News
Passenger Allegedly Kidnaps Motorist at Gunpoint
February 27, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
A Sunday drive through town for two men turned violent over the weekend when the passenger, 20-year-old Kobe Keelan Ray Cantrell of McEwen, pulled a gun on the driver forcing him at gunpoint into the back seat as he (Cantrell) took control of the vehicle, a 2000 Chevy Blazer. After Smithville Police were notified, the vehicle was spotted and stopped at Shiny Rock Market where Cantrell was placed under arrest. Police also found a handbag in the Blazer that contained what appeared to be a homemade bomb but an examination by the THP Bomb Squad revealed that the device was made with road flares and not dynamite.
No one was injured in the incident, but Cantrell has been charged with aggravated kidnapping along with possession of a prohibited weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon (2 counts), driving on a suspended license, and resisting arrest. His bond totals $76,500 and he will make an appearance in General Sessions Court on Thursday, March 2.
The two men apparently knew each other but the motive for the incident has not been determined.
The following is a narrative by Patrolman Lane Ball as to how the case unfolded.
“On Sunday, February 26 at approximately 11:56 a.m. central dispatch requested that I call them about an incident. Dispatch informed me that they received a call about a possible kidnapping. Kobe Cantrell had supposedly kidnapped a man at gunpoint, and they were in a gold 2000 model Chevrolet Blazer”.
“I (Patrolman Ball) then contacted the caller, who stated she was the victim’s niece. She said her uncle had been texting her about the incident (from the back seat of the vehicle) saying that Cantrell had kidnapped him and that he (Cantrell) had a gun. The victim instructed his niece to call the Smithville Police Department to let them know. The victim could only tell his niece that they were somewhere in Smithville and that he could not make the phone call for help himself”.
“I (Patrolman Ball) then (spotted) a vehicle matching the description of the Chevy Blazer at South Congress Boulevard and Jennings Lane heading south. The tag information revealed that the vehicle was registered to the victim. I notified central dispatch that I was about to attempt to stop the vehicle at Shiny Rock Market,” the narrative continued.
“After I initiated my blue lights, the vehicle pulled into a gas pump at Shiny Rock Market. The driver (Cantrell) opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle. I pulled my sidearm into the low ready position and asked him to sit back down. He did not immediately sit down. I then asked him to turn around and walk backwards toward me. He then began to reach around in the vehicle and in his pants. I yelled at him to keep his hands where I could see them. (Off duty detective Mason Merriman of the Sheriff’s Department) who just happened to be in the parking lot at the time of the traffic stop stepped close to me and began to yell at him (Cantrell) to put his hands on the car, The driver (Cantrell) did not comply and appeared to begin to enter the vehicle. Detective Merriman and I approached him and used soft hand techniques to get him on the ground and into handcuffs. I holstered my sidearm before the altercation. We then brought him (Cantrell) back to my car where detective Merriman recovered a loaded .38 special revolver from his waistband,” wrote Patrolman Ball in the narrative.
“I (Patrolman Ball) then spoke to the victim who confirmed that Cantrell had held him against his will. The victim further stated that while he had earlier allowed Cantrell to drive the Blazer, he (Cantrell) later refused to turn over the keys saying he was going to drive from “now on”. The victim said he knew Cantrell had a gun and that he (Cantrell) had pulled the weapon on him two or three weeks ago. The victim added that he was afraid Cantrell might harm him if he tried to leave the vehicle or call for help (during the incident)”.
“The victim later gave consent for police to search his Blazer. During the search, I (Patrolman Ball) was looking through a red and black handbag that was located behind the driver seat. The bag contained an ID and some bank cards belonging to Cantrell. The bag also contained what appeared to be a homemade bomb. The device consisted of two red cylinders resembling dynamite with a cordless drill battery and some wires attached to them. Detective Merriman contacted THP about the possible bomb. THP’s bomb squad responded. While waiting on THP, I read Cantrell his Miranda rights. After an x-ray and inspection, the device was determined to have been made with road flares and not dynamite. THP spoke with Cantrell about the device. Cantrell said that it was just a project that he had been working on to show people. He stated it was made with flares,” the narrative continued.
“Cantrell was then transported to the Police Department. Smithville Police Lieutenant Detective James Cornelius interviewed both the victim and Cantrell at the police station (and then charged him in the case). It was determined through NCIC (National Crime Information Center) that Cantrell did not have a criminal history other than a suspended driver license,” the report concluded.
DCHS Winter Guard Attends First Competition (View Video Here)
February 27, 2023
By: Bill Conger
The DeKalb County High School Winter Guard made its season debut at Wilson Central High school last weekend (2/18). With a 70s disco theme, the 11-member troupe performed their show, Boogie Fever.
Here’s a video of their performance.
Under the direction of Coach Shannon Johns and Assistant Emily Wallace, the winter guard is made up of Captains Olivia Diego and Ashton McClain, along with members Jacklyn Kleparek, Gracelynn Bassinger, BJ Mosley, Bairon Hernandez, Isaac Pinegar, Cameron Smith, Kara Ingles, Yoana Hernandez, and Crissy White.
The guard will compete next on March 4th at Summit High School, Columbia Central on March 18 and at the championships in Bowling Green, KY on March 31.
(UPDATE) County Commission Votes to Freeze Property Tax Rate for Low-Income Senior Citizens (View Video Here)
February 27, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
The DeKalb County Commission is giving low-income senior citizens a tax break!
During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the commission adopted a resolution to freeze the existing property tax rate for eligible poverty level seniors. The vote was unanimous.
County Mayor Matt Adcock recently came up with the idea and decided to move forward with it although a similar proposal had been discussed but not implemented several years ago.
“I want to give senior citizens that are at the poverty level the opportunity to keep paying the property tax rate they are paying now because I know going forward DeKalb County is growing and we have talked about building a school and a jail so with that possibly forthcoming I wanted to do something to ease the property tax burden on senior citizens with fixed incomes even if we have to increase the property tax rate at some point in the future,” said County Mayor Adcock.
“This would freeze the property tax rate for poverty level senior citizens but every year they would have to apply for it through the Trustee’s Office. I am not real sure how many people it would affect. Its probably a very small number but that’s the small group of people we want to protect,” said County Mayor Adcock.
“Applicants under the program would have to meet below the average median income for ages 65 and older and it only qualifies for their primary residence with no more than five acres of property. I think this is a good idea. We have a lot of needs in the county and if the property tax rate does have to go up at some point, then the people who it hits the hardest, our poverty level senior citizens would not be affected by it. They are the ones who have to worry most about how much money they have left for groceries, medicine, and to just get by from month to month living off their social security or what little retirement they have. However, if you make additions to your property, build onto it, etc. then when your property is reappraised the value of it may increase although your tax rate remains the same which could affect your total tax bill at that time,” said County Mayor Adcock.
In November 2006, Tennessee voters approved an amendment to Article II, Section 28 of the Tennessee Constitution giving the General Assembly the authority by general law to authorize counties and/or municipalities to implement a local option property tax freeze for taxpayers 65 years of age or older.
In its 2007 session, the 105th General Assembly enacted the Property Tax Freeze Act which establishes the tax freeze and authorizes the legislative body of any county and/or municipality to adopt the property tax freeze program. The Act became effective on July 1, 2007.
Under the program, homeowners qualifying for the program would have the property taxes on their principal residence (up to five acres) frozen at a base tax amount, which is the amount of taxes owed in the year they first qualify for the program. Thereafter, as long as the owner continues to qualify for the program, the amount of property taxes owed for that property generally would not change, even if there is a property tax rate increase or county-wide reappraisal.
In order to qualify, the homeowner must file an application annually and must:
•Own their principal place of residence in a participating county and/or city
•Be 65 years of age or older by the end of the year in which the application is filed
•Have an income from all sources that does not exceed the county income limit established for that tax year which for DeKalb County is $33,460 for tax year 2023.
In counties or municipalities participating in the Tax Freeze Program, an application may be made annually to the County Trustee or city collecting official.
The state Comptroller’s Office will calculate the income limit for each county annually using a formula outlined in state law.
Situations, where the base tax amount would change for a homeowner, are:
•When improvements are made to the property resulting in an increase in its value
•When the homeowner sells their home and purchases another residence
The tax freeze is available only on the principal place of residence of the qualifying homeowner located in a participating county or city.
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