A mother and father along with another man were arrested by Smithville Police on Thursday after they were found to be smoking marijuana in a vehicle in the presence of their small child.
Officer Matt Holmes and Corporal Travis Bryant charged the parents, 25 year old Jesse Alexander Easley and 22 year old Hillary Dawn Campbell both of 135 Ridge Top Circle, Sparta with simple possession of a schedule VI controlled substance and child neglect and abuse. Meanwhile, 21 year old Reko Lamont Powell of 165 Ridge Top Circle, Sparta was charged with simple possession and criminal impersonation.
Officer Holmes received a call from an off duty State Trooper who informed him that he saw an automobile at a car wash occupied by two males, a female and a small child. The trooper, who was also at the car wash, advised Officer Holmes that he smelled what he believed to be an odor of marijuana coming from their vehicle. The trooper said that he looked in the car and saw one of the men holding what he believed to be a marijuana cigarette.
Officer Holmes, after observing the vehicle coming out of the automatic car wash, initiated a traffic stop. As he approached the automobile, Officer Holmes smelled what he believed to be an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Campbell was the driver. Easley was a front seat passenger and Powell was a passenger in the back seat. Officer Holmes asked all three to exit the vehicle. And when asked, all three admitted they had been smoking marijuana. A three year old child was also in the vehicle with them. After an investigation police discovered that the child is the daughter of Campbell and Easley. Again, Powell, Campbell, and Easley were arrested and charged with simple possession. Campbell and Easley were also charged with child neglect and abuse. Powell was further charged with criminal impersonation after he gave a fake name to Corporal Bryant. Bond for each is $3,000 and their court date is March 11th.
Meanwhile in other cases, 48 year old Eddie James Anderson of 430 Oriole Drive, McMinnville was arrested Sunday, February 7th for driving on a suspended license. Officer Scott Davis made the arrest. Anderson was stopped for a brake light out and a check of records revealed that his driver’s license was suspended for failure to satisfy a citation. Bond for Anderson was set at $1,000 and his court date is February 17th.
35 year old Brian Matthew Lasser of 782 Moores College Road was arrested Tuesday, February 9th for simple possession of schedule II and IV drugs. K-9 Officer Bradley Tatrow observed a vehicle traveling north bound on South Mountain Street with a tail lamp out on the passenger side. The vehicle made a right turn onto Bryant Street. After Officer Tatrow activated his blue lights to signal the vehicle to stop near the ball park on Bryant Street, the automobile continued to travel east. It went through the intersection of Bryant and South College Street and then stopped near Doc’s Auto Detail. Upon stopping, the driver appeared to be stuffing something into his pants or reaching into his pants for something. Upon making contact with Lasser, the driver, Officer Tatrow saw that he did not have anything in his hands, such as driver’s license or vehicle information. Fearing that Lasser may have a weapon, he was asked to exit the vehicle. When Lasser refused to be patted down for weapons, Officer Tatrow called for additional officers to assist. After the officers arrived, Lasser consented to a pat down search. Upon conducting the search, Officer Tatrow heard what he believed to be pills rattling in a bottle in Lasser’s right pocket. Lasser was asked if he had any pills in his pocket and he replied that he had some Xanax pills in his pocket that were in a hydrocodone bottle. Lasser voluntarily produced the pill bottle from his pocket upon being asked. The bottle contained four blue pills believed to be Xanax as well as three yellow pills thought to be oxycodone. Lasser said he had a prescription for Xanax but did not have one for oxycodone. Lasser’s bond was set at $2,000 and his court date is March 18th.
22 year old Jeffery Lynn Smith of 1053 Blues Hill Road, McMinnville was arrested for domestic assault on Tuesday, February 9th. K-9 Officer Bradley Tatrow made the arrest. Bond for Smith was $2,500 and his court date is February 25th
43 year old Jeffrey Todd Oakes of 10409 Spanntown Road, Arrington Tennessee was arrested on Wednesday, February 10th for a fifth offense of driving under the influence and driving on a revoked license. Officer Tatrow was called to the parking lot of McDonald’s after a complaint that possibly two intoxicated persons were making threats to employees at the drive thru. Officer Tatrow was told that these people were parked in a green truck next to a Yukon. Officer Tatrow made contact with Oakes, the driver. The vehicle was running but setting obscured in a parking space. Officer Tatrow smelled a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the vehicle. Oakes had slurred speech and appeared to be intoxicated. Oakes could not produce a driver’s license. A computer check revealed that his license was revoked for a third or more offense of driving while intoxicated. Oakes was asked to exit the vehicle. He was unsteady, leaning against the vehicle as he was getting out. Officer Tatrow smelled a strong odor of alcohol coming from Mr. Oakes’ person and he was unsteady on his feet. Oakes submitted to field sobriety tasks but he performed poorly. Oakes’ vehicle was seized by the Smithville Police Department. Bond for Oakes was set at $6,000 and his court date is March 18th.
Meanwhile, anyone having information on the following offenses is asked to please contact the Smithville Police Department at 597-8210 or the Tip Line at 464-6046.
On Friday, February 5th Corporal Travis Bryant took a report of a 13 year old female Chihuahua which was taken from the owner, Patricia Tousey’s yard. According to Ms. Tousey, she placed the dog outside on a leash and when she checked on the dog later she noticed her to be missing. The dog is described as a female Chihuahua, tan in color, short & fat and answers to the name of Dolly and is wearing an Indian design collar.
Any information received that will help Smithville Police solve any criminal offense will be greatly appreciated. All information is confidential.
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