Woman Caught Trying to Smuggle Contraband into the Jail

July 6, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

A woman who tried to smuggle contraband into the jail by hiding it in her body cavity is facing several charges.

39 year old Sherri Francine Gunter of Jacobs Pillar Road, Smithville is charged with resisting stop frisk halt search or arrest, tampering or fabricating evidence, bringing contraband into a penal institution, and failure to appear. Her bond totals $22,000.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on June 22 Gunter was arrested and brought to the jail for booking. She had three warrants against her for failure to appear in court on a previous theft charge.

During a strip search, a female correctional officer saw what appeared to be a tube in Gunter’s body cavity. Gunter was then placed in a transport car and taken to the emergency room of the hospital for a further search. While Gunter was being escorted from the vehicle at the hospital, female correctional officers spotted a clear tube in the back of the car where Gunter had been sitting. The tube contained a crystal like substance. Gunter tried to grab the tube and swallow its contents while pulling away from the officers but they tased Gunter and forced her to the ground.

56 year old Harold Dean Perry of Bethpage is charged with two counts of domestic assault. His bond is $7,000 and his court date is July 8.

Sheriff Ray said that on December 7, 2020 a deputy was summoned to a residence on Potts Camp Road where he spoke with a woman who said that her husband, Perry swung a rake at her and then smashed her head up against their mobile home causing a cut under her left eye. Perry had already left the scene prior to the officer’s arrival.

Perry also allegedly assaulted his step daughter on the same day. Sheriff Ray said the deputy spoke with the woman who said that her step father, Perry manhandled and hit her in the head with his fist causing her to fall scraping her left knee. Perry left the scene but was arrested last month in Bethpage.

35 year old Bradley Dewayne Taylor of Smithville is charged with violation of an order of protection. His bond is $4,500 and he will make a court appearance on July 15.

Sheriff Ray said that on June 24 Taylor was determined to have violated an order of protection against him by contacting a family member by telephone with whom he was to have no contact.

35 year old Joseph Kilzer of Parkway Drive, Smithville is charged with aggravated criminal trespassing. His bond is $3,000 and he will be in court July 22.

Sheriff Ray said that on June 27 a deputy was summoned to a residence on Parkway Drive where the homeowners reported that a neighbor had entered the dwelling without permission. Upon arrival the officer learned that the neighbor, Kilzer entered the residence looking for his girlfriend although he did not steal anything or harm anyone. Kilzer later admitted to the offense saying he was worried about his girlfriend and thought she was at his neighbor’s home.

Later that day, Kilzer was arrested again for aggravated criminal trespassing, vandalism, and aggravated burglary. He is under a $15,000 bond on these charges. He will be in court on August 5.

Sheriff Ray said that Kilzer came onto the Parkway Drive property where he damaged a wooden gate while making entry and then broke into the home by reaching through a window trying to grab a set of keys. The amount of the damage to the gate, gate opener, and screened window came to $750

38 year old Jonathan Dee McCullough of Evins Mill Road, Smithville is charged with driving on a revoked license. His bond is $5,000 and he will make a court appearance July 15.

Sheriff Ray said that on June 27 a deputy spotted a blue Dodge Caravan leave its lane of travel on Four Seasons Road near Cripps Lane. He pulled it over and spoke to the driver, McCullough. The officer learned that McCullough’s driver license was revoked and that he was an habitual offender.

July 6, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

Hundreds of runners participated in Saturday’s 23rd annual Fiddler 5K and One Mile Fun Run

(Click link below for all Fiddler 5K and One Mile Fun Run race results)

https://fiddler5kandonemilefunrun.itsyourrace.com/Awards.aspx?id=7476&y=0&eid=0&g=A&amin=0&amax=199

The overall winner was David Pautienus who ran the course in 17:07 seconds. Meanwhile Cari Pautienus won the race among females. She ran the course in 21:46 seconds.

Winners in other categories were:

TOP MALE MASTERS (Age 40 and older): Sean Edwards at 19:23 seconds

TOP FEMALE MASTERS (Age 40 and older): Melissa Cunningham at 22:54 seconds

One-Mile Fun Run (age 12 and younger) winners:

TOP MALE: Ewan England at 8:14 seconds

TOP FEMALE: Nola England at 8:43 seconds

Funds raised will support Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County.

July 4, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

Several families were left homeless after a fire swept through and destroyed much of Towne’s Edge Village Apartments on Kendra Drive in Smithville Sunday.

All the residents there at the time were safely evacuated.  One source said the fire might have started from a grill but authorities  have not determined the  cause. It remains under investigation.

The 20 unit apartment complex  consists of buildings housing 10 units on either side of the parking lot. The fire started in one of the units and spread to others adjoining it destroying eight  dwellings and heavily damaging two others.  Families lost most or all belongings in the fire. Although they are still livable, several units on the other side of the parking lot received damage from the intense heat which melted siding on the exterior of the building.

Wendy Jenkins and her family lost their home and belongings in the fire. Jenkins told WJLE that she and her husband Cody, a Smithville Police Officer, and their son were home when she smelled smoke and heard a neighbor’s smoke alarm.

“We had just returned from the lake and were trying to change and get ready to go onto other festivities when we started to smell smoke. I was able to hear my neighbors smoke alarm, the constant beeping. Cody ran outside and came back in. He said get out now. He grabbed  his portable radio, because he works for Smithville City Police, and was able to alert central dispatch. Residents were calling as well. When we got out all we saw was smoke rolling out of the top. Within minutes it got so hot and flames starting coming out from everywhere,” said Jenkins.

Sandy Hughes, a representative of the American Red Cross Murfreesboro Chapter, later arrived to render assistance to the families “We have 10 families who have been displaced from the apartments and we are working to do case work for them to give them assistance and community resources”.

The Smithville Volunteer Fire Department was on the scene along with the Smithville Police Department  and  DeKalb EMS.

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