The final chapter in a September 2006 shooting may have been written with one man having recently been sentenced and charges against two others dropped.
26 year old Garth Cantrell, who was indicted in April on a charge of attempted first degree murder in the shooting of 22 year old Joseph Givens last September on White Street in Smithville entered a plea by information on September 27th to a charge of aggravated assault and received a four year sentence. He also entered a plea to a charge of possession of cocaine, in a separate case, and received another four year sentence. Both sentences are running consecutively for a total of eight years. He must pay a $2,000 fine in the drug case.
After the shooting, Cantrell sought criminal charges against Givens and another man, Raymond L. Knox, Jr. claiming they beat him up prior to the shooting. Givens and Knox were indicted in August by the DeKalb County Grand Jury on an assault charge, but Criminal Court Judge David Patterson dismissed the charges against them upon request of the District Attorney General on October 26th.
On the night of the shooting, Cantrell was allegedly pulled from an automobile and assaulted by Givens and Knox. After the attack, Cantrell left, but apparently returned later with a rifle and allegedly shot Givens, causing serious bodily injury.
Givens was taken to Vanderbilt Hospital and was later released.
While free on bond, Cantrell was arrested again in May on the drug charge during a graduation night road block.
Cantrell was given credit for the 332 days he spent in jail waiting disposition of the case and is now incarcerated in the Tennessee Department of Corrections at the Brushy Mountain Correctional Complex. Cantrell will be eligible for parole on January 8th, 2008. His sentence is scheduled to end on July 30th, 2014.

Smithville Police have made arrests for burglary, filing a false report, and driving under the influence in recent days.
Chief Richard Jennings says 38 year old Charles Eugene Thurman, Jr. of Murfreesboro is charged with burglary.
According to the arrest warrant, Thurman did enter a trailer on Short Mountain Street in Smithville without the consent of the owner and with intent to commit theft.
Thurman may also be a suspect in a vandalism on College Street.
In his report, Lieutenant Steven Leffew wrote that ” On Friday, November 9th at 5:29 p.m.I was dispatched to 1234 College Street in reference to a vandalism. Upon arrival, Melissa Thurman showed me where someone had made forced entry through the back door and poured paint on several items of furniture, broke three end tables, and cut up a couch and love seat.”
No arrests have been made in that case.
Smithville Police have also taken a report on another theft.
Officer Travis Bryant, in his report, states that “On October 31st at 3:00 p.m., I went to 522 Miller Road in response to a theft from a vehicle. Upon arrival, I spoke with Guy Peterson who advised me that he had items taken from his car. The items included a laptop valued at $1,000, a black computer bag valued at $50, a wireless Sony walkman valued at $100, and a Sony car CD player valued at $150.”
No arrests have been made.
Sandra Krammer reported a theft on Saturday, November 10th.
Lieutenant Steven Leffew, in his report, states that “On Saturday at 4:07 p.m. I was dispatched to 1100 South College Street in reference to a theft. Upon arrival, Krammer stated that someone had stolen a 40 gallon gas hot water heater and a 20 foot iron pipe. She states that the items were taken from the south side of the building. They had been outside for a couple of months.”
No arrests have been made.
44 year old Mark G. Koch of Restview Avenue, Smithville was charged with filing a false report.
According to the arrest warrant, Officer Craig Capps responded to a domestic call at 624 Restview Avenue on October 22nd, where Koch stated that his girlfriend, 42 year old Wendy Kay Goodman, had stabbed him once in the chest and once in the arm. On his statement, his girlfriend was arrested. On the court date, Koch stated that he had turned into the knife and that it was all an accident.’
Koch is under a $2,500 bond on the false report charge.
34 year old Regina C. Valdez was charged with a first offense of driving under the influence early Sunday morning, November 11th.
The arrest warrant states that Valdez was the driver of a vehicle that had been involved in a one car accident on Allen’s Chapel Road. Upon speaking with her, Officer Randy King noticed a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on her person. She did admit to drinking earlier. She was asked to perform several field sobriety tasks in which she performed poorly. She did consent to a breathalyzer test but could not produce a sufficient sample for testing.
Her bond is $1,500
39 year old Curtis Lee Adams was charged with a first offense of driving under the influence on Saturday, November 10th.
According to the arrest warrant, Officer King stopped a vehicle traveling east on West Broad Street in Smithville for speeding, going 84 miles per hour in a 40 mile per hour zone. The vehicle stopped at the intersection of Church Street and Holmes Creek Road. Officer King spoke to the driver, Adams, and he noticed a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on Adams’ person. He was asked to perform several field sobriety tasks in which he performed poorly. He did submit to a breathalyzer test but blew an insufficient sample three times causing the machine to abort the test.
His bond is $1,500.

A good crowd turned out for Monday morning’s Veteran’s Day observance downtown
The ceremony, held in front of the Veteran’s Memorial Monument on the south side of the courthouse, featured remarks by guest speaker Harold Martin, a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, who called on our national leaders to stop the bickering and to put our country and troops first. “The men and women who marched off to World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan, knew that freedom is not free. The freedom that we enjoy has been paid for with thousands of lives, with sweat, with blood, and with immeasurable sacrifice by many thousands of American men. The coming generation needs to know about this.”
“With the present world situation being what it is, this is the time to stand shoulder to shoulder to keep America the strong, free nation that our armed forces down over the years has secured for us. Not only is it the responsibility of our military to keep our country strong, it’s also the responsibility of our elected leaders.”
“Members of Congress are currently at odds with each other. Democrats are bickering with Republicans. Republicans are bickering with Democrats and it’s time for the two to act in unison and put our country and our troops ahead of everything else.”
Rebecca Purdue sang the National Anthem to start the program and the ceremony also featured a performance by the DCHS band and a group known as “Southern Harmony” who sang a few patriotic songs. The group is made up of Mary Lynn Page, Annette Greek, Betty Martin, and Susan Parham.
Charles Olsen offered the opening prayer, Doyle Smith led the audience in the pledge to the flag, and Edward Frazier and Bill Patrick laid a wreath at the Veteran’s Monument at the conclusion of the program as Colton Rhody played taps on his trumpet.
Prior to the ceremony a Veteran’s Day parade was held featuring several local veterans, who rode together on a float. There were also horse and mule drawn wagons among other participants.
The program was sponsored by the local American Legion and VFW.

A Sparta man, stopped by a county officer for a traffic violation Friday, was found to have some marijuana.
39 year old Jay Anderson III of Omaha Gap Road, Sparta was arrested for driving on a suspended driver’s license, simple possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says Anderson was stopped on Highway 70 East for a traffic violation. After deputies ran Anderson’s license, he was found to be driving on a suspended license. Upon a pat down search, Anderson was found to have in his possession two marijuana cigarettes, a plastic bag containing marijuana, and rolling papers. Bond was set at $3,500 and his court date is November 29th.
Meanwhile 23 year old Paul Robert Higgins of Grand Rapids Boulevard in Naples, Florida and 23 year old Jennifer Leigh Peacock of West Road, Morrison were arrested on Sunday after Higgins’ vehicle was stopped for weaving on Highway 70 West.
Sheriff Ray says Higgins was found to be intoxicated after deputies tried to administer field sobriety tasks. Higgins was arrested for DUI 1st offense.
Peacock was a passenger with Higgins and was also intoxicated. According to Sheriff Ray, Peacock became very belligerent with the deputies. She was arrested for public intoxication. Bond for Higgins was set at $1,500 and Peacock’s bond was set at $1,000. Both are to appear in court on December 6th.

15 year old Martha Alan Webb of Smithville is the 2007 Fall Fest Queen.
She was crowned Saturday night at the conclusion of the annual pageant held at the DeKalb County High School gym, sponsored by the Smithville Business and Professional Women’s Club.
Webb, daughter of Alan and Lora Webb, succeeds the 2006 Fall Fest Queen, Jessica LeAnn Bain of Smithville, the 18 year old daughter of Teresa Johnson and Harold Bain.
First runner-up in the pageant was 17 year old Sarah Elizabeth McBride of Smithville, daughter of Michael and Lisa McBride.
17 year old Macy Felts was named second runner-up. She is the daughter of Rick and Kendra Guinn of Smithville.
Kristen LaCole Smartt was third runner-up. She is the 14 year old daughter of Aaron and Paula Taylor of Dowelltown.
16 year old Rosemary Apple of Smithville, daughter of Nick and Claire Apple, was the fourth runner-up.
Meanwhile, 16 year old Whitney LaRay Moss of Alexandria, daughter of Greg and Wendy Moss, was named Miss Congeniality.
Some twenty young ladies participated in the pageant.

U.S. Representative Bart Gordon is accepting applications through December 1st from DeKalb County students seeking nominations to the U.S. service academies.
The U.S. Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Military Academy all require a nomination to be considered for admission. Gordon is accepting applications from high school seniors or recent graduates who live within his congressional district, which includes DeKalb County.
“Each year, I have the privilege of nominating outstanding young men and women to the service academies,” Gordon said. “The quality of education available at the academies is among the best in the country. The competition for a nomination is tough, but I encourage anyone who is interested to apply.”
Students who are accepted to the service academies receive free tuition, room and board, as well as a monthly stipend. Upon graduation, they are commissioned as second lieutenants or ensigns in their branch of service, where they must complete a five year service obligation. The value of a service academy education is more than $300,000.
To be eligible for a nomination, a candidate must be a U.S. citizen between the ages of 17 and 23. Any interested students should contact Congressman Gordon’s Murfreesboro office at (615)- 896-1986 or download an application through his Web site at www.house.gov/bart and mail it to him at P.O. Box 1986, Murfreesboro, TN 37133