The following story was provided to WJLE by our news partner “The Smith County Insider”.
A Smithville man faces two counts of attempted first degree murder and a host of other charges after firing shots at Smith County Sheriff’s Deputies who were investigating an attempted vehicle burglary during the early morning hours of Thursday, October 5. No one was injured.
47 year old Steve Franklin Mabe, Jr. of Charity Lane, Smithville is charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder, evading arrest, reckless endangerment, possession of drug paraphernalia (set of digital scales), possession of a schedule II drug (5 oxycodone, 15 milligram) manufacturing, delivery, sale of a schedule II drug (0.97 ounces of methamphetamine), possession of a schedule VI drug for resale (more than 40 plants of marijuana), possession of stolen property (bumper hitch wooden floor trailer confirmed stolen from Smithville), possession of a weapon by a convicted felon (9 millimeter pistol) and possession of same weapon during the commission of a dangerous felony. Mabe’s bond totals $292,500 but he is being held without bond on the attempted first degree murder charges.
His girlfriend, 37 year old Martha Conger Hale, also of Charity Lane, Smithville is charged with evading arrest (hiding from officers in a camper), possession of a weapon (rifle) by a convicted felon, possession of a schedule VI drug for resale (more than 40 marijuana plants on her property), and two counts of accessory after the fact (for trying to help Mabe evade arrest). Her bond totals $215,000.
Both Mabe and Hale will appear in Smith County General Sessions Court on Thursday, October 12.
Sgt. Jimmy Gregory of the Smith County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a Ward Hollow residence in Brush Creek following a report of someone trying to break into a vehicle.
Gregory arrived in the area just after 1 a.m. and drove around to see if there was anyone walking down the road. On his way back, he noticed a red Jeep Cherokee next to a building. He went on down to the residence and made contact with the complainant.
According to the arrest warrant, the complainant stated that her dogs were barking at something. She looked out her son’s window and saw a man standing next to her car.
The complainant set the car alarm off and stated that she heard a man and female arguing in the woods beside her house, according to the arrest warrant. She then stated that she heard what sounded like an ATV start up and drive off, according to the arrest warrant.
Around this time, Deputy Nick Campbell arrived at the location. Gregory and Campbell drove up the road and parked.
The officers walked down to a trailer and looked around it but didn’t see anything out of place. They then started walking down the road a bit farther and saw the red Jeep start up and drive a short distance into the woods.
Per the arrest warrant, Gregory described the Jeep as being “kind of loud” and that it could be mistakened for an ATV.
The officers crossed the cable at the building and started walking toward a wooded area.
When Gregory and Campbell were about 25 to 30 yards from the Jeep, a flash and gun shot came from the other side of the vehicle, according to the arrest warrant.
Gregory announced themselves as being with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and for those in the Jeep to come out with their hands up, but they took off running into the woods, according to the arrest warrant.
Dispatch was alerted of shots fired and the SRT Team (Special Response Team) was activated and sent to the officers’ location.
While waiting for the entire team to show up, Gregory heard the Jeep start up. He got on his PA and stated that “this is the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, come out with your hands up,” according to the arrest warrant.
Two male individuals, Joshua Spurlock (25, Silver Point, Tennessee) and Richard Davidson (23, Smithville), walked out of the wooded area and were taken into custody. They stated they had been working on a truck, according to the arrest warrant.
When the rest of the team showed up, they started clearing out vehicles as they came to them. Along the way, they came into contact with a camper on the property, which they advanced to.
While searching the camper, Martha Hale (37, Smithville) was found hiding under a bed with a rifle beside her, according to the arrest warrant.
Hale was placed in custody and then taken back to the staging area with the weapon.
At the point, the search turned to Steve Mabe (44, Smithville). The officers cleared the building behind the camper and then started down some trails.
As they were going through the woods, they came into a clearing where marijuana plants were growing.
Gregory and Lt. Jenkins stayed behind at the camper to guard the plants. While waiting, they heard movement behind them.
The officers went back to the patch, and when they turned on their flashlights, they saw Mabe standing over a bundle of marijuana.
Mabe was told to freeze, and he took off running. As he was running, he turned to the right and fell, according to the arrest warrant.
When Jenkins and Gregory made it to the area where he fell, they looked for him.
According to the arrest warrant, Mabe had put on a ghillie suit and was hiding in the weeds.
Mabe was then found and taken into custody, and Deputy Silcox and Sgt. Gregory took him to the staging area. According to the arrest warrant, a Kel Tec .9 mm fell from Mabe’s waistband.
They went back to the Jeep and found the casing that had been fired earlier, according to the arrest warrant.
When they got Mabe back to the staging area, he was searched again, and a metal box with five oxycodone 15 mg were found in his pocket along with a blue plastic container with 27.3 g of meth in it. They then went back and harvested the marijuana and brought it out.
Units from Gordonsville, South Carthage and Carthage P.D. responded for backup initially and helped set up a perimeter and transport suspects.
Spurlock and Davidson were held for investigation and then released.
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