June 22, 2022
By: Dwayne Page
In his weekly report on county crime news, Sheriff Patrick Ray reported Monday that 34-year-old Gary Christopher Ponder of South College Street, Smithville is charged with violation of an order of protection. His bond is $3,500 and he will be in court June 30. Sheriff Ray said that on June 5 a deputy went to a location on South College Street looking for a possible wanted person when he spotted a bicycle he knew belonged to Ponder outside the home of a woman who had an active order of protection against him. The woman inside the residence came to the door and when asked admitted that Ponder was there in the bedroom. Ponder was placed under arrest.
43-year-old Benjamin Theodore Taylor of Lee Braswell Road, Smithville was arrested twice last week for offenses against his girlfriend. In the first case Taylor was arrested on June 14 charged with domestic assault. His bond is $5,000 and he will make a court appearance June 30.
Sheriff Ray said that a deputy responded to Mount Pisgah Free Will Baptist Church to speak with a woman regarding being involved in a domestic violence situation. According to the woman, her boyfriend, Taylor grabbed her by the lower left forearm leaving a scratch and bruising and that he ripped her shirt. Taylor was arrested as the primary aggressor.
Taylor was arrested again on June 16 for violation of bond conditions. His bond on this charge is $7,500 and he will be in court June 30. Sheriff Ray said that on June 15 a deputy met with Taylor’s girlfriend who said that Taylor had contacted her in violation of a no-contact order under bond conditions set out for him. According to the woman, Taylor went to her cousin’s home while she was there and threatened her.