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DeKalb November Local Option Sales Tax Collections Outperform October 2024 and November 2023
December 20, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
DeKalb County’s local option sales tax collections for November were better than October and stronger than November, 2023.
According to the Tennessee Department of Revenue, DeKalb County collected $182,150 in November, up from $179,384 in October, and better than $171,014 taken in during November 2023.
Local option sales tax collections in November were up in all four towns in DeKalb County compared to October and up from November 2023.
In Smithville, November collections were $399,755, better than $395,496 in October and stronger than $367,352 in November 2023.
Alexandria’s collections increased from $30,319 in October to $32,316 in November and were better than November 2023’s collections of $28,266.
Dowelltown brought in $3,318 in November compared to $3,054 in October and $3,014 in November 2023.
Liberty’s jumped from $12,889 in October to $24,356 in November and up from $12,499 in November 2023.
Net collections of local option sales taxes for the county and cities combined in November were $641,897 in November, up from $621,145 in October and up from $582,147 in November 2023.
November sales tax collections reflect previous month activity.
Lawson Charged with Especially Aggravated Kidnapping, Assault, and Rape
December 20, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
A man accused of holding a woman against her will at knifepoint and then repeatedly raping her will be in court on January 7.
34-year-old Timothy Ryan Lawson of Poss Road is charged with especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, interfering with emergency calls, and five counts of aggravated rape. He is under a total bond of $529,500.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on December 14 a detective was summoned to the hospital where a woman was taken after a possible rape in her home. Upon arrival, the detective spoke with the woman who reported that on the night of December 13 Lawson allegedly held her hostage, displayed a large knife and forced her to have sex with him saying he would kill her if she didn’t. After allegedly taking her phone so she could not call for help, Lawson then allegedly raped the woman a total of five times from the night of December 13 to the morning hours of December 14.
55-year-old Jeffery Lee Bates of Old West Point Road is charged with public intoxication. He is under a $2,000 bond and his court date is January 9.
Sheriff Ray said that on December 17 a deputy was patrolling Sparta Highway when he spotted a man wearing a black jacket standing on the left side of the highway. He turned around and stopped to confront the man, Bates who admitted to having consumed a few beers, He smelled of alcohol and his eyes were watery and bloodshot. Bates was also unable to focus during the conversation with the officer.
Meanwhile in other cases, Chief Deputy Brian Williams said 48-year-old Chad Wilson Johnson and his wife 41-year-old Amber Dawn Dishman of Midway Road are charged with prescription drug fraud, possession of drug paraphernalia, and four counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. Chad Johnson is also charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. His bond totals $117,500. Her bond is $112,500 and they will make a court appearance on January 9.
Chief Deputy Williams said that on December 12 a detective assisted officers with the Tennessee Department of Probation and Parole with a probation search on Chad Johnson at a residence on Midway Road. The search turned up a pill bottle with one orange pill thought to be Gabapentin along with baggies, pipes, straws, containers with residue, and scales normally used in the sale of narcotics. Also found during the search was another pill bottle which held 93 pills believed to be Eszopiclone and a third pill bottle containing one half of a peach-colored pill suspected of being Tramadol. A fourth pill bottle was confiscated which held 15 white pills thought to be pregabalin. Chief Deputy Williams added that that the pill bottles had different names on them and required prescriptions. Along with the drugs, 16 12-guage shotgun shells, seven 16-guage shells, 52 .22 WMR bullets, two 17 HMR bullets, one .380 auto bullet, and two .44 mag bullets were discovered. Johnson is a convicted felon on a 2019 meth charge and is not supposed to be in possession of any firearms or ammunition.
38-year-old Amanda Nicole Wilson of Shady Place, Smithville is charged with resisting arrest. Her bond is $5,000.
Chief Deputy Williams said that on December 5 a deputy confronted Wilson to place her in custody on two active violation of probation warrants, when she allegedly tried to pull away from the officer, resulting in her having to be forcibly taken into custody.
40-year-old Raymond Austin Simpson of Church Street, Dowelltown, is charged with domestic assault and child abuse or neglect. His bond is $8,000.
According to Chief Deputy Williams, Simpson allegedly wrestled a juvenile to the ground on December 9 resulting in a laceration to his right brow over his eye. He also allegedly grabbed a female by the hair of the head, lifting her off of the couch and pulling her into the bathroom.
41-year-old Jarrett Darnail Guy of Smithville is charged with domestic assault and violation of an order of protection. He is under a $10,000 bond.
Chief Deputy Williams said that on September 3, a deputy was summoned to Walker Creek Road due to an incident of domestic violence. Upon arrival, the officer met with a woman who reported that her ex-husband, Guy, had swiped her across the face and made threats that he would hit her in the mouth if she didn’t shut her mouth. Guy had already left the scene by the time the deputy arrived, but it was later discovered that Guy had an order of protection against him from Wilson County stating that he could only have peaceful interactions with this woman.
64-year-old Paul Edgar Rowland of Hawkins Drive, Smithville, is charged with violation of bond conditions. He is under a $1,000 bond. Chief Deputy Williams said that on December 12 a deputy was called to Hawkins Drive to do a welfare check on a woman. The responding officer found the woman and Rowland outside the residence having a Bible study according to her. Rowland had been arrested on November 11 for domestic assault and was placed under bond conditions.
25-year-old Justin Daniel Todd of Big Woods Road, Smithville, is charged with DUI and driving on a revoked license. His bond is $5,000 and he will appear in court on January 9.
Chief Deputy Williams said that on December 12 a deputy was traveling north on McMinnville Highway when he spotted a white Chevy Silverado leave its lane several times and traveling up to 62 mph in a 55-mph zone. After pulling over the vehicle, the officer spoke with the driver, Todd, who smelled of alcohol. His eyes were red and watery, and he was unsteady on his feet. He denied consuming alcohol prior to driving and was asked to perform field sobriety tasks, which he refused. His license also came back as suspended due to failure to appear in court for a case in December 2023.
Smithville Police Department Increases Impaired Driving Enforcement During Holiday Season
December 20, 2024
By:
The Smithville Police Department is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) for the Booze It and Lose It campaign to increase impaired-driving enforcement from December 13, 2024, to January 1, 2025. The THSO’s statewide Booze It and Lose It campaign is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over mobilization to reduce impaired-driving crashes nationwide during the holiday season.
Increased state and national messaging about the dangers of drunk driving, coupled with increased sobriety checkpoints and high visibility enforcement, aim to drastically reduce the number of drunk-driving crashes, injuries, and fatalities this year.
The consequences of a single DUI conviction for a first-time offender in the state of Tennessee may include costly fines, court costs, legal fees, jail time, mandatory drug and alcohol treatment, and/or the installation of an ignition interlock device in his/her vehicle.
The THSO provides grant funding to support Smithville Police Department’s increased enforcement efforts during the Booze It and Lose It holiday campaign. For more information about the THSO, please visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.
