony Avenue. Lynch was in a bucket truck tying in a wire on an insulator when he came in contact with the electric pole resulting in him being electrocuted. He was lowered to the ground and removed from the bucket truck where CPR was administered. Lynch was then taken by EMS to the hospital where he was airlifted to Vanderbilt Hospital. At last report Lynch was alert and talking. He is expected to recover.

*A Longtime local physician passed away in July. Dr. J.C. Wall age 66 of Smithville, died on Saturday night July 31, 2021, at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville. Dr. Wall was a local physician for 40 years, DeKalb County Medical Examiner, and on the Medical Staff of St. Thomas DeKalb Hospital. He was also a farmer, a director on DeKalb Farmer’s CO-OP board of directors, member of the Cattlemen’s Association.

*An 18-year-old suspect in a Nashville carjacking case, who led law enforcement authorities in a two-county pursuit from I-40 to Cookeville Highway near Smithville was arrested Thursday, August 5 after tire deflation devices were put down to get the stolen vehicle he was driving stopped. 18-year-old Deyton Farless was charged by the Baxter Police Department with driving without a license, theft of property, evading arrest, and reckless endangerment. In a prepared statement, Sheriff Patrick Ray said that “On August 5 at 12:04 p.m. DeKalb County Dispatch received a call from the Cookeville area Tennessee Highway Patrol that Baxter Police were in pursuit of a stolen vehicle out of Davidson County and the driver was supposedly armed. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Department also entered the pursuit on I-40 in Putnam County”. “The pursuit then entered DeKalb County on Cookeville Hwy (56 North) from I-40. The Tennessee Highway Patrol, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and Smithville Police placed tire deflation devices at three different locations on Cookeville Highway near the Smithville City limits,” said Sheriff Ray. Although the driver (Farless) maneuvered around one of the tire deflators, he was unable to avoid another put down by Sheriff’s Department Officers which disabled and forced the vehicle to stop. Farless and three others in the automobile were taken into custody. Sheriff Ray and Smithville Police Chief Mark Collins said the tire deflation devices that were purchased this past year have been a great asset to their departments. Having them not only protects the patrol cars funded by the taxpayers, but more importantly, protects the lives of innocent persons including the officers as well as the suspects.

*A man indicted for vehicular homicide in a 2018 fatal crash was sentenced in August in DeKalb County Criminal Court. 32-year-old Raymond Rollins entered a guilty plea to the charge Monday, August 9 and received a six-year sentence to serve at least 30%. The term is to run concurrently with another case against him. Rollins had been given 904 days of jail credit. The crash occurred December 13, 2018, on Highway 70 at Liberty. According to the accident report filed by Trooper Chris Delong of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 28-year-old Amanda L. Smith and Rollins were in a white 1998 Ford Mustang traveling west in the eastbound lanes and struck a 2014 Honda Accord, driven by 37-year-old Charlie R. Holman of Sparta who was eastbound in the right-hand lane. As Holman attempted to swerve left to avoid a collision, the right front end of the Mustang struck his car on the passenger side. Both Rollins and Holman sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the crash. DeKalb EMS performed CPR on Smith at the scene and transported her to Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital where she was pronounced dead. A helicopter ambulance had been summoned but was later cancelled.

*More people are living in DeKalb County today than ten years ago. Tennessee’s census data came out in August showing a 7.2% population growth in DeKalb County over the last decade. According to the 2020 census numbers made available by the Upper Cumberland Development District, DeKalb County’s population stands at 20,080, up from 18,723 in 2010, a growth of 1,357 people. The City of Smithville experienced a 10.5% population growth from 4,530 in 2010 to 5,004 in 2020. That’s 474 more people. Liberty grew 7.7% or 24 people from 310 to 334. Alexandria’s population increased by 1.6% or 15 people from 966 to 981. Dowelltowns census dropped by 3.7% or 13 people going from 355 to 342. Because of the new census numbers the county commission had to adopt a redistricting plan and did so in September. Only four districts and 264 people in DeKalb County were affected by the plan.

*Law enforcement officers encountered a bizarre incident Wednesday morning, August 25 as a Cookeville man led them on a two-county pursuit from Dowelltown to Lebanon on Highway 70. What they learned was that the man, 39-year-old Tyson Gilbert had severed his own penis and tossed it out the car window somewhere along the route either before or during the chase. Gilbert said he heard voices on his car radio telling him to commit the act in order to save the world. Trooper Bobby Johnson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol was the first to come across Gilbert after spotting his Honda Accord parked partially in the roadway on Highway 70 at Dowelltown. “When I pulled up behind him and turned my lights on, he took off and refused to stop. He was all over the road the whole time. He turned off on Old Liberty Road and came to a stop. He opened his door. He was naked and covered in blood. He then shut his door and kept driving,” said Trooper Johnson. “The Alexandria Police Department spiked him (put down spike strips) on Highway 70 as he was going through Alexandria. He kept traveling westbound into Wilson County. The THP spiked him in Watertown but he continued westbound. We finally were able to box him in and got him stopped on Highway 70 right before the Interstate at I-40 and took him in custody. He was then transported to Vanderbilt Hospital, “said Trooper Johnson. While the spike strips didn’t stop Gilbert immediately, Johnson said they did slow him down. “The first spike strips got one of his front tires and the second got the other tire. The Wilson County Sheriff’s department tried to spike him past Watertown but missed. After that it became a slow speed pursuit with him running on his rims until we boxed him in,” added Trooper Johnson. Gilbert has active warrants against him for other offenses in Cookeville. In addition to Trooper Johnson, other law enforcement agencies involved in the pursuit were Troopers of the Cookeville and Nashville THP Districts, the DeKalb County and Wilson County Sheriff’s Departments, and the Alexandria and Watertown Police Departments. Not all of them followed all the way into Lebanon. DeKalb County terminated its pursuit at the DeKalb-Wilson County line.

*A Lebanon man wanted for aggravated kidnapping and statutory rape led Smithville Police on a pursuit Friday, September 10 before crashing his vehicle and fleeing on foot into the woods. About an hour and a half later he was arrested after a Tennessee Highway Patrol K-9 unit flushed him out of the woods. 26-year-old Tyler Shawn Fowler was charged with statutory rape and felony evading. The incident unfolded Friday, September 10 at around 3:15 p.m. on Meadowbrook Drive as Fowler tried to outrun Smithville Police. When the officer initiated his lights and sirens, Fowler began to increase his speed and refused to stop. After about a 15-minute chase, Fowler ran the vehicle he was driving into a ditch and began to flee on foot. The Tennessee Highway Patrol was later summoned to help search the woods using a K-9. At the time officers thought Fowler might be armed. He was not. Trooper Bobby Johnson, Trooper Andrew Coppinger, and THP K-9 officer Adam Cothron and his dog Draco arrived on the scene. “We responded to Tabernacle Road due to a man who had fled on foot into the woods and was possibly armed. He was wanted for aggravated kidnapping. They requested our K-9 assistance. The K-9 came from Trousdale County and upon arrival he began to track. After a couple of minutes, he located the suspect in some brush. Fowler wouldn’t comply with commands to get on the ground or get his hands up, so the K-9 was deployed and drug him out from the brush. Fowler was then checked out by DeKalb EMS and taken into custody,” said Trooper Johnson.

*A Nashville man indicted four years ago with using a 15-year-old Liberty girl for prostitution was sentenced Tuesday, October 26 in DeKalb County Criminal Court. 38-year-old Charles Earl Denton entered a plea to facilitation to trafficking for a commercial sex act and received a 15-year prison sentence as a range II offender. He must serve at least 35% of the term but he has been given jail credit for 1,516 days served from September 1, 2017, to October 26, 2021. He is to have no contact with the victim and his name will be listed on the state sex offender registry for the rest of his life. Denton was charged in a DeKalb County Grand Jury sealed indictment on August 25, 2017, with trafficking for commercial sex act. The investigation by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department began on Friday, August 4th, 2017, after the girl’s family reported her missing. The family said the teen sought and received permission to spend the night at a friend’s house two days before on Wednesday, August 2nd but she never came home. The investigation revealed that the girl knew Denton and that he had arranged through social media to meet her. Denton drove to Liberty on Wednesday, August 2, picked up the girl, and transported her to Nashville for the purpose of commercial sex. She was later found at a Nashville motel with another missing teen and an adult woman. Denton was not at the motel at the time. “Through an investigation, it was found that Charles Denton was the one who planned to meet our missing juvenile on August 2nd. Denton drove to Liberty here in DeKalb County and picked the juvenile up and transported her to Nashville for the purpose of commercial sex,” said Sheriff Patrick Ray.

*A 26-year-old Smithville man charged with the rape of a child was sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Thursday, December 2. Ruben Alavez Mejia, indicted for aggravated rape of a child, entered a plea to rape and received a sentence of 12 years to serve. He will be listed on the violent sex offender registry and under community supervision for life. Mejia has been given jail credit of 1,090 days. Mejia was arrested on Thursday, December 6, 2018, at 703 Snow Street by Smithville Police. He was accused of having sex with a 12-year-old girl on several occasions from the time she was 11 years old.

*44-year-old Jackie Darrell Ervin was named in a Grand Jury sealed indictment for rape of a child (2 counts) and continuous sexual abuse of a child. The indictment alleged that on September 15th, 2014, and again on May 1, 2017, Ervin had sex with a 10-year-old child and that between October 1, 2014, and April 30, 2017, Ervin engaged in three or more incidents of sexual abuse of the same child.

*A Smithville man who allegedly locked his victim inside a shed and later tried to burn down a house in 2020 was sentenced in December in DeKalb County Criminal Court. 28-year-old Michael Brady McGhee, who was indicted for arson and false imprisonment, entered a plea on December 7 to arson and received a three-year sentence to serve at least 30% before his release eligibility date and he is to make restitution. McGhee was given jail credit for 480 days already served. The false imprisonment charge was dismissed. McGhee was arrested by Smithville Police on July 29, 2020. According to police McGhee committed the offense of false imprisonment on July 28, 2020, by asking his victim to go into a shed with him at the back of Pack Circle. After entering the shed, McGhee ran out and then shut and locked the door leaving the victim inside. The victim escaped by using a car battery in the shed to break out a window. Police said the next day, July 29 McGhee intentionally set three fires at the Pack Circle residence trying to burn down the house. The fires were set on the kitchen floor, on top of the kitchen table, and in the living room of the home.

*Have you seen 29-year-old Matthew Braswell? Local and state authorities have been looking for Braswell since he fled into the woods after a crash on Ponder Road Friday morning, December 17. His whereabouts remain unknown. When he is found Braswell will have some explaining to do to law enforcement officers. According to Trooper Bobby Johnson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Braswell was a passenger of a 2006 Chevy Tahoe, driven by 26-year-old Danny Phillips of McMinnville when they were spotted by a resident going through the mail of his mailbox on Ponder Road. As the resident came out of his home to confront them, the truck sped away but then went out of control and struck several trees at the edge of the road. The two men then bailed out of the truck and fled into the woods. Phillips was quickly captured but Braswell got away and hasn’t been seen since. Even Braswell’s girlfriend claims she has not heard from him. Phillips was transported by DeKalb EMS to Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital and later taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center. Local and state authorities including members of the Smith County Sheriff’s Department’s K-9 unit conducted a ground search for Braswell Friday but to no avail. A THP helicopter flight crew was summoned Monday, December 20 to join the effort with an aerial search but there was no sign of Braswell other than his white and gray jacket, which was found in the woods about a half mile from the crash site. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and possibly a white tank top shirt. He stands six feet tall and weighs 150 pounds. His hair is brown in color, and he has facial tattoes. His last known address is Lebanon. If you have seen Braswell or know of his whereabouts call the Tennessee Highway Patrol at 423-954-2130.

*The 13-year-old DeKalb West School student who allegedly threatened to bring a gun to school in December made his first court appearance on Thursday, December 16. The 8th grader, charged in a juvenile petition with threat of assault to shoot a teacher, stood before Judge Bratten Cook, II with his family and attorney Brandon Cox. The judge continued the case until late January pending the results of a psychological evaluation to be done on the boy. Although he was released from juvenile detention, the youth will remain under house arrest and be home schooled pending the outcome of the case. He is not to show up at school or leave home without his parents. The boy was taken into custody by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department Sunday, December 12 after investigators learned that the 8th grader was threatening to bring a gun to school to shoot a teacher. Sheriff Patrick Ray said the boy, who lives within two miles of the school at Liberty, was taken from his home and placed in a juvenile detention center in Cookeville. “I immediately got the school’s SRO and a detective to go find the child. He was at home with his mother and stepfather. The SRO and detective questioned the boy and he admitted to making the threat although he said it was done in anger and that he really didn’t mean it after he calmed down,” said Sheriff Ray. Both the SRO and detective conducted a sweep of the boy’s home, and no weapons were found. Sheriff Ray said the parents were cooperative. There are no plans to file charges against them.

January 2, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

The Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church is again sponsoring a drive thru mobile food pantry on Saturday, January 29 starting at 9 a.m.

The church plans to prepare enough food boxes to serve up to 300 families regardless of their income status, on a first come, first served basis.

Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and the food will be distributed starting at 9:00 a.m. Unlike most food distributions, those being served by the mobile pantry will not have to get out of their automobiles. They will drive thru in a pickup line and volunteers will deliver the food directly to their vehicles, placing the food boxes either in the back seat or trunk. Cars will line up facing north on College Street across from the Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

“We will line up right across from the church (Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church) on College Street. We’ll start registration at 8:00 a.m. We’ll need the name of the recipients and how many families are being served. We’re limited to two families per vehicle to make sure we have enough food,” added Isaac Gray, Minister of the Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Others who wish to volunteer may show up Saturday, January 29 or call for more information at 615-597-4197.

January 2, 2022
By: Lee Roberts NASHVILLE DISTRICT PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The National Inventory of Dams is being updated and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to feature Center Hill Dam in a video as part of its rollout with the public.

Katie Noland, strategic communication specialist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters Dam and Levee Safety Program, explained that the video will showcase large and small dams, concrete and earthen dams, and dams that support different purposes like flood risk management, hydropower, navigation, recreation, water quality, and water storage.

A film crew with Open Jaw Productions visited the dam Nov. 2-3 to capture the dam structure, its hydropower plant generating clean energy, and people recreating. The objective is to educate and inform the public about the variety and purposes of dams the Corps of Engineers operates and maintains across the nation.

“The dams featured in the video are also in the National Inventory of Dams, which includes more than 91,000 dams. While most are state-regulated dams, we are striving to represent the variety of dam owners with this video as well,” Noland said.

Noland, who supports the NID communication initiatives including this video, said the program picked Center Hill Dam to represent larger dams in the United States that support multiple purposes such as flood risk management, hydropower, and recreation.

The NID houses data on known dams across the country at https://nid.sec.usace.army.mil. USACE is responsible for maintaining and updating the inventory in close collaboration with federal and state dam regulating agencies. The site supports awareness of dams and their relationship with surrounding communities.

Noland said the Corps of Engineers is updating the NID to make it easier to find and use data about dams across the country. But the biggest change is sharing flood inundation maps for Corps of Engineers dams, she added.

“Sharing this information will help those who live and work upstream and downstream of dams to see where flooding can occur if a dam related emergency occurs,” Noland said. “Knowing where water may go helps emergency managers, community leaders, and decision makers understand who and what may be in harm’s way, what routes are safer for evacuation, and to put plans in place before flooding occurs.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District constructed Center Hill Dam from 1942 to 1948, although construction halted for two years during World War II. The Corps completed the Hydropower Plant in 1950. The powerhouse supplies enough hydroelectricity for an average city of 125,000 people.

Kevin Salvilla, Center Hill Lake resource manager, said the primary purpose of the storage reservoir remains flood risk management. Following rain events, water managers allow rain runoff to make its way through the system, and then the dam releases water in a controlled fashion to protect lives and property.

“Center Hill Dam prevented an estimated $330 million of would-be damages to communities downstream during a highwater event in 2019,” Salvilla said.

The 64-mile reservoir with 415 miles of shoreline also provides lots of recreational opportunities for the public. The staff at Center Hill Lake maintains and operates three campgrounds, eight recreation areas, hiking trails, and 18,000 acres of public land. There are also nine commercial marinas and four state parks that operate at the lake.

Center Hill Dam is a 250-foot-high, 1,382-foot-long concrete dam with a 778-foot earthen embankment. The Nashville District recently completed a rehabilitation of the three units in the hydropower plant, making it possible for the Nashville District to generate clean, safe, and efficient hydroelectric power decades into the future.

“We are excited that Center Hill Dam was selected to be featured in the National Inventory of Dams video,” said Park Ranger Ashley Webster. “Millions of visitors go boating, swimming, hiking, and camping because of the water stored behind the dam. Every Corps employee at Center Hill Dam and Lake takes a lot of pride in their work because it contributes to the purposes of the dam.”

The Corps of Engineers plans to post the video on the Defense Video Imagery Distribution System at https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/USACE and USACE Headquarters YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/CORPSCONNECTION as part of a suite of informational resources on the updated NID to orient new users to the site and provide background information on dams, including the history of dams and why they were built, how they work, and who manages them.

(The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps. The public can also follow Center Hill Lake on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/centerhilllake.)

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