Two Airlifted with Serious Injuries After Friday Morning Crash

January 20, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Two people were seriously injured in a one car Friday morning crash at 9088 Short Mountain Highway.

33-year-old Bobby O’Conner, Jr. and 39-year-old Latonia Anderson, both of Smithville were taken from the scene by DeKalb EMS to a helicopter landing zone and airlifted to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville

Trooper Brent Collier of the Tennessee Highway Patrol reported that at around 8:30 a.m. O’Conner was traveling south on Short Mountain Highway in a 2014 Hyundai Elantra when he ran off the right side of the roadway, continued to travel a short distance south, and then the vehicle turned onto its side before colliding with a tree, where it came to final rest in the yard of a residence. Anderson was a passenger.

Summoned to the scene were members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb Fire Department, DeKalb EMS, THP, and a Life Flight air ambulance. The DeKalb Fire Department’s Rescue and Extrication Team was also needed to cut through the mangled car to remove the roof and push away the dashboard to gain better access to O’Conner whose legs were trapped.

January 20, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

The Tennessee General Assembly has paid tribute to a well-known longtime minister who passed away in October.

The joint resolution honoring the late Donald Owens of Lebanon, a longtime pastor of Dry Creek Baptist Church, was sponsored by Senator Mark Pody of Wilson County and adopted 33-0 in the State Senate. The resolution was co-sponsored in the State House by Representatives Clark Boyd, Pat Marsh, and John Ray Clemmons with the House adopting it on an 87-0 vote.

The resolution reads as follows:

“A RESOLUTION to honor the memory of Brother Donald Owens of Lebanon.

WHEREAS the members of this General Assembly were greatly saddened to learn of the passing of Brother Donald Owens;

and WHEREAS, Brother Owens was an exemplary public servant and consummate professional who worked assiduously to improve the quality of life for his fellow citizens in numerous capacities;

and WHEREAS, born Ray Donald Owen on March 30, 1933, in Smithville, Brother Owens was the son of Willie and Ethel Ballinger Owen; he attended elementary school in DeKalb County and his first two years of high school at Harrison Chilhowee Baptist Academy, ultimately graduating from DeKalb County High School in 1951 before attending Middle Tennessee State University;

and WHEREAS, Donald Owens was saved at the age of nine and answered the call to preach at the age of thirteen; he was ordained to the gospel ministry on October 4, 1947, and had been in the pastorate since the age of eighteen;

and WHEREAS, Brother Donald Owens served many churches throughout his pastoral career, including Green Hill Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Bradley’s Creek Baptist Church in Milton, Rutledge Falls Baptist Church in Tullahoma, and Shellsford Baptist Church in McMinnville;

and WHEREAS, he led Immanuel Baptist Church in Lebanon as pastor from 1963 to 2000, and at the time of his passing, he was the pastor of Dry Creek Baptist Church in Dowelltown, where he had served since 2001;
and WHEREAS, he was also deeply devoted to his family, and he always endeavored to remain true to family values of the highest order;

and WHEREAS, Brother Donald Owens will be sadly mourned yet fondly remembered by his children, David (Mary) Owens, Terry (Nancy) Owens, and Krisa (Jason) Bush; grandchildren, Joel (Erin) Owens, Evan (Megan) Owens, Grant Owens, Callie (Ethan) Farley, Jake Bush, and Jordan Bush; great-grandchildren, Colbie Owens, Murphy Jane Nave, Rhett Owens, Mack Owens, and Maeve Farley; and sister, Georgia Hawker;

and WHEREAS, in addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of sixty-nine years, Audrey Parker Owens; grandson, Destry Nave; sister, Carlyne Dickey; and brother, Edwin Owen;

and WHEREAS, Donald Owens leaves behind an indelible legacy of integrity and probity in public life, compassion and loyalty in private life, and diligence and dedication in all his chosen endeavors;

and WHEREAS, it is fitting that we should remember the bountiful life of this exceptional gentleman and human being;

now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, that we honor the memory of Brother Donald Owens, reflecting fondly upon his impeccable character and his stalwart commitment to living the examined life with courage and conviction. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we extend our condolences to the family of Brother Owens”.

January 20, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Several devastating fires have occurred across the county in recent weeks and the latest was early Friday morning at 470 Rolling Acres Road.

A grease fire may have been to blame for this one at the home of Leanna Mongar.

Central dispatch summoned county firefighters to the residence at 4:23 a.m. after E-911 received the call.

Upon arrival, firefighters could see heavy flames coming from the residence and through the roof and although they sprang into action quickly to bring it under control the home could not be saved and Ms. Mongar lost all her belongings.

Ms Mongar told firefighters that grease splashed on the stove and burst into flames as she was cooking breakfast before heading off to work and while she tried to extinguish it herself, the fire got out of control. She escaped unharmed and no one else was injured.

Members of the Cookeville Highway, Tanker truck, Main Station, Liberty, Midway, and Temperance Hall stations of the DeKalb County Fire Department responded along with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and DeKalb EMS.

American Red Cross volunteers were also called to assist the family with immediate lodging and personal needs.

In his report, Lieutenant Blake Cantrell provided a further narrative of the incident.

“DCFD arrived on the scene to a fully involved structure fire. Flames were showing from all sides including the roof at the time of arrival. Engine 61 (Cookeville Highway Station) was the first engine on the scene.  We deployed 2-1 ¾” and 1-3” hand attack lines to the flame. We were not seeing enough progress, so we used the deck gun from Engine 63 (Midway Station). We were getting control of the fire at this point. The basement of the house was down a steep grade with smoke emitting so we cut an opening in the deck to be able to open a back door safely. Two firefighters opened the back door and deployed and 1 ¾” line to extinguish any flames in the basement. Basement entry was shallow and cautious due to safety concerns. The fire seems to have started on the B side of the house, but the flames traveled quickly to the rest of the structure. The entire first floor of the home suffered severe fire damage. I advised the homeowner the structure was unsafe and asked her not to try to go in. Upon interviewing the homeowner, she stated she got up around 3:30AM and was going to cook egg rolls in oil. She turned the oil on and when it heated up it popped on the cabinets and caught fire. She tried to get to a fire extinguisher, but it just flamed up to fast. The owner also stated the cabinets were re-finished recently and that that could have been the reason,” Lt. Cantrell’s report concluded.

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