A 25 year old man, charged with aggravated child abuse, could be facing more serious charges now that the four month old baby he is accused of abusing has died.
However, Sheriff Patrick Ray says Esteban Palomo Morales of West Green Hill Road, Smithville has fled the county and hasn’t been seen since his arrest on Wednesday, February 24th.
Palomo was charged in the case by county detectives after an investigation into an injury that occurred to the child on August 6th 2009.
The infant had a terminal illness and was being fed with a feeding tube. According to Sheriff Ray, Morales was mad when he entered the residence on Cecil Hale Road in Smithville and threw the baby face down on the couch. The child suffered injury from the abuse and the feeding tube came out. The baby was sent to St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville and has died.
Detectives have been in contact with the District Attorney General about the case and will decide if Morales can be charged with the death of the child. Bond for Morales was set at $50,000 and he is scheduled to appear in court on March 4th.
Meanwhile, in another case, Sheriff Ray says 19 year old Joshua Dean Turner of Northwood Lane, McMinnville, 21 year old Terry Ray Barnes of Fun Branch Road, Gainesboro, and a 17 year old female were all charged Friday, February 26th with attempted manufacture of a schedule II drug methamphetamine. Bond for Turner and Barnes was set at $25,000 each. The juvenile was sent to the juvenile detention center in Cookeville. All will appear in court on March 25th. A deputy, while on patrol, spotted a vehicle pulling into the parking lot of Mt. Pisgah Church on Short Mountain Highway. The officer stopped to investigate and took the K-9 dog around the vehicle. The dog alerted on the automobile. The occupants told the deputy that they had smoked marijuana while in the vehicle, but all gave conflicting stories of when it happened. The officer conducted a search and found a methamphetamine lab including ammonium nitrate, lithium batteries, hose, funnel, aluminum foil, Drano, empty pseudoephedrine blister packs, water, acid, and bags of ephedrine.
27 year old Tommy Lynn Parsley of Broad Street Smithville was arrested on Sunday, February 28th and charged with a fifth offense of driving on a suspended license, criminal impersonation, evading arrest, possession of a schedule VI drug (marijuana) for resale, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Parsley was also wanted for criminal trespassing and a general session’s court capias has been issued for his arrest. Parsley’s total bond was set at $64,500 and he will appear in court on March 11th. A deputy spotted Parsley on Highway 70 East at a motel and knew that he was wanted in DeKalb County on outstanding warrants. The officer turned his patrol car around and when he entered the parking lot he noticed Parsley run into a room. The deputy went to the door and knocked. Parsley answered. The officer asked Parsley for his identification. Parsley provided him with an I.D. of Timothy Murphy. When the deputy told Parsley that the I.D. didn’t belong to him, Parsley then ran out the door in an attempt to flee. Parsley was caught about 150 yards away and began resisting arrest. Officers found in Parsley’s vehicle over ½ oz. of marijuana, marijuana scales, a pill crusher, baggies, and a marijuana shredder.
40 year old Donna Sue Blankenship of West Green Hill Road, Smithville was arrested Tuesday, February 23rd for driving on a suspended license on Bright Hill Road. This was Blankenship’s second offense. Bond was set at $2,000 and she will appear in court on March 10th
18 year old Colby M. Kelnhofer of Rodonna Drive, Smithville was charged Tuesday, February 23rd with driving under the influence and possession of a schedule II drug. Bond was set at $3,000 and he will appear in court on March 18th. Sheriff Ray says deputies were dispatched to an automobile accident on Sparta Highway. An officer noticed that Kelnhofer, the driver, had a smell of marijuana about him. There was also an odor of marijuana inside his vehicle. Kelnhofer submitted to field sobriety tasks which he failed. Deputies asked Kelnhofer about the marijuana smell. He replied that he had smoked a marijuana cigarette and then wrecked. Officers also found a small portion of a pill in Kelnhofer’s pocket believed to be oxymorphone.
28 year old Alicia L. Fish of Midway Road, Smithville was arrested on Tuesday, February 23rd and charged with disorderly conduct, assault on an officer, and resisting arrest. Her bond was set at $7,500 and she will appear in court on March 18th. Deputies responded to a complaint on Midway Road. While talking to another person there, Fish came out of the residence yelling and screaming at both the officers and the person to whom they were talking. Fish was told several times to go back into the residence. She initially complied but later came out again yelling and screaming. This happened seven or eight times. After the officer told her she was under arrest, Fish took off running back into the house and slammed the door on the deputy’s arm. Fish also fought the officer as he was trying to cuff her.
26 year old Matthew Malachi Lawson of Haley Road Smithville was arrested on Thursday, February 25th and charged with aggravated burglary and theft of property over $1,000 after an investigation into a break-in on South College Street in Smithville. Lawson allegedly entered the home and took a pistol, money, knives, a cedar dresser drawer, and blank checks. Bond for Lawson was set at $40,000 and he will appear in court on March 11th.
42 year old Thomas Wayne Coats of Malone Hollow Road was arrested on Thursday, February 25th for public intoxication. Bond was set at $1,000 and he will appear in court on March 18th. Deputies responded to a domestic call on Malone Hollow Road in Alexandria and upon arrival found Coats in an intoxicated state. Coats had a smell of alcohol on his person and his speech was slurred.
19 year old Ray Darnell Underwood of Short Mountain Highway was arrested on Friday, February 26th and charged with driving on a suspended license after he was involved in a motor vehicle accident on Short Mountain Highway. Bond for Underwood was set at $1,000 and he will appear in court on March 18th.
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