A well known Liberty man was arrested Saturday after being accused of pointing a gun at another motorist (family member) while chasing after him in his vehicle at high speeds on Highway 56 South.
74 year old Frank Donald Thomas of Nashville Highway, Liberty is charged with reckless endangerment and aggravated assault. His bond is $50,000 and he will be in court October 9. He was charged by a sheriff’s department detective.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Saturday, September 27 central dispatch received a call that Thomas, driving a red Chevy Avalanche on Highway 56 south, was chasing after a man in a red Dodge pickup truck at speeds of over 100 miles per hour. During the chase, Thomas allegedly pointed a small silver gun out of the window, causing the victim to fear for his life.
A deputy spotted Thomas behind the victim’s truck. Another witness said he was run off the road by the red Dodge being chased by the red Avalanche.
Thomas later told officers that the reason he was following the man was because of something he had done in the past. Thomas said he wanted to get his hands on him. Thomas was placed under arrest and a silver revolver, containing three live rounds and three spent rounds, was found in his vehicle.
Thomas is a former county commissioner and member of the county beer board.
In other cases, 36 year old Tara Jane Summers of West Broad Street, Smithville is charged with reckless endangerment. Her bond is $100,000 and she will be in court October 2. Sheriff Ray said that on Wednesday, September 17 Summers pulled up in her vehicle in front of the sheriff’s department. She signaled for one of the detectives to come to her automobile. The detective responded and saw two small children in the back floorboard of Summers’ vehicle. He also noticed that Summers held a 12 gauge shotgun in her lap. Summers told the detective that her parents had been murdered and that there were people chasing her, trying to kill her. When Summers was asked to hand over the shotgun, she refused and started pointing it out the window toward passing vehicles. The detective had to take the weapon by force. The gun was found to be loaded with three live rounds. Summers was placed under arrest.
28 year old Jennifer Nicole Miller of McMinnville Highway, Smithville is cited for simple possession of a schedule IV drug (xanax). Sheriff Ray said that on Tuesday, September 23 a deputy stopped a white van on the Sparta Highway for a traffic violation. After receiving consent to search, the officer found in Miller’s purse, nine and a half pills believed to be xanax. The pills were inside an Aleve bottle. Miller allegedly admitted that the pills belonged to her but that she had no prescription for them.
37 year old Franklin Ray Rigsby of McMinnville is charged with a second offense of driving under the influence. He was further issued citations for driving on a revoked license and driving on roadways laned for traffic. His bond is $3,000 and he will be in court October 16. Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, September 25 while patrolling on Highway 70 a deputy observed a red Nissan crossing the center line of the road, failing to maintain its lane of travel. The officer conducted a traffic stop and found that the driver, Rigsby had a strong odor of alcohol on his person and his eyes were glossy. Rigsby submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. A computer check revealed that Rigsby’s license were revoked for a previous offense of driving under the influence. He was arrested and brought to the jail for booking.
37 year old James Allen Hesson of Toad Road, Dowelltown is charged with public intoxication. He was further issued a citation for simple possession of a schedule II drug (meth). His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court October 9. Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, September 25 a deputy was dispatched to a trailer park residence on Toad Road where a man (Hesson) was reported to be banging on his neighbor’s door and setting a fire outside the home. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with Hesson, who was unsteady on his feet and had a strong odor of alcohol on his person. When the officer asked what he was doing, Hesson replied that he was burning junk to clean up the trailer park. The neighbors said Hesson had actually been taking things off their porch and burning them without their permission. During Hesson’s arrest for public intoxication, a small container was found on his person which held two small bags of methamphetamine.
25 year old John David Hankins of McMinnville is charged with driving under the influence. He was also issued citations for a violation of the open container law, expired tags, driving an unregistered vehicle, and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court October 9. Sheriff Ray said that on Friday, September 26 a deputy pulled over a 1999 Honda Civic for expired tags. Hankins was the driver. A computer check revealed that the vehicle was unregistered. Hankins had a strong odor of alcohol on his person. Hankins told the officer that he had been drinking earlier that evening. Hankins performed poorly on field sobriety tasks and he submitted to a blood test. During his arrest for DUI, Hankins was found in possession of a pipe used for smoking marijuana. He also had an open bottle of rum in his vehicle.
19 year old Brittany Nichol Bogle of Coconut Ridge Road, Smithville is charged with domestic assault. Her bond is $1,500 and she will be in court October 9. Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, September 27 a deputy was dispatched to a residence on Coconut Ridge Road on a domestic complaint. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with Bogle and her brother who had been in an altercation. According to Bogle, she and her brother began arguing over his friends. She claims her brother got in her face twice and she hit him in the face. Her brother told the officer that both had been in each other’s faces but that she started swinging, hitting him and causing a cut to his mouth. She was placed under arrest.
28 year old Matthew Calhoun Carpenter of Cherry Street, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence and possession of a handgun while under the influence. He was also cited for failure to change the address on his driver’s license, possession of drug paraphernalia, and failure to maintain his lane of travel. Carpenter’s bond is $4,000 and he will be in court October 9. Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, September 27 a deputy observed a white truck leave its lane of travel. After stopping the vehicle, the officer spoke with the driver, Carpenter. He had a strong odor of alcohol on his person and his speech was slurred. Carpenter admitted to having been drinking and he was unsteady on his feet. Carpenter performed poorly on field sobriety tasks and he submitted to a blood test. During an inventory of Carpenter’s single cab truck, the deputy found in the passenger floorboard a green case containing a 357 magnum handgun, loaded with seven bullets. He also found a pipe containing residue believed to be marijuana. Carpenter was placed under arrest.
32 year old Brent Lawrence Averill of Ike Adcock Road, Smithville is charged with driving on a revoked license. He was also issued a citation for violation of the financial responsibility law because he could not produce proof of insurance. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court October 15. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, September 28 Averill was driving a 1999 black Mustang on Antioch Road when he crashed the car into a ditch about twenty yards east of Greenhill Road causing extensive damage to the front end. His license were found to be revoked.
23 year old Daniel Trey Hamilton of South Mountain Street, Smithville is charged with assault. His bond is $2,500 and he will make a court appearance on October 9. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, September 28 Hamilton, who is a prisoner at the jail, covered the surveillance cameras in the cell. Two correctional officers went to the cell and asked him to come out. He refused. The officers entered the cell and began to escort him out. Hamilton became aggressive and assaulted one of the correctional officers by head butting him in the eye.
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