The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has charged a 23 year old man with forgery and theft for allegedly trying to pass a forged check at a local bank.
23 year old Jacob Garrett of Old Bildad Road, Smithville is under a $5,000 bond and he will appear in General Sessions Court on January 18th.
Sheriff Ray says Garrett went to the home of a relative, took a check, then went to a local bank where he forged the name of the relative on the check and tried to cash it.
According to Sheriff Ray, Garrett has confessed to the crime.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has made another arrest in a recent burglary and theft case.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 18 year old Homer Anthony Petty II of Banks Pisgah Road is charged with theft of property and burglary. His bond is set at $25,000 and he will be in General Sessions Court on the charges January 18th.
Petty’s father, 35 year old Homer Petty, also of Banks Pisgah Road was charged with burglary and theft of property in the same case last month. His bond is set at $40,000
Sheriff Ray says the Petty’s allegedly broke into Young’s Nursery and Greenhouses on Highway 56 south last month. A four wheeler, utility trailer, and rolls of copper wire were stolen from the nursery.
Officers have recovered the four wheeler, utility trailer, and some of the copper.

The Smithville Police Department on Friday charged 46 year old Robin Breden Williams with misusing 911 and, in a separate case on Saturday morning, arrested 24 year old Carlos Luis Mata on drug and alcohol charges
Chief Thomas J. Stufano says on Friday officers responded to the Center Hill Apartments located at 1222 South College Street in answer to a reported disturbance between two neighbors.
Upon arrival officers made contact with the neighbors regarding an apparent assault on one another but neither one wanted to press charges at the time. Police left the scene but returned approximately an hour later as one of the parties had dialed 911 requesting police response.
Officers returned to the residence only to find that the person making the call would not open the door to speak to the officers. After about five minutes, the officers were able to have the occupant open the door briefly enough to satisfy their beliefs that she was alright. However, it was apparent that she was in an intoxicated state. Officers advised her that the 911 Emergency System was only to be used for an extreme emergency and not for general police information. After 8 more 911 calls from the same person,Robin Breden Williams of 1222 South College Street, Apartment B-6 was arrested for Misuse of 911. Her bond was set at $2,500.
In another case Smithville Police came in contact with a vehicle on Highway 70 that was weaving in and out of traffic and driving in an erratic manner at approximately 1:45 am on Saturday morning. The vehicle was eventually stopped at the intersection of Highway 70 and Short Mountain Street when the driver jumped out of the vehicle and ran across the highway. Officers chased the suspect on foot and arrested 24 year old Carlos Luis Mata of a Mexico address. Upon taking Mata into custody officers found on him a bag of white powder suspected of being cocaine. Mata also had a strong smell of alcohol on his breath and was considered DUI based on additional information obtained at the scene. Numerous open cans of beer were found strewn inside the Mata vehicle. Mata was charged with DUI, evading arrest and simple possession of narcotics- (schedule II drug), violation of the open container law, and driving without a license. Bond was set at $6,500.

Smithville Police arrested a 25 year old man on drug charges Wednesday.
Chief Thomas J. Stufano says Joshua Goff of 816 Gentry Avenue is charged with sale and delivery of narcotics.
He says “The case started after concerned citizens notified police that possible illegal drug activity could be occurring at 816 Gentry Avenue. There were reports that numerous cars and people on foot would frequent the residence at all hours of the day staying only for minutes after contacting someone there and then leaving. Smithville Police setup a surveillance of the property for four days validating the information after 40 cars were observed stopping in this fashion. After other investigative information was obtained officers entered the residence during an ongoing drug transaction and arrested Goff for the illegal sale of narcotics. Illegal schedule II narcotics and cash were recovered during the raid. Goff was arrested and transported to the DeKalb County Jail with a Bond of $10,000.”
Chief Stufano says Smithville Police appreciate the continued support and vigilance the public is providing in helping law enforcement eradicate the selling of illegal narcotics in Smithville. The Police Department is committed to actively investigating all complaints of illegal drugs in our community.

70 year old man was injured in a one car crash Wednesday night on Keltonburg Road, State Highway 288, just three tenths of a mile east of Highway 56.
Sergeant Billy Prater of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says Lellon M. Cantrell was driving east on Keltonburg Road in a 1986 Pontiac four door car when he went off the right side of the road and clipped a utility pole. The wreck caused a power outage for many residents and businesses in the area for at least an hour or more.
Cantrell was taken by DeKalb EMS to DeKalb Community Hospital and he was later airlifted to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville.
Sergeant Prater was assisted at the scene by members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb EMS, and the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Team.

Governor Bredesen, Senator Mae Beavers and Representative Frank Buck announced today a $96,880 grant to DeKalb County Schools for after-school programs for the 2006-07 school year funded by unclaimed lottery prize money. The Lottery Education After-school Programs (LEAP) is geared toward public or non-profit agencies to expand or develop after-school programs serving at least 50 percent at-risk students for an average of 15 hours a week. The LEAP program has provided approximately $21.2 million in grants to date.
“These programs provide quality learning opportunities and a safe haven for thousands of Tennessee students after school hours,” said Governor Bredesen. “They provide our schools with additional resources to reach at-risk students and to improve their overall achievement. I am very aware of the high cost and challenge of providing services for at risk students, especially in urban districts, and I intend to work closely with the General Assembly to continue making progress in this area.”
The General Assembly passed new legislation this year for a second after-school grant program, the Test Preparation Pilot Project. This program is designed to provide ACT/SAT preparation, academic tutoring and study skills for at-risk students. Each site may serve no more than 60 seventh- through ninth-grade students for an average of 15 hours a week. The project will begin with six sites ? one urban and one rural in each of Tennessee?s three grand divisions. Each site will receive $50,000 a year for three years.
?Students need quality programs to engage them after school and help reinforce the learning that goes on during the school day,? Senator Beavers said. ?These grants will have a long term impact of the quality of life in our towns.?
?Not every child has the opportunity to receive extra help and enrichment after school,? Representative Buck said. ?These after school programs will give our children the boost they need to succeed in school and in life.?