Smithville Police have made at least three arrests this week.
29 year old Steven Westley Atnip of 211 Meadow Brook Drive was arrested Wednesday, December 30th for driving on a suspended license. Officer Matt Holmes was traveling south on Short Mountain Highway Wednesday when he observed Atnip traveling in the lane in front of him. The driver was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the traffic stop. Atnip was asked for his driver’s license and he stated that he did not have any. A check through central dispatch revealed them to be suspended. Bond for Atnip is set at $1,000 and his court date is January 13th.
34 year old Wendy D Bowling of 415 Hayes Street was arrested Thursday, December 31st for simple possession. Officer Scott Davis was dispatched to 415 Hayes Street in the early morning hours on Thursday in reference to a domestic call. Officer Davis observed a small amount of a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana at which time Ms. Bowling admitted ownership. Her court date is January 7th.
57 year old Fred Claspell of 224 Green Acres Drive was charged with filing a false report on Sunday, December 27th. According to Corporal Travis K. Bryant, Claspell reported to police on Christmas Day that someone had entered his garage and taken a Baja Heat Mini Bike valued at $600. He told police that he noticed the bike missing on Christmas morning and that the last time he had seen it was on Christmas eve. On Sunday, December 27th, Patrolman Matt Holmes, while conducting a follow up investigation, went to Claspell’s home. Claspell was taken to the police department where he was interviewed. Officer Holmes told Claspell that he had received video footage from Walmart showing him (Claspell) inside the store. On the tape, Claspell could be seen operating his motorcycle through the parking lot and later chaining it to a light pole. After viewing the video, Claspell identified himself in the footage and admitted to being drunk when he went to Walmart. He was then arrested and charged with filing a false report. More charges are pending.

The holiday season has always been a time of giving whether it be to family, friends, or those less fortunate. People seem to put their wants and needs on hold during this joyous season by practicing the importance of giving. The administration of CHANCE residential homes for young men and women found Friday, December 18 to be no exception to the gift giving spirit.
CHANCE residential centers are a place for at risk youth to live in a safe, highly structured environment. Through around-the-clock care, counseling and academic instruction these youth work to return to their communities with high self esteem and a new demeanor. As these centers strive to rebuild trust and self-confidence, they have been able to see young men and women emerge with an excitement for life and an understanding that they can make worthwhile contributions to the community.
“When a young person arrives at CHANCE residential center, our role to “Give a Child a CHANCE” is in full effect. If love and understanding, positive support, and meaningful information are not a part of life’s experiences, hope for the future becomes lost. The CHANCE residential centers provide a chance at life that many of us take for granted,” Phyllis Bennett, Executive Director of UCHRA said.
A large number of Christmas gifts were anonymously donated to CHANCE for the youth living in three residential centers. Each youth in the three CHANCE centers was given an Under Armour duffel bag filled with numerous clothing. “It is through such anonymous donations that we are giving these children a chance to have a Christmas. Many children come into our centers with very little personal belongings, and we are glad to be able to give them something that they can carry with them when they leave us not withstanding all they have learned while being at our homes,” Brian Swearengen, UCHRA Residential Services Director said.
For more information on UCHRA’s residential centers or ways to make donations, please contact the UCHRA Central Office in Cookeville, TN at (931) 528-1127 or visit us at www.uchra.com.
CUTLINE: Christmas was brighter for the young men and women at the UCHRA Residential Centers. Representatives from the centers are pictured above receiving an anonymous donation that was later given to the youth of each center. From left to right: Amanda Young, Indian Mound Administrative Assistant, Teresa Hutchings, Indian Mound Facilitator and Case Manager, Amy Dutton, Youth Impact Center Facility Coordinator and Case Manager , Tina Puckett, Indian Mound Case Manager, and Brian Swearengen, UCHRA Residential Services Director.

A 35 year old pedestrian lost his life in a New Year’s Eve traffic accident on West Broad Street in Smithville near K&M Jewelry.
Dead is Kevin Sanders.
Trooper Todd Logan of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says Sanders was crossing the five lane highway when he was hit by a 2004 Chevy Malibu, driven by 50 year old John Hale of Smithville. Hale, who was traveling in the inside eastbound lane, told Trooper Logan that he didn’t see the man. Hale was not injured.
Central Dispatch received the call at 6:46 p.m.
According to Trooper Logan, Sanders was thrown about twenty feet from the point of impact and he died at the scene. The body was on the sidewalk by the highway. It was later removed by DeKalb EMS and taken to DeKalb Community Hospital.
Trooper Logan says no charges will be filed in the case.
Deputy Medical Examiner Terry Martin, members of the Smithville Police Department and the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department were also on the scene, along with the THP, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, First Responders, and DeKalb EMS.
(Bottom Photo provided to WJLE by Lieutenant Kevin Adcock of Smithville Fire & Rescue)

A noon time fire Monday destroyed a building at Center Hill Auto Recyclers on Dry Creek Road in Smithville behind the Bethlehem Community Church. Heat from the fire also damaged the vinyl siding on the rear exterior of the church building.
Central dispatch received the call at 11:54 a.m.
Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker says workers were busy in the garage removing parts off a wrecked car, which was up on a rack, when sparks from the cutting torch being used, apparently caught something on fire in the shop. The blaze quickly spread. Everyone inside at the time escaped unharmed. Members of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department arrived on the scene within minutes but were unable to save the structure where the fire started and the contents. Billowing smoke from the fire could be seen for miles.
Members of the Smithville Police Department and DeKalb EMS were also site. No one was injured.
(Special thanks to Daniel Summers for providing bottom photo to WJLE)

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department charged two men last week with theft of property over $500 for allegedly stealing a steamroller.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 30 year old Johnny Wayne Wilson of Thurston Young Road, Bradyville TN was charged Tuesday, December 22nd and 31 year old David Allen Bedwell of Hurricane Creek Road, Woodbury was arrested the next day, Wednesday, December 23rd.
Sheriff’s Department Detective’s allege that the two men went to a farm on Oakley Hollow Road and took a steamroller valued at over $500. The steam roller was then taken to the Ivy Bluff Scrap Yard in Cannon County to be sold. The owners of the scrap yard had been advised of the stolen steamroller and refused to take it. The steamroller was then dumped beside of a road in Cannon County. Bond for both men was set at $5,000 each. Wilson will appear in court on January 28th and Bedwell’s court date is January 7th.
Also on Wednesday, December 23rd, 27 year old Matthew Allen Baker was charged with vandalism after he allegedly tampered with the water sprinkler system in the holding cell where he was incarcerated at the jail annex. The sprinkler system activated causing water damage. Bond for Baker was set ta $2,500 and he will appear in court on January 14th.
In another case on Wednesday, December 23rd, Sheriff Ray says a call was made to deputies about a possible drug deal going down in the Dollar Tree parking lot in Smithville. After officers located the vehicle in question, they asked the driver, 33 year old Peter D. Tramel of Cill Street Smithville for consent to search his vehicle but Tramel refused. A K-9 dog was taken around the vehicle and indicated the presence of drugs. A search was then performed. Under the driver’s side seat, deputies found a wooden box that contained nine long white pills believed to be Xanax. Also found in a sunglasses case was an orange pill believed to be Suboxone, a hollowed out ink pen barrel, a gift card, and a pill crusher. Tramel was charged with simple possession of a schedule IV drug Xanax, simple possession of a schedule III drug Suboxone, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond for Tramel was set at $4,000 and he will appear in court on January 14th.