The Smithville Police Department has taken a theft charge against a 19 year old man who has admitted to selling a utility trailer that didn’t belong to him.
Police Chief Mark Collins told WJLE Friday that Colton Gene Young of 307 Hardaway Street, McMinnville will be served with a warrant for theft of property over $1,000. He is currently in the White County Jail on separate charges. Although his address is listed as McMinnville, Chief Collins said Young has actually been living in Sparta.
The theft of the 18 foot black heavy duty dual axle trailer with a wooden floor occurred on Saturday, July 29 and was reported on Monday, July 31.
(VIEW VIDEO OF SMITHVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT FACEBOOK POST OF THE SUSPECT’S TRUCK (DARK TRUCK) AND THE UNSUSPECTING BUYER OF THE UTILITY TRAILER IN THE WHITE TRUCK )

According to Chief Collins, Young spotted the utility trailer setting behind F.Z. Webb and Sons Pharmacy on South Congress Boulevard and stopped to take a picture of it. He then posted the photo on facebook marketplace advertising the trailer for sale. After getting a response from a man in Rutherford County, Young set up a meeting with the unsuspecting customer at the trailer to make the sale. The customer paid for the trailer, hooked it up to his truck and drove away.
After the theft was reported, Smithville Police launched an investigation and discovered that the transaction between Young and the buyer was captured on video from a nearby business. Police later asked for the public’s help in solving the crime by posting on the department’s Facebook page a still frame photo from the video showing Young’s truck.
Chief Collins said police then got a break in the case. “We had a ton of responses from that facebook posting. One man called in and said he had seen that vehicle in Sparta. We called the Sparta Police Department and they went to that location and found the vehicle,” said Chief Collins.
Lieutenant Detective Matt Holmes then went to Sparta and interviewed Young who admitted to having committed this theft and others. “When we got there he told us he had seen our facebook post and was spray painting his truck to change the color from black to blue. He said when he saw a trailer setting somewhere, he would take a picture of it and list it online for sale on the facebook marketplace. People would contact him through facebook if they were interested. They would call him and he would say ‘I’ll be there in five minutes’. He would meet them at the trailer, get the money and then they would hook up the trailer and drive off with it thinking they had bought it,” said Lieutenant Detective Holmes.
“Through our interview with Young we were able to obtain the name and location of this guy who came to buy the trailer. Young said the trailer was in Rutherford County. We sent a Rutherford County deputy to that residence to see if the trailer was there. The following day we went and recovered the trailer. It was still there but again we don’t think he (buyer) was aware of what was going on and he has not been charged,” said Chief Collins.
“Through our investigation, Young became a suspect in thefts discovered in White County. We believe this guy is responsible for trailer thefts in multiple jurisdictions,” he added.
Chief Collins thanked Lieutenant Detective Matt Holmes for his work in helping solve the case and to the man who provided the tip. Because of his helpful information, the caller will get a cash reward from Crime Stoppers.
Chief Collins cautions anyone who is looking to buy through an on-line post to” be sure to check what you are buying. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is,” he said.

A special tribute was paid to the founder of Alexandria Friday morning.
A large framed photograph of Daniel Alexander was placed on permanent display at the Alexandria Public Library. It was recently donated to the library by Alexander’s great great great grandson, Paul Randy Alexander, Jr. of Charlotte, North Carolina.
DeKalb County Historian Thomas G. Webb hosted the observance and was joined by librarians, library board members, and local public officials.
In an historical account of Alexander and the birth of the town, Webb wrote that “The founder of Alexandria, DeKalb County’s second oldest town, was Daniel Alexander, who named the town for himself. Daniel Alexander was born on January 23, 1773 in Maryland, son of James Alexander. He married on August 14, 1800, in Charlotte, Mecklenberg County, North Carolina, his cousin Sarah (Sallie) Alexander, daughter of David Alexander. They moved immediately to Tennessee, where they built and operated for several years a log tavern and inn on the Walton Road near present day Algood, Tennessee. By 1806, he owned a large tract of land on Hickman Creek in Smith County, and on April 15, 1820, Daniel Alexander divided that land into 24 lots, each 66 feet wide and 165 feet long. He reserved for himself lots 1, 2, and 3 (where Alton and Grace Close recently lived). That lot had on it a log two-story house, with a fine spring of water behind it which is still running. The business district was approximately where it is now. Daniel Alexander later moved to Rutherford County, where he died on October 20, 1857. He and his wife are buried near Christiana, Tennessee.

Florence & White Ford and the Ford Motor Company are again offering DCHS Football the opportunity to raise thousands of dollars with their annual test drive program on Friday, August 4. Tiger football fans can earn money for the DCHS football program by simply test-driving a new Ford at the school.
Fans are invited to come out as early as 1:00 p.m. to enjoy a meal and to test drive a new Ford vehicle by the Florence & White dealership in Smithville. For every valid test drive, Ford will donate $20 to the football program. The more fans who come out and test drive a new Ford vehicle, the more money will be made for DCHS football. Last year’s event raised $6,020.
“Barbeque meals will be available for sale but we’ll give a free barbeque meal to anyone who participates in the test drive event,” said Tony Cross, member of the Quarterback Club.
The Tigers will compete in a pre-season Jamboree at Upperman against Clay County on August 11.
The season kicks off with two straight road games for the Tigers starting with Warren County on August 18th followed by Upperman on August 25. The first home game is against Stone Memorial on September 1. All games start at 7:00 p.m. WJLE will have LIVE coverage each week.
The DCHS 2017 Football Schedule is as follows:
REGION OPPONENTS (*)
August 18: Warren County- McMinnville 7 p.m.
August 25: Upperman- Baxter 7 p.m.
September 1: Stone Memorial*-Smithville 7 p.m.
September 8: Watertown-Watertown 7 p.m.
September 15: Grundy County-Smithville 7 p.m.
September 22: Cannon County-Smithvillle (HOMECOMING) 7 p.m.
September 29: Livingston Academy*-Livingston 7 p.m.
October 6: Smith County-Smithville 7 p.m.
October 13: Macon County*-Smithville 7 p.m.
October 20-BYE WEEK
October 27: Cumberland County* Crossville 7 p.m.
2017 JV Schedule:
August 21: White County-Smithville 6 p.m.
August 28: Upperman- Smithville 6 p.m.
September 11: Watertown-Smithville 6 p.m.
September 25: Cannon County-Woodbury 6 p.m.
October 9: Smith County-Carthage 6 p.m.

Seniors at DeKalb County High School planning to retake the ACT exam should let their intentions be known to the administration as soon as possible.
Dr. Kathy Bryant, Supervisor of Instruction for grades 7-12, told WJLE Thursday that DCHS will offer the ACT Retake on Tuesday, October 3.
“This is the first time the state has ever offered this. They are offering the opportunity for any senior who took the ACT last year as a junior to retake it again as a senior for free, which is a $42.50 value. They (seniors) need to be signing up for it now. It will be administered at school during the school day on October 3 but we have to order the exams within the next few weeks. If parents will encourage their seniors to take this opportunity to retake the ACT for free during the school day, they need to tell their student to go see Mrs. Jenny Norris at the high school and she will put them on a list and we will order them a test,” said Dr. Bryant.
Education Commissioner Candice McQueen announced last month that the state is expanding its ACT Senior Retake Day to all Tennessee public high school students in the class of 2018, totaling nearly 70,000 students. In addition, the department is making it easier for public school seniors to retake the ACT this fall by offering this second opportunity during the school day in students’ own schools.
These changes will give all students equal access to take advantage of the opportunity. Unlike in the past, students do not need to sign up to retake the test – it will automatically be provided. School districts have been empowered to choose the testing date that is best for their students and causes the least disruption for those not taking the exam. Districts may offer the retake on Oct. 3, Oct. 17, or on both days.
“Tennessee is once again a national leader in education as the first state to offer an ACT retake opportunity to all public school seniors,” McQueen said. “By expanding our retake day, we send a strong signal that our state is committed to further increasing access, especially among students who stand to benefit the most from this opportunity.”
October 2016 was the first time Tennessee offered public high school seniors the chance to retake the ACT for free, but it was only available to students who had previously taken the ACT as juniors and who were able to take it on a weekend testing date at a testing center. Of those who participated in the 2016 retake, nearly 40 percent increased their overall score.
The department’s research shows that students have a high likelihood of increasing their score when they take the college entrance exam a second time. Higher composite scores not only provide access to state scholarships, but they also make a student more competitive for entry into higher education institutions and for institutional and private scholarships. In the first year of the state offering a free ACT Retake Day, an additional 1,300 students earned a composite score of 21 or above on the ACT, providing them access to $21 million in additional HOPE scholarship funds.
Higher scores also allow students to enroll directly into credit-bearing postsecondary coursework, avoiding non-credit-bearing remedial classes that take students’ time and money and can discourage their progress. On the 2016 ACT Retake Day, thousands of students improved individual subject scores in math, English, science, and reading, allowing them to avoid mandatory remediation courses in postsecondary. This is significant for Tennessee’s seniors, because last year over half of Tennessee community college students required remediation.
Also, the department posted additional resources about the ACT, including an ACT Retake Guide and ACT Toolkit, on its website. To learn more about the ACT Retake Day, contact Jerre Maynor, director of student readiness, at Jerre.Maynor@tn.gov. For media inquiries, contact Sara Gast, director of strategic communications and media, at Sara.Gast@tn.gov.

This week’s “Classroom Champion” award goes to Aly Griffith, a rising seventh grader at DeKalb West School.
The award was presented in the spring by Smithville Attorney Jim Judkins.
Aly is the daughter of Ron and Mindy Griffith.
A student last year in Jessica Antoniak’s class, Aly is a sports-driven girl. She played third base this past season for the DeKalb Middle School softball team, was a member of the Junior Varsity for the Lady Bulldogs, and played in the travel league for the DeKalb County Diamonds. She also helps coach her brother’s coach pitch team. A member of the Junior Beta and FCA Clubs, Aly wants some day to work in the medical profession as a Physical Therapist or Pharmacist.
In an effort to recognize achievements of students in the DeKalb County School System, WJLE has partnered with attorney Judkins in featuring a “Classroom Champion” each week.
The name of the student selected each week will be announced on WJLE and will be featured on the WJLE website. Each student winning will receive a plaque and a gift certificate.
“This is our way of recognizing and celebrating the achievements of the future citizens and leaders of the community. It can benefit their learning and overall school atmosphere and climate. The students’ selection is based on academic performance, responsibility and work ethic, leadership abilities, and citizenship and character,” said Judkins.

DCHS Girls Soccer will kick off with a pre-season play day on Saturday, August 12 in Smithville.
Admission is $5.00 and concessions will be available for sale.
Five teams will compete including DeKalb County, Cannon County, Upperman, White County, and Livingston Academy.
Teams will play four games. Each game will be 30 minutes with no halftime.
Point system: Winner of the game will receive 3 points. Losing team will receive no points. If a game ends in a tie each team will receive one point. The two teams with the most points will play in the championship game. The third and fourth place teams will play for third place.
Schedule:
1. DeKalb County vs Cannon County: 9 a.m.
2. Cannon County vs Upperman: 9:40 a.m.
3. Upperman vs White County: 10:20 a.m.
4. White County vs Livingston Academy: 11 a.m.
5. Livingston Academy vs DeKalb County: 11:40 a.m.
6. DeKalb County vs Upperman: 12:20 p.m.
7. Cannon County vs White County: 1 p.m.
8. Upperman vs Livingston Academy: 1:40 p.m.
9. White County vs DeKalb County: 2:20 p.m.
10. Livingston Academy vs Cannon County: 3 p.m.
11. 3rd vs 4th: 3:40 p.m.
12. 1st vs 2nd: 4:20 p.m.