A man who led authorities on a pursuit in a stolen car in August, before crashing on County House Road, was in criminal court for sentencing last Tuesday, October 6.
Cory Allen Chapman, 33, of Woodbury entered a plea to evading arrest with a vehicle and received a two year sentence all suspended to supervised probation except for 180 days to serve. Chapman pleaded guilty to a separate offense of auto burglary for a crime committed in May and received a one year sentence all suspended to supervised probation. The sentences are to run consecutively for a total of three years. He was given jail credit from May 27 - July 15 and from August 23 - October 6.
A passenger in the car with Chapman, twenty-four year old Katie Leigh Mooneyham of Foster Road, Smithville had two warrants against her for failure to appear. Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on August 23 a detective spotted Chapman driving a 1995 Toyota Avalon and activated the emergency equipment on his patrol car signaling him to stop. Instead of pulling over, Chapman sped up traveling down Short Mountain Highway and onto Jacobs Pillar Road where he ran over a road sign and went into a yard. Chapman then got back on Jacobs Pillar Road as the pursuit continued onto Turner Road, Old Blue Springs Road, and then to County House Road where Chapman. The car then went into a field and stopped. Both Chapman and Mooneyham were taken into custody.
Chapman’s license were suspended for failure to show proof of insurance on January 7, 2019 in Warren County. The car Chapman was driving was reported stolen in DeKalb County on August 1. It is valued at $500. No one was injured in the crash. Meanwhile in the auto burglary case, Sheriff Ray said that on May 24 Chapman broke into and stole a 2004 Saturn Ion located on Holmes Creek Road. The car was valued at $1,300. The case was investigated by a detective of the sheriff’s department.
Jennie Michelle McDaniel, 37, entered a plea to aggravated burglary and received a three year sentence on supervised probation.
Sheriff Ray said that on December 14, 2019 McDaniel forced her way into a residence on Oak Drive and assaulted her husband and another woman. McDaniel struck the woman in the face causing swelling and a bruise under her left eye. McDaniel also tried to choke her husband, struck him in the face, and tried to stab him with a screwdriver and box cutter. He suffered scratches to his neck, red marks on his neck and face, and a small cut on his left palm.
Thirty-nine year-old Geri Lynn Brown entered a plea to burglary and received a four year sentence all suspended to supervised probation. She is requesting judicial diversion. Brown was given jail credit of 54 days.
Sheriff Ray said that on August 1 Brown broke into and stole items from a residence and garage on Chapman Hollow Road taking two shotguns, two handguns, a leather western gun belt, several power tools, and other miscellaneous items. The value of the stolen items comes to $3,790. Brown also broke into and stole a 1993 Toyota Corolla valued at $2,500.
Jeffrey Alan Puckett, 54, entered a plea to reckless endangerment and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to supervised probation.
David Close, 55, entered a plea to a 4th offense DUI and received a sentence of two years all suspended to probation except for 150 days to serve.. He was fined $3,000 and will lose his driver license for eight years. Close was given jail credit of 138 days.
Smithville Police were notified by an off-duty officer that Close had been observed drinking in the Wal-Mart parking lot, and that he didn’t have a driver’s license. Upon arrival the investigating officer saw Close driving a silver SUV and followed him out of the parking lot. After stopping the vehicle, the officer spoke with Close, but he couldn’t produce a driver’s license or proof of insurance. Close had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person, and he couldn’t perform field sobriety tasks due to medical issues. Police obtained a search warrant for a blood sample after Close refused to submit to implied consent. One opened beer can and five empty cans were found in the vehicle.