Two juveniles, believed to be responsible for a rash of recent mail box vandalism incidents, will soon make an appearance in Juvenile Court on petitions accusing them of committing the delinquent act of vandalism.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said the two juveniles, both boys, were served with the petitions Tuesday.
According to Sheriff Ray, numerous mail boxes have been damaged recently, mostly in the southern portion of the county in the areas of Whorton Springs Road, New Home, Bethel Road, Jacobs Pillar, and Old Blue Springs Road.
Sheriff Ray is asking anyone who has been a victim of mailbox vandalism to call Central Dispatch at 215-3000. An officer will contact you to make a report.

Although he was not involved in the high speed pursuit out of Van Buren County last week as initially reported by authorities there, 21 year old Ray Darnell Underwood still has his own problems with the law.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said Underwood is charged with promotion to manufacture methamphetamine, driving on a suspended license, evading arrest, and unlawful possession of a schedule II drug for resale. He also has against him a capius or bench warrant out of the General Sessions Court for simple possession, casual exchange, and two counts of failure to appear in court. His bond totals $42,000 and he will be in court on February 28.
According to Sheriff Ray, Underwood, a resident of Cookeville Highway Smithville was arrested on Sunday, February 17.
Sheriff Ray said that on Wednesday, January 23 a sheriff’s department drug detective took a warrant on Underwood for promotion of the manufacture of methamphetamine after he was found with nine pseudoephedrine pills on his person during a traffic stop. Underwood was a passenger of a vehicle pulled over by the detective on Highway 70. In an interview with authorities, Underwood allegedly admitted that he was planning to make methamphetamine with the pills.
Nine days later on Friday February 1, another drug detective spotted Underwood operating a vehicle on Highway 53. The officer had prior knowledge that Underwood’s license were suspended and he tried to stop him. Instead of pulling over, Underwood accelerated and drove into Cannon County. The officer terminated the pursuit. A computer check confirmed that Underwood’s license were suspended in DeKalb County in September, 2010.
The following Monday, February 4, the same drug detective who tried to stop Underwood on Friday, February 1 spotted Underwood driving again while on routine patrol. Underwood passed him on Highway 70. The officer turned around at Toad Road and began a pursuit activating his lights and sirens. Underwood turned onto New Home Road at a high rate of speed, refusing to stop. He then turned onto Short Mountain Highway. The drug detective again terminated the pursuit due to the speed.
Underwood was finally arrested on Sunday, February 17. A drug detective saw Underwood, who was as a passenger of a vehicle on Gentry Avenue. Having knowledge that Underwood had outstanding warrants against him, the detective placed him under arrest. A search of his person turned up in his jacket pocket a small plastic bag that contained a powdery substance believed to be meth. It field tested to be meth. It was over a half gram. Underwood allegedly told the detective that he had planned to sell it. He also allegedly admitted to being the driver of the vehicle who evaded the drug detective.
25 year old Jamaal Ahmad League of Smith Road, Smithville is charged with public intoxication. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court February 28. Sheriff Ray said that on Monday, February 18 an officer was dispatched to the intersection of Main Street and Short Mountain Street, to check on a man (League) who was reported to be peeping in car windows. League was found to be carrying a six pack of beer. He had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person and he was unsteady on his feet. It was League’s second arrest for public intoxication within four days. He was first arrested on Thursday, February 14 and brought to the jail for booking.
43 year old Tammy Denise Stanley of Redman Road, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence. Her bond is $1,500 and she will be in court on February 28. Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, February 14 a deputy saw a vehicle speeding through the school zone at DeKalb West on Highway 70. The officer got behind the automobile and observed it weaving all over the roadway and driving erratically. The deputy stopped the vehicle and made contact with the driver, Stanley. Her speech was slurred. She admitted to having taken hydrocodone pills earlier in the day. Stanley submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. She also submitted to a blood alcohol drug test.
39 year old Sebastian Manuel Torres of West Bryant Street, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence. He was also issued a citation for failure to travel in the proper lane, violation of the implied consent law, and no drivers license. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court on February 28. Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, February 16, a deputy saw a vehicle traveling in the middle of both lanes on West Broad Street in Smithville at a very slow speed. The officer stopped the vehicle and spoke to the driver, Torres who had a very strong odor of alcohol on his person. Torres, whose speech was slurred, also admitted to consuming beer. He submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks but he refused to submit to a blood alcohol test.
22 year old Justin Lee Todd of Liberty is charged with public intoxication. His bond is $1,000 and he will be in court February 21. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, February 17 a deputy and Tennessee Highway Patrol officer responded to a residence on Adamson Branch Road where a man was in the front yard acting very strangely and armed with a ball bat and a fire poker. The officers made contact with Todd, who was acting very paranoid. Todd told the officer that five men were after him, wanting to kill him. Todd’s speech was very slurred and slow. He appeared to be under the influence and his behavior and actions caused alarm. Todd was placed under arrest.

A 16 year old boy is recovering from a gunshot wound in the leg after an accidental shooting Sunday night at a residence on North Congress Boulevard just outside the city limits.
Officials say the boy and his girlfriend were cleaning guns when a weapon she held was accidentally discharged causing a wound to the boy’s leg.
He was taken by DeKalb EMS to the Smithville Municipal Airport where he was airlifted by a Life Flight helicopter ambulance and flown to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville.
A family member told WJLE Wednesday that the boy has lost his leg. He remains in the trauma unit of Vanderbilt hospital and may need another surgery.
No charges will be filed in the case since it was an accidental shooting. The names of the boy and girl were not disclosed because they are juveniles.

If a new judicial redistricting plan is approved by the state legislature as proposed, DeKalb County would no longer be part of the current make up of the 13th Judicial District, which also includes Clay, Cumberland, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, and White Counties.
Under the proposed plan, Van Buren County would join the 13th district and DeKalb County would become part of a new eight county district which also includes Macon, Trousdale, Smith, Jackson, Cannon, Warren, and Coffee Counties. For DeKalb, that would mean a different set of judges, District Attorney General, and District Public Defender from those that currently serve the county.
The 13th Judicial district has three trial courts including the Chancery, Circuit, and Criminal Courts. The district is served by Criminal Court Judges Leon Burns, Jr. and David Patterson, Circuit Court Judges John Maddux and Amy Hollars, and Chancellor Ronald Thurman. The District Attorney General is Randy York and the District Public Defender is David Brady. All these officials are either from Cookeville, Crossville or Livingston.
State Senate speaker, Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey said he wants the Senate Judiciary Committee to examine judicial districting and ways the legal system can operate more efficiently and effectively. He noted that the last judicial redistricting occurred nearly 30 years ago in 1984.
“We desperately need to take a fresh look at this judicial map statewide to ensure Tennesseans receive the best possible service from their judges, district attorneys and public defenders,” said Lt. Governor Ramsey.
DeKalb County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Bratten Cook II, President of the local bar, said none of the local attorneys like this proposed move. Judge Cook plans to talk with WJLE more indepth on this subject later in the week.
State Representative Mark Pody, during a visit to Smithville Friday, said he believes something should be done and Lieutenant Governor Ramsey wants all proposed plans in for consideration within thirty days. “We are looking at redistricting of judicial districts. That is a huge issue. I’m going to tell you flat out that what we have isn’t working,” said Pody. “We’ve got thirty one districts and some of the wait times for example for a court case could be seventeen months depending on what district its in. I know cases where someone wants to get a divorce and they can’t get a time to even get in front of a judge for over a year. That’s just too long. Or if somebody commits a crime, if it takes over a year, that’s not a speedy trial. We have to pay about sixty dollars per day (per prisoner) to hold those people in prison. That’s what the cost is to the state. If we’re paying sixty dollars per day just holding them until they go to trial, I think we could save some of that money if we could redo this (redistricting) and make our court (wait) times much shorter,” said Pody
“The (redistricting) map I have seen is going from thirty one districts down to twenty nine districts. I’m not comfortable reducing the number of districts. That doesn’t make sense to me,” said Pody. ” But Coffee County is a district unto itself. So we have to redo it (redistricting) so it is more equitable across the state. There are some areas that seem to be working very well with no back load but there are areas where there is a big back load. I’m hoping that the DA’s, the judges, and all the interested parties will come together and help draw the map. Right now they are very open to looking at opportunities. I’d like to keep us at the thirty one districts. I think that even though its more than the twenty nine districts that they are proposing, the savings in jail time, etc should more than offset some of those things. We’re looking at putting this plan together within the next thirty days. Its out there for the public to be commenting on. But more than just saying I don’t like it, what I’m hoping is that somebody will say ‘here is an alternative’ to divide it up in a way that works well for everybody across the state. My goal is to vote for what’s best for the entire state and not what might be just best for where I am (my district). I have to look at this as a state issue and not just what’s going to be best for our county. My vote has to be that way. I am going to be very open to the facts. For example, I want to know the case load and the average time for trial. I think that will make a difference in how its going to be divided up,” said Representative Pody.
Tennessee currently has thirty-one judicial districts which determine the areas judges, district attorneys and public defenders serve.
To be considered, submitted plans must use 2010 federal census data and redistrict the entire state. Plans must contain a total of thirty-one districts or fewer and districts must be comprised of whole counties. Regional integrity, geographic boundaries and ease of inter-county travel must also be considered.

City officials fired back at the DeKalb Utility District Monday night after receiving a letter from DUD officials claiming that City Attorney Vester Parsley, Jr. and Secretary-Treasurer Hunter Hendrixson have not provided the aldermen with “full and accurate information” concerning the DUD’s position on the water cost study
“I take a little offense at that,” said Parsley during Monday night’s city council meeting.
City officials, during the last meeting on February 4 complained that DUD had decided not to pay for half the cost of a water study, as the utility had allegedly previously agreed to do in correspondence with the city.
The DUD letter, signed by Board Chairman Roger Turney and manager Jon Foutch, sent over the weekend to city officials including each alderman points out that the DUD was willing, in a proposed water purchase contract, to share in the expense of a Cost of Service Study with the city as long as both parties agreed on an unbiased and independent entity to perform the study, which is being done to determine the actual cost to the city of producing water. Results of the study are expected to help determine rates the city charges the DUD in any future water purchase contract agreement. Even if DUD builds its own water treatment plant, the utility will apparently still need a new contract with the city to serve some areas.
The city chose Warren & Associates to do the study at a cost of $7,500. DUD officials claim Warren & Associates is not unbiased since officials of that company are expected to be called as expert witnesses in the Utility Management Review Board (DUD rate review) proceeding on April 4 in Smithville and will be presenting evidence against the DUD on behalf of the City of Smithville.
Parsley insists both he and Hunter Hendrixson have kept the mayor and aldermen informed on all issues regarding the DUD and takes offense with the DUD for suggesting otherwise. “Hunter and I received a letter from the Chairman of the DUD and Mr. Jon Foutch which implied that Hunter and I had not been informing the board correctly about issues involving DUD. I certainly take a little offense at that because I know that the mayor and I have talked many times and we’ve brought it to your attention here as a board many times about issues as they are brought up. It wasn’t at every board meeting because we didn’t have something to bring up. But Hunter and the mayor and I have talked several times about various issues. Those (issues) that we felt like were important to bring to the board, I know we brought to the board’s attention. I just wanted to clarify that. If anyone at the board here ever needs to talk to me about any issue with DUD you know my line is always open. My office is always open and I would be willing to talk to you at any time. I’m sure Hunter would say the same. You folks (mayor and aldermen), I’m working for you and whatever you want me to do I’ll do and anytime you’ve asked me to write a letter, I’ve written a letter. I just wanted to clarify that,” said Parsley.
“I was really disturbed at the way they (DUD) talked about you and Hunter,” said Alderman Danny Washer. “Right off the bat, I didn’t like it and you (Parsley and Hendrixson) have been up front with us. You have discussed everything with us. If I’ve had any questions you have always been open with us. We’ve been after this for a long time. It just seems like it just gets passed around. They (DUD) don’t want to cooperate with us. We’ve been up front but they’re not wanting to work with us on this. Its kind of like a smoke screen to me. They just keep putting it off and putting it off. I appreciate all the information you have given us. You have kept up informed with everything. I really respect the information you give us. I trust it. I don’t like what I’m getting in the mail from them (DUD). I took offense to it and it wasn’t even directed at me. But we’re all part of the board and what reflects on yall (Parsley and Hendrixson) reflects on us” said Washer.
Meanwhile, Hendrixson said Warren & Associates is proceeding with the water cost study and should be finished soon. “I talked Friday with Warren & Associates. I think they are going to be up here one day this week to collect a little more data. I think they’re getting pretty close to having a pretty accurate number. They won’t give me any numbers yet which is fine until they are completely done. I’m hoping by the next meeting we’ll have a cost of water survey completed and we’ll know where we stand not only with DUD in negotiating a contract with them but also so we know where we are as a city and if we are charging our city customers too much. We’ll know how to plan better if we need a rate increase or leave as is so hopefully in the next several weeks we’ll have a number to go by which is long overdue,” said Hendrixson.

Three people escaped serious injury in a two vehicle traffic accident Monday night at the intersection of South Congress Boulevard and Vaughn Lane.
Patrolman Stephen Barrett of the Smithville Police Department told WJLE that 18 year old Diana Gaspar of Smithville was driving west on Vaughn Lane in a 2005 Nissan when she pulled into the path of a 2011 Honda car driven by 66 year old Kenneth Heady of Gainesboro who was north on Congress Boulevard (Highway 56). 68 year old Clella Martin of Gainesboro was a passenger of the Heady car.
Gaspar’s car struck Heady’s vehicle in the passenger side. After impact, the Heady car overturned on its top and slid to a stop in the highway while Gaspar’s car apparently knocked down a fence just off the road.
Neither Heady, Martin, nor Gaspar were believed to have been seriously hurt. Martin was the only one transported to the hospital by DeKalb EMS.
Gaspar was cited for failure to yield, driving on a suspended license, and violation of the financial responsibility law for no insurance.
Officer Barrett was assisted by Smithville Police Sergeant Andy Snow and Trooper Dewaine Jennings of the Tennessee Highway Patrol. The Smithville Volunteer Fire Department was also on the scene.