The sheriff’s department has arrested a Lebanon man for breaking into a Liberty residence armed with a pistol and assaulting the homeowner last month.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, James Michael Tatum, 48, has been charged with aggravated burglary and aggravated assault in connection with the July 31 incident. Tatum allegedly broke into a Wilson Hollow Road home and pointing a .45 caliber Glock handgun at the resident. He reportedly attempted to hide his identity by camouflaging his face. Tatum was arrested after a sheriff's department detective’s investigation determined him to be the culprit in the case.
His bond was set at $100,000, and he will appear in court on Aug. 20.
Meanwhile, an Alexandria man is charged with DUI, driving on a revoked license, leaving the scene of an accident and evading arrest.
Albert Dayton West, 46, was charged with evading arrest by the sheriff's department and with driving under the influence, driving on a revoked license and leaving the scene of an accident by the THP after a deputy investigating a report of a domestic dispute reportedly spotted a suspect in the case traveling in a vehicle with West. The sheriff said the deputy got behind the vehicle on West Main Street in Dowelltown and activated his blue lights, but West did not stop.
When the officer activated his siren, West allegedly sped up and turned onto Smith Fork Road, where he traveled about a mile and a half before losing control of his vehicle. West and the passenger both reportedly fled the scene on foot.
A deputy found West on Main Street in Dowelltown two hours later, and he allegedly admitted to being the driver and confessed to picking up the man involved in the domestic dispute to keep him out of trouble. A witness also identified West as the driver of the vehicle.
His bond totals $14,000, and he will appear in court on Aug. 27.
Julie Lynn Fayette, 38, was charged with three counts of aggravated domestic assault on Aug. 15.
Ray said that Fayette intentionally grabbed the steering wheel of a vehicle driven by her husband, causing it to run off the road with their daughter and nephew as passengers, and putting the lives of her husband, daughter, and nephew in danger. The case was investigated by a sheriff’s deputy.
Her bond totals $15,000, and she will appear in court on Aug 20.
Kenneth Adam Wright, 33, of Alexandria was charged with a third offense of driving under the influence and issued citations for driving on a revoked license, violation of the financial responsibility law, driving on roadways laned for travel, and violation of the implied consent law on Aug. 14.
The sheriff said a deputy spotted a gray truck crossing the white dotted line several times on Highway 70 West in Dowelltown. After stopping the vehicle, the deputy spoke with the driver, Wright, who had an odor of alcohol coming from his person.
Wright allegedly admitted to having consumed four beers. He submitted to, and performed poorly on, field sobriety tasks. Although Wright refused to submit to a blood test, a search warrant was obtained for a forced blood draw due to his multiple DUI convictions.
His bond was set at $4,500, and he will appear in court on Oct. 22.