Officials of the City of Smithville and the DeKalb County School System have come up with a plan for dealing with traffic problems in the school zone at Northside Elementary School, but it may be several weeks before it can be implemented.
Director of Schools Mark Willoughby says he met last week with Smithville Alderman and Police Commissioner Aaron Meeks, Smithville Police Chief Richard Jennings, Northside Elementary School Principal Dr. Gayle Redmon, and Transportation Supervisor Peggy Pursell.
Concerns were raised last week during a meeting of the Smithville Mayor and Aldermen that an accident could occur in the school zone unless the problem was addressed. The issue is that parents who pick up their children in the afternoons have to line up on the shoulder of Highway 56 north which makes it difficult for motorists exiting the school parking lot from being able to see around them. And because of the heavy traffic on Highway 56 during that time, many motorists leaving the school have to wait a long time before they can get back out on the road. Some say either the city, county, or school system should have an officer or trained civilian to direct traffic there during the mornings and afternoons.
Willoughby says the proposal is to extend the school zone at Northside Elementary to Smith Road and to have the buses enter and exit on Smith Road. Parents would no longer be permitted to park on the shoulder of the road but they would have more room to enter and exit the school from Highway 56. There are apparently no plans under this proposal to have anyone directing traffic. “We’ve looked at what we can do to address that, hopefully to alleviate some of the problem, I don’t know that it will solve the problem. We’ll be re-directing our buses to enter and leave through the Smith Road area. Therefore, the buses will not be lined up with car traffic in the mornings or afternoons, which we’re hoping will help some. We’re not going to start this right now, we’re going to wait for a few things to happen,. We’re going to move the flashing lights down there at Smith Road, then we will move (extend) the school zone a little bit further down the road. By doing that, we’re hoping to get those buses away from the cars. You know, four or five buses will take up a lot of car space. Hopefully, that is going to help some. And then the cars would be snaking through the parking lot, similar to what they have in the past. But we’ll be getting the buses out of the way. The cars would be entering and exiting the same place they have always have, the only difference is that the buses will not be entering or exiting in the places where they have in the past. The buses will only be entering and exiting at Smith Road..”
Again Willoughby says the plan has not yet been implemented. TDOT may have to grant permission to extend the school zone before the signs and flashing lights can be relocated and some minor work has to be done at the entrance to the school property from Smith Road in order for buses to have easier access.

A citizen report of a suspicious vehicle helped the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department solve a burglary over the weekend at a residence on the Old Mill Hill Road.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 24 year old Joshua Cripps of Hodges Road, Smithville is charged with aggravated burglary and theft of property. Bond for Cripps was set at $75,000 and he will appear in court on September 3rd. Another man, 20 year old Raymond Howard Rollins of West Main Street Apartments, Smithville is charged with driving on a suspended license. His bond was set at $1,000 and he will appear in court on September 2nd.
On Saturday, August 22nd deputies received a call from a citizen about a suspicious automobile on Old Mill Hill Road, Dowelltown, and that someone had gotten out of the vehicle. Upon arrival the officer discovered that Rollins was the driver. A check of his license revealed that it was suspended for failure to satisfy a citation.
On Sunday morning, the sheriff’s department received a call of a break in at a residence on the Old Mill Hill Road. Following an investigation, deputies arrested Cripps in connection with the crime. Sheriff Ray says officers discovered that Rollins and Cripps had been together on Saturday and that Cripps had told Rollins to let him out of the vehicle and to pick him up again in a few minutes. Rollins then rode around until he got pulled over and arrested on the driving charge. In the meantime, Cripps allegedly went to the residence of a family member, broke the glass out of a door, entered the home, and took a bottle of prescription medication. The victim was not at home at the time of the break in. Cripps then left and was picked up by officers later Sunday morning.
Sheriff Ray says he wants to thank the complainant who reported seeing the suspicious vehicle. “The caller did the right thing by calling the dispatch and advising us of the vehicle. It made this theft investigation a lot easier for us to work. This is a great example of what happens when citizens are keeping watch on what is going on in their communities. We encourage people to call us and let us check out things such as this.”

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has charged a Smithville man with aggravated sexual battery for allegedly having sexual contact with a four year old child.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 41 year old James Aaron Vinca of East Main Street was charged with the offense on August 18th. In mid July, Vinca was accused of having unlawful sexual contact with the child at his residence. The child is a member of his family. Vinca has allegedly admitted to the crime. His bond was set at $25,000 and his court date is set for September 17th.
Meanwhile, in other cases 52 year old Calvin Kenneth Adcock of Keltonburg Road Smithville was arrested on August 18th for simple possession of a schedule III drug. Sheriff Ray says deputies spotted Adcock walking down the roadway and when asked if they could help him, Adcock said he needed a ride to his probation officer’s office. The officer told Adcock that he needed to pat him down before seating him in the patrol car and Adcock consented. During the search, the officer found a blue pill believed to be Hydrocodone in Adcock’s pocket. Bond for Adcock was set at $1,000 and he will appear in court on August 27th.
25 year old Stephen Brandon Pirtle of Rolling Acres Road, Smithville was arrested on August 21st for simple possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Deputies were summoned to the residence because of an unwanted guest. Upon entering the home, officers noticed rolling papers, a glass bong that is used to smoke marijuana, and a bag of marijuana in the bedroom. Sheriff Ray says Pirtle tried to conceal the marijuana by throwing articles of clothing over the bag. Bond for Pirtle was set at $2,500 on the charges and he will appear in court on September 3rd.
36 year old Luis Manual Ramirez of Miller Road Apartments was arrested by deputies on August 23rd after a BOLO, or be on the lookout, was issued for a vehicle that was involved in an accident in Warren County. Officers spotted the automobile and attempted to pull it over. The driver, Ramirez, refused to stop. One of the deputies pulled in front of Ramirez’s vehicle and stopped it. When Ramirez refused to get out of the vehicle, the deputies removed him. After a check of Ramirez’s driver’s license, it was found to be revoked for a 2007 driving under the influence charge in DeKalb County. Ramirez was charged with evading arrest, resisting arrest, and a first offense of driving on a revoked driver’s license. His bond was set at $9,000 and he will appear in court on September 3rd.

A 29 year old woman has been charged in an early Sunday morning assault on her 95 year old landlord at the residence they share at 309 West Main Street in Alexandria.
Chief Mark Collins of the Alexandria Police Department says Debralee Hardcastle is charged with especially aggravated burglary, especially aggravated robbery, and especially aggravated assault in the attack on Lilae Belle Gilliam. Hardcastle is also charged with theft under $500 in a separate case. Bond for Hardcastle totals $378,500 and she will appear in court September 17th. Hardcastle is currently on probation on other charges outside DeKalb County
According to Chief Collins, Gilliam, who lives alone, rented a portion of her home to Hardcastle and another woman less than a month ago. They apparently moved here from Wilson County. Both dwellings in the Gilliam home are under the same roof but have separate entrances.
Chief Collins says Hardcastle, in order to alter her appearance, dressed disguised as a man and then left her room around 3:15 a.m.. He says she went outside, went around the house, and knocked on Mrs. Gilliam’s side door. When Mrs. Gilliam answered the door, Hardcastle, holding a 14 inch knife, forced her way inside and demanded the elderly woman’s medication. Mrs. Gilliam, who apparently did not recognize Hardcastle, resisted and tried to defend herself. Though she fought off the attack, Gilliam suffered lacerations and bruises from blows to her head and upper body.
After the assault, Hardcastle returned to her room, taking three bottles of medication from Gilliam’s residence. Mrs. Gilliam, bleeding from the attack, dropped to her hands and knees, crawled to the foyer near the door and began screaming for help.
Apparently in an attempt to avoid arousing suspicion as to her possible involvement, Hardcastle removed her disguise, changed her clothes, cleaned up and went back to assist Mrs. Gilliam and called 911.
Gilliam was transported by DeKalb EMS to UMC Medical Center in Lebanon where she was treated and released.
Chief Collins says after interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence at the scene, Hardcastle was identified as a suspect.. She was picked up for questioning, but she refused to cooperate or give a statement. She was subsequently charged in the case.
Chief Collins says the case is being investigated by the Alexandria Police Department in cooperation with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department
Also in an effort to calm any fears, Chief Collins wants the citizens of Alexandria to know that this attack is believed to have only been an isolated incident. Still, he says his department will increase patrols late at night in the city as a precaution. And if you see or hear of suspicious activity occurring in your neighborhood contact the Alexandria Police Department or the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.

A morning fishing trip on the Caney Fork River below Center Hill Dam turned tragic for an Alexandria man and his grandson Saturday morning.
TWRA Officer Tony Cross says 62 year old Richard Sanders drowned after he and his grandson, 15 year old Kirkland Sanders of Murfreesboro jumped from their small fishing boat, trying to make it to shore, after encountering strong currents.
The Sanders were on the river as the generators were activated and the sluice gate was opened at the dam, and when the water got swift, the two apparently became concerned and decided to jump out of the boat and try to swim to shore. But finding the current too strong, the boy swam back and clung to the boat until help arrived. The boy’s grandfather drowned. Both were wearing their life jackets.
Bystanders in canoes and kayaks quickly converged on the scene to render assistance. The elder Mr. Sanders was brought by canoe to the steps below the power house at the dam, where efforts were made unsuccessfully to resuscitate him.
The people on the kayaks pulled the boy on board his boat and towed it to shore. Ambulances transported both victims to DeKalb Community Hospital. The grandfather was pronounced dead. The boy was treated and released.
TWRA Officers Tony Cross, Tommy Stockling and Mike Beaty were on the scene along with Ray Eason, Park Ranger of Edgar Evins State Park, members of the DeKalb County Rescue Squad and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.

The Alexandria Police Department has made arrests in recent burglary, theft, and vandalism cases.
Chief Mark Collins says 34 year old James Steven Leduc of Alexandria is charged with burglary and theft under $500 as the result of an investigation in which a chainsaw, gas can, and miscellaneous landscaping chemicals were stolen from a business on Nashville Highway. Bond for Leduc is set at $40,000. More charges are expected. Chief Collins says the case was investigated as a cooperative effort with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department that resulted in several recent burglaries being solved.
Meanwhile, 22 year old Justin L. Thomas of Watertown was arrested for vandalism by the Alexandria Police Department on August 17th after officers responded to Gin Alley Apartments on August 13th where it was reported that Thomas had attempted to pry open a door causing damage to the door and frame. His bond is $2,500 and the court date is August 27th.
Alexandria Police charged four juveniles for aggravated burglary and theft over $1,000 on August 20th as the result of an investigation of a home burglary on Academy Avenue that occurred on July 14th where it was reported that approximately $600 in cash and coins, miscellaneous jewelry, and a video camera were taken.
Anyone having any information on any criminal activity in Alexandria should contact the Alexandria Police Department at 529-2700.