January 5, 2022
By: Dwayne Page
A local burglary and theft investigation has landed a McMinnville man in trouble with the law.
40-year-old James Robert Jones of McMinnville is charged with theft of property over $1,000, aggravated burglary, and two counts of burglary. His bond totals $70,000 and he will be in court January 13.
Sheriff Ray said that on December 21 Jones broke into a residence, outbuilding and a garage on Old Mill Hill Road, Dowelltown and stole several items including multiple tools, toolboxes, miscellaneous ammunition, arrowheads, etc with a total value at $6,220. Most of those items have been recovered.
42-year-old Benjamin Theodore Taylor of Lee Braswell Road is charged with domestic assault. His bond is $7,500 and he will make a court appearance on January 13.
Sheriff Ray said that on December 25 the Captain of the Sheriff’s Department was pulling up to D & D Market on Short Mountain Highway when he witnessed Taylor hitting a woman in the face with his hands. Taylor was arrested and taken into custody. The assault was also captured on video surveillance from the store.
40-year-old Scotty Brian Heard of Spring City is charged with an 8th offense of driving on a revoked license and possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver. He was also issued citations for running a stop sign, no insurance, littering, and carrying a prohibited weapon. His bond totals $17,500 and he will be in court January 13.
Sheriff Ray said that on December 27 a deputy performed a traffic stop of Heard for failing to stop at a stop sign. The officer noticed that Heard tossed a small bag out of the car window which contained 0.58 grams of a crystal-clear substance believed to be meth. During a pat down search, the deputy also found a pair of knucks on Heard. The officer further learned that Heard’s license has been revoked since November 2000 for failure to satisfy fines and costs. He has seven prior convictions for the same offense.
47-year-old Autumn Danielle White of Pea Ridge Road, Liberty is charged with resist stop frisk halt search or arrest. Her bond is $3,000 and she will be in court January 13.
Sheriff Ray said that on December 30 when a deputy tried to serve outstanding warrants out of Rutherford County against White, she ran into the residence trying to evade arrest, but she was taken into custody.
32-year-old Nathan Joshua Jedlicka of Cookeville is charged with driving under the influence. His bond is $2,500 and he will make a court appearance January 20. Sheriff Ray said that on December 31, a deputy was summoned to Highway 70 east due to a reckless driver and spotted the vehicle heading west and crossing over into the turning lane. The officer pulled over the automobile and spoke with the driver, Jedlicka, whose pupils were constricted and his eyes watery and bloodshot. Jelicka submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. The deputy obtained consent to search the vehicle and found intoxicants and paraphernalia.