A 28 year old man was seriously injured Saturday afternoon and airlifted to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga after a domestic dispute with his ex-girlfriend.
Trooper Allen England of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says Amador Zetina Gomez of 1105 Vaughn Lane, an employee of Zelenka Nursery, suffered serious facial injuries and possibly others after he fell from a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee, driven by 40 year old Rhonda Jo Suarez of Banks Pisgah Road.
Trooper England says he was dispatched to 1105 Vaughn Lane Saturday around 3:27 p.m. to investigate a non-injury traffic accident involving a pedestrian. Upon further investigation, it was determined to be a domestic dispute between Gomez and Suarez.
According to Trooper England, Suarez, the driver of the Jeep Cherokee, was sitting in the vehicle talking to Gomez. The conversation erupted into an argument and Gomez reached into the driver’s side window and grabbed Suarez by her shirt. She then accelerated the vehicle and traveled across the parking lot with Gomez still holding on to her through the window. Gomez then fell from the window of the vehicle and hit the ground. Suarez made a U-turn, came back, and then stopped beside Gomez to check on him.
Gomez was airlifted from the scene by a Life Force helicopter ambulance and flown to Erlanger Hospital.
According to Suarez and other witnesses, Gomez had been drinking but it could not be verified how much or how long he had been drinking leading up to this incident.
Witnesses say both Gomez and Suarez have been involved in domestic disputes with each other before on several occasions.
Suarez is a former employee of Zelenka Nursery and according to Trooper England, company officials have asked her on numerous occasions before not to be on the property.
Suarez was cited for improper vehicle registration and violation of the financial responsibility law (no insurance). The case is under review by the District Attorney General’s Office to determine if further charges should be filed in the case.

Smithville Police had a busy weekend making numerous arrests for Aggravated Burglary, Theft, DUI, Drugs Criminal and Public Intoxication.
Chief Thomas J. Stufano says on Friday Smithville Police arrested 47 year old Jarvis Trapp of Bell Street Apartments in Smithville for Public Intoxication. “Officers were summoned to Duncan Street after a concerned citizen called stating that a white male was stumbling into traffic near the Tannery on Highway 70. Upon arrival officers found Jarvis lying a drainage ditch on Duncan Street. At first Smithville Officer’s starting working the find as a potential accident scene as Jarvis was unconscious. Further investigation disclosed that he had passed out due to being highly intoxicated. He was arrested and transported to the DeKalb County Jail with a bond set at $1,500.”
On Saturday Smithville Officers arrested 36 year old Richard Turner of 637 Restview Avnue for Criminal Trespassing. Chief Stufano says “Officers were dispatched to 637 Crestlawn Avenue when a resident called to advise that there was an unwanted guest in their house. Upon arrival officers found Turner passed out on the living room sofa. The resident advised that they had told Turner to leave but he ignored their requests and fell asleep on the couch. Officer’s escorted Turner from the property with a warning not to return. Approximately two hours later Officers were again summoned back to the residence where they found Turner again sitting on the couch. He was arrested for Criminal Trespass and Public Intoxication. Turner was transported to the DeKalb County Jail under a $3,000 bond. Turner had also been arrested for the same offense on March 5th after he violated a restraining order to stay off of Housing Authority property.”
Also on Saturday, Smithville Police arrested 30 year old Amy Jeanette Lawson of 1243 Haley Road, Smithville for Simple Possession and Drug Paraphernalia. Chief Stufano says “A concerned citizen called police to report a possible drug sale in progress outside of the City Caf?’ located on Highway 70. As officer’s arrived they could see parties exchanging something and then quickly dispersing. Two subjects were detained and a third unknown white female walked into the Caf?’. Upon entry into the restaurant, police made contact with the woman as she exited a backroom. The investigation disclosed that Lawson had in her possession K-4 Dilaudid and had just disposed of a syringe, 2 straws and a metal container with an additional 5 pills that she had just hidden in a back room in the restaurant. Lawson was subsequently arrested and transported to the DeKalb County Jail under a $3,500 bond.”
On Sunday, Smithville Officers arrested 49 year old Roy D. Mathis and 45 year old Rhonda Cains of 627 Crestlawn Avenue in Smithville for Aggravated Burglary and Theft over $500.00. Chief Stufano says “Investigators determined that the two had burglarized a garage located at 118 Steeple Chase Drive in Smithville and stole thousands of dollars worth of tools. The victim who saw the pair stealing the items was hurt while trying to stop the theft. The two subjects were eventually arrested. Bond for Mathis is $10,000 and Cains’ bond is $3,500.”
Also on Sunday afternoon Smithville Officers arrested 49 year old Ricky Devault of 330 Talphia Road in Dowelltown for DUI and Driving on a Suspended License. According to Chief Stufano, officers responded to a 2 car motor vehicle accident in the Hardees parking lot and found that Devault had run into the rear of another vehicle. He was suspected of DUI and the standard field sobriety tests confirmed his intoxication. A computer check also noted that his license was suspended (2nd offense). He was arrested and transported to the DeKalb County Jail with a $1,500 bond.”
On Monday, Smithville Officers responded to a county mutual aid request. It was reported that an unknown Latin male was walking along Highway 70 and appeared to be intoxicated. Upon arrival Smithville Officers found 30 year old Gilberto Godinez of 6416 Short Mountain Road in Smithville banging on neighborhood doors wanting to use their phone. It was apparent that Godinez was intoxicated and did have cuts and scrapes about his face from falling into ditches as he walked. He was eventually arrested and transported to the DeKalb County Jail for Public Intoxication. Bond was set at $1,000. Godinez advised that he is an illegal alien from Mexico.”
Also on Monday morning Smithville Police responded to 428 Morgan Avenue on a reported vandalism call. Chief Stufano says ” Further investigation showed that vandals had spray painted suspected “gang signs” on the street. 26 year old Ricky Murphy of 7301 McMinnville Highway, Smithville was arrested for vandalism. He was brought to the DeKalb County Jail under a $1,000 bond.”
Chief Stufano says “Local law enforcement has started to notice an increase in gang graffiti throughout the region. The recent rash of signage displayed locally is known as “BK” or Blood Killer’s” which originates back to west coast gang organizations. Law enforcement has been actively gauging the gang concept in the area with intelligence sharing meetings among the agencies. Also noted is the influx of Latin gangs which are moving operations from the mid-west. Smithville Police has assigned an officer to stay current with gang activity in our area.”
Again, Chief Stufano says the Smithville Police Department would like to thank our citizens for staying vigilant to their surroundings and calling to report suspicious activity in your neighborhood. “Crime Watch is effective and does work! The Smithville Police ask for our residents to just make a phone call to the Police and not try to stop the illegal activity themselves. “

Smithville, TN—Center Hill Realty announces the promotion of Ron Sifford to broker in its Sliver Point Office, and the addition of Kristie Campbell as an agent at its Smithville office.
?We?re committed to being a full-service company for people in all areas of DeKalb County, and that requires the best possible staff,? says Robin Driver, Center Hill Realty broker/owner. ?Both Ron and Kristie have demonstrated the personnel skills and professionalism which make them an asset to our team.?
Sifford, a native of Greeneville, TN, retired from the U.S. Navy in 1999, after more than 20 years of service following a brief career as a disc jockey at WJLE, Smithville, in the early 1970s. He and his wife Patsy reside in Smithville and are the parents of three grown children. He has had his real estate license since 2000 and broker?s license since 2004.
A multi-million dollar seller each of the past three years, he?s a two-time recipient of the Silver Award for sales excellence from the Eastern Middle Tennessee Association of Realtors. At Center Hill?s Silver Point office he will manage a staff of seven agents.
?The best thing about this job is the people we get to meet and work with,? he says. ?My goal is to continue to be their number one resource for property in the area, and chalet rentals at the lake, whatever their needs.?
For Campbell, the position at Center Hill Realty marks the beginning of a new career. A White County native, she and her husband Scott, a communications contractor, are the parents of three sons and reside in Dowelltown. ?I?m looking forward to this opportunity to help others realize their dreams of home ownership,? she says.
With office locations in Smithville and Silver Point, Center Hill Realty has consistently been the local market leader in real estate sales since it?s founding in 1989. The company takes great pride in the community and area it serves, and is an active supporter of local events, charities, and youth sports.
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DeKalb County’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January was 5.2%, up from the revised rate for December of 4.7%
The DeKalb County Labor Force for January was 10,080. A total of 9,560 were employed and 520 were unemployed.
Meanwhile, Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January was 4.8 percent, 0.1 percent lower than the December rate of 4.9 percent. The United States unemployment rate for the month of January was 4.6 percent.
County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for January show that all 95 counties increased. County unemployment rates cannot be seasonally adjusted and therefore reflect seasonal expansions and layoffs that occur during the year. The state and U.S. unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted to eliminate normal seasonal fluctuations and to indicate a more accurate measurement of actual economic change.
Williamson County registered the state’s lowest county unemployment rate at 3.4 percent, up from 3.0 percent in December. Pickett County was the states highest at 11.3 percent, up from 9.3 in December, followed by Lawrence County at 9.8 percent, up from 8.8 in December.
Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate at 3.9 percent, up from 3.3 in December. Davidson County is 4.1 percent, up from 3.6 in December. Hamilton County is at 4.4 percent, up from 3.8 in December, and Shelby County is 5.7 percent, up from the December rate of 5.0.

Seven candidates have qualified to run for alderman in the Smithville Municipal Election this summer with a few more days left until the qualifying deadline.
Those who have qualified to be on the ballot for the June 19th city election include Jerry W. Hutchins’ Sr, Tonya Sullivan, Willie Thomas, Todd VanDyne, W.J. (Dub) White, Paul Young, and Aaron Meeks.
Three will be elected.
White, Meeks, and Young are incumbents seeking re-election.
The election commission reports that a qualifying petition has been picked up for one more potential candidate, but it has not yet been returned.
The qualifying deadline is 12 noon on Thursday, March 15th

Smithville Police have again been active in drug and DUI enforcement which has resulted in numerous arrests over the last week.
Chief Thomas J. Stufano says “On Saturday March 3rd Smithville Police Officers arrested 51 year old Jackie Sanders of 632 Highland Street, Smithville for DUI 2nd Offense while Intoxicated or Drugged. The event started when an off-duty Alexandria Police Officer reported to 911 Dispatch that he had seen a Ford Explorer driving recklessly in the area of Foster and Dry Creek Roads. Smithville Officers responded to the area and were able to find the vehicle and establish that the driver was in fact driving in a manner consistent with drunk driving. Smithville Officers performed the standardized field sobriety tests and found Sanders to be in violation of the state’s Implied Consent Law. He was arrested and transported to the DeKalb County Jail and booked under a $3,000 bond.”
Meanwhile, on Tuesday March 6th , Chief Stufano says “Smithville Officers arrested 29 year old Sharon Roseann Barnwell of 831 J E Evins Avenue, Smithville for Simple Possession of a Scheduled IV Drug. Officers were dispatched to the address to break-up a reported fight between Barnwell and her female cousin over the ownership of some jewelry. The women agreed to a search of their persons for some of the reported missing items. Found hidden inside a package of cigarettes on Barnwell was a white pill identified as SOMA. Barnwell was arrested and transported to the DeKalb County Jail under a $1,500 bond. Barnwell gave her listed occupation as a Nurse.”
In a separate case, Smithville Police responded to a second disturbance on Wednesday March 7th located at 632 Restview Avenue, Smithville. Chief Stufano says ” Upon arrival Officers saw several neighbors pointing to a disturbance. Once at the residence they made contact with an elderly victim who stated that she told her daughter, 35 year old Patsy Estes McCoy and her husband, 39 year old Mark McCoy to leave her property earlier in the morning and not return. At the time of the disturbance, the two had returned trying to gain entry into the residence. The victim stated she was in fear as the two attempted to push the door open and she told them that she had a bat and would use it if they came in. Mark McCoy then pushed the door open and was struck in the head with the bat. He responded by grabbing the bat from the elderly victim, raising it as if to strike her, and then pushed her hard into the kitchen table causing a bruise. A second party in the house, who witnessed the incident, gave the same story.”
Chief Stufano says “While Officers attempted to reconstruct the story and calm the participants down, Patsy McCoy became irate causing a continuing disturbance. After numerous attempts by Police to separate the individuals Patsy McCoy was arrested for Disorderly Conduct and transported to the DeKalb County Jail under a $5,000 bond. Mark McCoy was arrested for Aggravated Burglary and Assault with a bond of $30,000.”
Smithville Police Officers also responded to Green Brook Park regarding a citizen’s complaint of a woman, who had passed out inside a mini van. Chief Stufano says “Upon arrival Officer’s made contact with the driver now known as 26 year old Virginia Ayala of 1650 Old Snow Hill Road, Dowelltown. Upon further investigation Officer’s found that Ayala was missing 56 Hydrocodone pills from a prescription bottle that had just had 60 refilled the day before. Ayala stated that she had been consuming the pills at a rate of 1 per hour.”
“Her mother was later contacted and told Police that she was holding 18 of the pills for her daughter because she knew Ayala had a drug habit. Standardized sobriety tests were performed and it was determined that Ayala was in fact under the influence. Due to the fact that Ayala was in physical manual control of the vehicle and just attempting to leave she was placed under arrest for DUI. She was arrested and transported to the DeKalb County Jail and booked under a $1,000 bond”
Chief Stufano says “Smithville Police are committed to the safety and security of the residents and guests of the City of Smithville. As springtime fast approaches, it also brings the infusion of more people enjoying our area. The Police Department will remain vigilant for DUI and other traffic hazards that could disrupt our motoring public. “