February 27, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
A Sunday drive through town for two men turned violent over the weekend when the passenger, 20-year-old Kobe Keelan Ray Cantrell of McEwen, pulled a gun on the driver forcing him at gunpoint into the back seat as he (Cantrell) took control of the vehicle, a 2000 Chevy Blazer. After Smithville Police were notified, the vehicle was spotted and stopped at Shiny Rock Market where Cantrell was placed under arrest. Police also found a handbag in the Blazer that contained what appeared to be a homemade bomb but an examination by the THP Bomb Squad revealed that the device was made with road flares and not dynamite.
No one was injured in the incident, but Cantrell has been charged with aggravated kidnapping along with possession of a prohibited weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon (2 counts), driving on a suspended license, and resisting arrest. His bond totals $76,500 and he will make an appearance in General Sessions Court on Thursday, March 2.
The two men apparently knew each other but the motive for the incident has not been determined.
The following is a narrative by Patrolman Lane Ball as to how the case unfolded.
“On Sunday, February 26 at approximately 11:56 a.m. central dispatch requested that I call them about an incident. Dispatch informed me that they received a call about a possible kidnapping. Kobe Cantrell had supposedly kidnapped a man at gunpoint, and they were in a gold 2000 model Chevrolet Blazer”.
“I (Patrolman Ball) then contacted the caller, who stated she was the victim’s niece. She said her uncle had been texting her about the incident (from the back seat of the vehicle) saying that Cantrell had kidnapped him and that he (Cantrell) had a gun. The victim instructed his niece to call the Smithville Police Department to let them know. The victim could only tell his niece that they were somewhere in Smithville and that he could not make the phone call for help himself”.
“I (Patrolman Ball) then (spotted) a vehicle matching the description of the Chevy Blazer at South Congress Boulevard and Jennings Lane heading south. The tag information revealed that the vehicle was registered to the victim. I notified central dispatch that I was about to attempt to stop the vehicle at Shiny Rock Market,” the narrative continued.
“After I initiated my blue lights, the vehicle pulled into a gas pump at Shiny Rock Market. The driver (Cantrell) opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle. I pulled my sidearm into the low ready position and asked him to sit back down. He did not immediately sit down. I then asked him to turn around and walk backwards toward me. He then began to reach around in the vehicle and in his pants. I yelled at him to keep his hands where I could see them. (Off duty detective Mason Merriman of the Sheriff’s Department) who just happened to be in the parking lot at the time of the traffic stop stepped close to me and began to yell at him (Cantrell) to put his hands on the car, The driver (Cantrell) did not comply and appeared to begin to enter the vehicle. Detective Merriman and I approached him and used soft hand techniques to get him on the ground and into handcuffs. I holstered my sidearm before the altercation. We then brought him (Cantrell) back to my car where detective Merriman recovered a loaded .38 special revolver from his waistband,” wrote Patrolman Ball in the narrative.
“I (Patrolman Ball) then spoke to the victim who confirmed that Cantrell had held him against his will. The victim further stated that while he had earlier allowed Cantrell to drive the Blazer, he (Cantrell) later refused to turn over the keys saying he was going to drive from “now on”. The victim said he knew Cantrell had a gun and that he (Cantrell) had pulled the weapon on him two or three weeks ago. The victim added that he was afraid Cantrell might harm him if he tried to leave the vehicle or call for help (during the incident)”.
“The victim later gave consent for police to search his Blazer. During the search, I (Patrolman Ball) was looking through a red and black handbag that was located behind the driver seat. The bag contained an ID and some bank cards belonging to Cantrell. The bag also contained what appeared to be a homemade bomb. The device consisted of two red cylinders resembling dynamite with a cordless drill battery and some wires attached to them. Detective Merriman contacted THP about the possible bomb. THP’s bomb squad responded. While waiting on THP, I read Cantrell his Miranda rights. After an x-ray and inspection, the device was determined to have been made with road flares and not dynamite. THP spoke with Cantrell about the device. Cantrell said that it was just a project that he had been working on to show people. He stated it was made with flares,” the narrative continued.
“Cantrell was then transported to the Police Department. Smithville Police Lieutenant Detective James Cornelius interviewed both the victim and Cantrell at the police station (and then charged him in the case). It was determined through NCIC (National Crime Information Center) that Cantrell did not have a criminal history other than a suspended driver license,” the report concluded.