The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department Sunday charged a 41 year old man with filing a false report after reporting a fatal stabbing, which did not occur.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says Phillip Wesley York of Lake Motel Smithville called 911 and reported to central dispatch that he had witnessed a murder.
After deputies arrived at York’s residence, York told a story of a 17 year old who had stabbed someone to death.
He said the 17 year old then ran off and hasn’t been seen since. Deputies investigated and learned that the parents of the person, to whom York was referring, does not have a 17 year old daughter. Deputies discovered that York’s story was bogus. York was heavily intoxicated at the time.
York was arrested for filing the false report and his bond was set at $5,000. He will appear in court on August 21st.
Meanwhile, in a separate case, 54 year old Danny Lee Atnip was arrested Wednesday at Mt Herman Church on Dry Creek Road.
Sheriff Ray says Atnip was found to have a syringe and a straw containing a yellow powdery substance believed to be dilaudid. He was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and his bond was set at $1,000. Atnip’s court date is August 21st.

The Chamber of Commerce recently presented a Community Improvement award to Jason Ray for extensive renovations done on his beautiful Liberty home.
The Bungalow / Craftsman style home was built in 1918 by J. M. Bradley on land purchased from M. E. Ray, a descendant of current owner Jason Ray.
The property, which had fallen into major disrepair, was acquired by Ray in 2007. With the help of his father, Ted, Jason has restored the home back to the showplace it once was.
The home was the first in the area to have electric lights (powered by a Delco battery) and indoor plumbing.
(Pictured from left: Amy Lockhart; Ted Ray; Jason Ray; Ricky Barrett, contractor; Liberty Mayor Edward Hale; Chamber Director Suzanne Williams)

The DeKalb County Board of Education met in special session Friday evening and adopted the proposed budget for schools for the 2008-09 fiscal year, after making some adjustments.
The board reduced expenditures from the original proposed budget by $270,821. Total expenditures projected for 2008-09 in the new revised proposed budget are $17,678,485. Total projected revenues are $17,085,275, a shortfall of $593,210.
In order to balance the proposed budget, the school board proposes an appropriation of $555,500 from Basic Education Program (BEP) Reserves and $37,710 from Technology Reserves. The local property tax rate for schools would not be increased.
The original proposed budget included projected revenues of $16,979,885. That figure is now $ 17,085, 275. School officials say the state has okayed adding $105,390 to the budget from other sources including $83,000 from the BEP program, $6,100 from other state revenues, $4,000 from the Job Training Partnership Act, and $12,290 from Public Law 874.
The proposed school budget includes funding in the regular instruction program for three new teaching positions in the system as needed based on student enrollment, along with a new gifted teacher position in the special education program, a new position in the vocational education program, an additional school nurse along with a new part-time clerical position to support the school coordinated health program, and a new clerical position for the guidance department of DeKalb County High School.
A one time bonus of $200 per certified employee is included in the proposed budget and support staff would get a 2% pay raise along with any step increases as per the school system’s salary scale. The budget also reflects increases in teacher salaries by degree advancement and years of experience.
The budget also includes projected increases due to inflation, including an increase for health insurance, electricity, supplies and materials, textbooks and fuel.
The proposed school budget will now be presented to the budget committee of the county commission for a recommendation before it goes to the entire commission for approval later this month.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, in cooperation with the Warren County Sheriff’s Department Marijuana Eradication Team, conducted a helicopter fly over of portions of DeKalb County Friday morning.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says over 50 marijuana plants were seized. “Patches of marijuana were found in Alexandria and single plants were found in Liberty. The plants have been destroyed.”
Sheriff Ray encourages anyone having knowledge of drug manufacture or drug use to call him at 597-4935 or call the Drug and Crime Tip Line at 464-6400. You may also email him at sheriffray@dtccom.net. All calls are kept confidential.
Sheriff Ray says signs of someone growing marijuana outdoors could be:
“cleared areas in thickets for sunshine, usually around small branches and creeks
“people entering the woods with plastic plant slats, water jugs, buckets, fertilizer, gardening tools, moth balls to detour animals and camouflaged chicken wire to hide the plants from aircrafts such as the helicopter
“frequent visits into fields and woods without any reasoning.
Indoor grows are now a popular way of growing marijuana. Some signs you may want to look for of someone growing marijuana in indoor grows are:
” Rental buildings (residential and commercial) are often used so criminals avoid damage to their own property. This results from the high humidity levels and alterations to the property to accommodate the grow operation.
“Tenants may be reluctant to allow landlords to inspect their rented property and/or make arrangements to meet landlords away from the property to pay rent and/or discuss problems.
“Prior history of premises. Residence and/or commercial premises have been used as marijuana grow operations in the past. Many of these rental properties are known among the criminal element as having been used for growing marijuana then repeatedly used again.
“House or utilities obtained under assumed names with payment made in cash.
“Unexplained and unreasonably high utility bills.
“Tenants never taking furniture or groceries into the house.
“Residents may only be in the home occasionally for short periods of time.
“People access the residence only through the garage.
“Water lines and/or electrical cords running to the basement or outbuilding.
“Residence or outbuilding has unusual amount of roof vents or exhaust fan noises.
“Condensation forms on windows due to high humidity levels inside. Humidity inside a grow room is approximately 65% with temperatures ranging between 80 to 90 F. These conditions manifest themselves through condensation on windows. This may also result in lack of snow on the roof in winter.
“Unusual amounts of steam coming from vents in the house in cold weather.
“Skunk-like odor of growing marijuana can occasionally be detected outside. Also, the odor of moth balls, chlorine, manure, soap and/or air freshener is frequently utilized ways of trying to mask the smell of the operation.
“Electrical equipment inside creates humming sounds. Some electrical components in an indoor operation create humming sounds similar to a transformer on a hydro pole.

Smithville Police have charged a 19 year old man with four counts of statutory rape of a young girl.
Chief Richard Jennings says Bradley Robert Herriott of West Broad Street, Smithville is under a $100,000 bond and he will be in General Sessions Court on the charges September 4th.
According to Detective Sergeant Jerry Hutchins, Jr., Herriott had sexual intercourse with a 13 year old girl on four different occasions near the juvenile’s home on a neighbor’s back porch on Morgan Drive and at the Joe L. Evins Ball Park on the last week in May through the first week in June.
Herriott was charged on Wednesday, August 6th in the case.
Meanwhile, in other cases, 37 year old Richard B. Turner of Crestlawn Avenue was charged on Wednesday, August 6th with simple possession of a schedule IV controlled substance and public intoxication.
He is under a total bond of $2,000 on those charges and will be in court August 21st.
According to Lieutenant Steven Leffew, a woman came to the police department on Wednesday to report that she and Turner had been arguing and that he would not leave her alone. Lieutenant Leffew reported that ” As I was talking to her, Turner came up to us and she and he started arguing again.”
The police report states that “Turner staggered into the police department and he was very unsteady on his feet. He had very slurred speech with an odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person. Upon a pat down search incident to arrest, six blue bills, believed to be valium (schedule IV controlled substance) and two white pills were found in his front pocket in a clear baggie.”
Turner was also charged on Thursday, August 7th with criminal trespass.
Officer Matt Holmes reports that on Thursday at 629 Crestlawn Avenue, police responded to investigate a “possible drunk” on the property. He states “Upon arrival, I found Turner” (who had apparently fallen down in the yard). “The management of the Smithville Housing Authority has a restraining order issued by City Judge Hilton Conger to keep Turner off the property.”
Turner is under a $1,000 bond in that case and he will be in court on the charge August 21st.
24 year old Michael B. Colwell of Adcock Cemetery Road was charged Wednesday, August 6th with driving under the influence, reckless endangerment, simple possession, and drug paraphernalia.
Officer Bradley Tatrow reports that “On August 6th on Bright Hill Road, Colwell was operating a motor vehicle and was involved in an accident with a 10 year old child in the vehicle along with drugs and paraphernalia. He did have slurred speech and problems holding his head straight up. No field sobriety tasks were performed because of safety issues but he did take a blood test.” According to Officer Tatrow, Colwell “admitted to shooting a K-4 dilaudid about a half hour before the accident.”
The police report states that upon Colwell’s arrest for DUI, a search was conducted and four xanax pills and a marijuana cigarette were found in his pocket in a cigarette pack. An old hypodermic needle was also found in his pocket.
Colwell is under a $9,000 bond and he will be in court on the charges August 14th.
Darrell L. Salinas was charged Monday, August 4th with driving under the influence, a second offense of driving on a suspended license, and violation of the open container law.
Sergeant Joey Jones reports that “On August 4th at Village Market on Highway 56, Salinas was operating a motor vehicle and was passed out. He was very hard to arouse. He had very slurred speech and was very unsteady on his feet. He performed very poorly on all field sobriety tasks and he did take a blood test .” When the officer arrived, the engine of Salinas’ vehicle was still running. A computer check revealed that Salinas’ license was suspended on September 13th, 2005 in Cannon County. Also upon his arrest for DUI, the officer found in the console of the vehicle, an open can of beer.
Salinas is under a $4,000 bond and he will be in court on the charges August 14th.

Voters in Liberty and Dowelltown elected city leaders Thursday.
In Liberty, three aldermen were elected from a field of four candidates.
Incumbents Paul M. Neal and Dwight Mathis were re-elected but Incumbent Jerry W. Johnson lost his bid for re-election to challenger Todd Dodd.
Dodd led the ticket with a total of 70 votes followed by Neal with 67 votes and Mathis with 54 votes. Johnson received 47 votes.
Meanwhile in Dowelltown, Mayor Gerald W. Bailiff was elected unopposed with 40 complimentary votes.
Joe L. Bogle was re-elected alderman with 32 votes and Elizabeth A. Redmon, a newcomer to the board, was elected with 34 votes. Both Bogle and Redmon were unopposed.