Two McMinnville men were arrested by the Sheriff’s Department last week, charged in connection with the burglary of a houseboat at Pates Ford Marina.
19 year old John Houston Simons of Nortcutt Cove Road, McMinnville and 24 year old Luther J. George of Greenwood Drive, McMinnville were charged on Wednesday, June 9th with aggravated burglary and theft of property over $1,000. Bond for both men was set at $10,000 and they will appear in court on July 15th. Sheriff Patrick Ray says a deputy responded to a call at the Pates Ford Marina and arrested the two men after they were found to have entered a houseboat without the owner’s consent and removed two televisions from the boat.
Meanwhile in another case, 19 year old Donald E. Yarbrough, Jr. of Luttrell Drive Smithville was charged Wednesday, June 2nd with statutory rape. Deputies were called to answer a complaint on Woodbury Highway in Liberty After arrival they spoke to Yarbrough about allegations that he had sexual contact with a 14 year old female. Yarbrough admitted to deputies that he had been having sex with the girl. After an investigation into the crime, Yarbrough was arrested. His bond was set at $5,000.
52 year old James Herbert Thomen of Capshaw Drive, Cookeville and 35 year old Sean Keller of Window Cliff Road, Baxter were charged Monday, June 7th with driving under the influence. Keller was also issued a citation for refusal to submit to a blood alcohol test. Bond for both was set at $1,000 and they will appear in court on June 17th. According to Sheriff Ray, a deputy received a call about a fight in the Austin Bottom area of the county. Upon arrival, the officer spotted two vehicles driving away from the area. He stopped one of the cars on the Austin Bottom Road. The other car stopped behind them. The deputy noticed that the driver of the first car, Thomen, had an odor of alcoholic beverage. Thomen submitted to field sobriety tasks which he failed and he was very unsteady on his feet. The deputy then checked the driver of the second vehicle, Keller, and detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage on him. Keller also submitted to field sobriety tasks which he failed. Keller was unsteady on his feet and he refused to take a blood alcohol test.
46 year old Gary Wayne Ponder was arrested Tuesday, June 8th on a sealed indictment charging him with two counts of sale and delivery of a schedule II drug and two counts of sale and delivery of a schedule II drug in a drug free zone. The charges against Ponder are the result of the Sheriff’s Department’s Drug Round Up back in April. Bond for Ponder was set at $60,000 and he will appear in court on June 18th.
21 year old Aaron Preston Battle of Lakeridge Run Nashville was arrested on Saturday, June 12th and charged with theft of property over $1,000. His bond is set at $8,500 and he will appear in court on June 24th. According to Sheriff Ray, a deputy received a report of a stolen four wheeler at the Four Seasons Marina. Following an investigation, the officer arrested Battle for the theft. Battle admitted that he took the four wheeler from the marina without the owner’s consent.. The four wheeler was valued at $3,000.
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