Smithville Police have had a busy past few weeks, working numerous DUI cases and a rash of shoplifting crimes from area stores.
On November 23, 39-year-old David Matthew Hill of West Bryant Street was arrested for criminal impersonation. During an investigation of a possible shoplifting, Hill gave a false name with the intent to defraud another person. An officer pulled the information given on the portal and noticed there were distinct characteristics in the picture that Hill does not have and that the individual was incarcerated. He is under a $4,000 bond and appeared in court on December 8th.
On November 26, 42-year-old Abigail Vogel of Dale Ridge Road was arrested for public intoxication. Vogel was found to be at the residence of 308 South College Street where she had been allowed to stay in the sober living house. She had been asked by management to leave after acting belligerent towards roommates and causing damage to the residence. She was found to be unsteady on her feet, had slurred speech, strong odor of alcohol, and acting belligerent.
After being advised several times to stop screaming obscenities in public view and acting belligerent toward officers, she was taken into custody for her and the public’s safety.
On November 27, 19-year-old Anthony Gage Trapp of Dry Creek Road was cited for underage consumption. An officer responded to Mapco about someone underage trying to buy rolling papers. The subject, identified as Trapp, left before officers arrival and told the Mapco worker they would go somewhere else.
Later, the officer did make contact with Trapp who had a strong odor of alcohol coming from his person. He also had a 12-pack of Twisted Tea in the vehicle as well.
The following day, 18-year-old Anderson Jack Burnett of Students Home Road was cited for tobacco, hemp, or vape product by minors.
Police were dispatched to the DeKalb Community Complex in reference to a red Ford Ranger driving recklessly. The officer made visual contact with the vehicle and stopped it at Arby’s. The officer could smell marijuana when he approached the vehicle.
The driver, Burnett, informed the officer it was just his vape and showed it to him. Burnett is underage to be using tobacco, hemp, or vapor products as a person has to be 21 or older.
On December 2, 30-year-old Tanner Jordan Bellenfant of Franklin, TN, was arrested for DUI. An officer was on patrol when he got behind a truck not maintaining their lane of travel. The truck crossed over the center lane and the lane closet to the shoulder, almost hitting the sidewalk.
Once the officer conducted a traffic stop, and made contact with the driver, he could smell an odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. He was asked how much he had to drink and to perform sobriety tasks to which he agreed and performed poorly. Upon investigation, it was discovered Bellenfant had drank five or six beers with a couple shots of liquor.
He is under a $3,500 bond and will be in court on January 12, 2023.
On December 4, 30-year-old Sonny Roman Smith of Wade Street was arrested for burglary. Police responded to 212 Spring Street in reference to a vehicle burglary, where the owner of the vehicle informed the officer he found his truck had been broke into and items scattered from the console and glove compartment. Video evidence shows Smith near the truck and leaving the scene of the offence when a car passes by. He was under a $7,500 bond and appeared in court on December 12.
That same day, 18-year-old Zacorri Cre’sean Marchbanks of McMinnville was arrested for evading arrest and three counts of reckless endangerment. A police officer was patrolling West Broad Street when he received a call that there was a gold Honda CRV, occupied by multiple people, causing problems at the Community Center.
While en route, the caller advised that she and another vehicle had left, but the CRV was chasing them and advised they were going out Sparta Highway. The officer advised them to turn around and head back toward town.
The officer observed a vehicle traveling at approx. 69 mph in a 40-mph zone, and as the vehicle approached, he noticed it matched the description of the gold CRV. The officer initiated his blue lights to detain the vehicle, around the former Gill’s Automotive, but the vehicle continued towards West Broad Street, traveling at speeds exceeding 100 mph.
The pursuit last two miles, coming to a stop at Ervin Avenue and West Broad Street. Another officer arrived on scene and assisted removing four individuals from the vehicle. Bond was set at $15,000 and they will appear in court on December 22.
On December 5, 28-year-old Brittany Ann Campbell of The Loop Circle was cited for trespassing and theft. Campbell had been told not to be back on Wal-Mart property, but on December 1, Campbell was seen in the store by Wal-Mart employees where she left the store with a pair of boots without paying for them. The boots have been recovered and returned to the store.
On December 7, 35-year-old Johnathon Adam Rice of Jennings Lane was cited for theft of merchandise and trespass. Police made contact with Rice who had taken a bark control dog collar and flat iron, which were returned to the store. Rice had also been trespassed previously from the property.
On December 10, 35-year-old Juan Tomas Rodriguez of Calhoun Street was arrested for domestic assault. According to the warrant, “Rodriguez did commit domestic assault when he struck the victim by hitting him in the right side of the face to where his right eye was swollen and bruised and also a cut on the right side of the face.” His bond was set at $2,500 and he will be in court on January 5, 2023.
That same day, 35-year-old Bryan R. Philpot of Cookeville was arrested for simple possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.
While assisting another officer on a traffic stop for non-working taillights, and speaking with the owner/driver of the vehicle, the officer requested consent to search the vehicle, which was given. The officer located a white powdery substance in the glove compartment on the passenger side of the vehicle and a small blue “Nanette” brand bag that had nine needles inside. Also inside the bag was a small cylinder-shaped Tylenol bottle with an unknown clear liquid inside.
Upon finding the items, the officer placed the passenger of the vehicle, Philpot, under arrest. Bond: His bond was set at $15,000 and he will be in court on January 5, 2023.
On December 12, 40-year-old Jessica French Hale was arrested for burglary, two counts of theft, and cited for simple possession and criminal trespass. Police responded to a suspicious person call on Morgan Drive. Once making contact with Hale, the officer received a call from another officer on a call at Wal-Mart due to a theft that had occurred from two commercial vans in the loading area. Surveillance video showed a person with similar clothes go into the vehicles and leave the scene. Hale did fit the description and also had in her possession the items taken from the vehicles.
Hale has been trespassed from Wal-Mart and upon incident to arrest, two white round pills believed to be Oxycodone were found in her possession. No prescription for the medication could be provided. She is under a $14,500 bond and will be in court on January 5.
On December 13, 24-year-old Courtney Brooke Shrum of Dowelltown was cited for theft. On December 2, Shrum was seen on Wal-Mart surveillance video concealing items and leaving the store without paying for them. She is due in court on January 5.
