The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has cited three men in two separate cases of criminal littering after they were caught illegally dumping on the side of the road.
41 year old Rodney Wade Laulo of Cookeville was issued citations for aggravated criminal littering and violation of the financial responsibility law on Tuesday, July 24. He will be in court on August 1. Sheriff Patrick Ray said that a deputy was dispatched to Cookeville Boat Dock Road where a Putnam County deputy had found Laulo dumping a trailer load of construction trash. Laulo also could not provide proof of insurance.
Meanwhile, 36 year old Allen Matthew Mooney, Jr. of Dowelltown and 35 year old John Carter of Carthage are cited with criminal littering and they will be in court on August 2. Sheriff Ray said on Wednesday, July 25 Mooney and Carter were allegedly caught throwing tires into a ditch on Man Hill Road.
19 year old Hunter A. Close of Watertown is charged with domestic assault. His bond is $5,000 and he will be in court on August 2. Sheriff Ray said that Close allegedly assaulted a female family member on Sunday, July 22 at a residence on Lower Helton Road by pushing her into a chest of drawers and strangling her, leaving red marks on her neck. Close had been asked to leave the residence but did not until after he had assaulted the woman. Close also allegedly threatened to kill her. The case was investigated by a sheriff’s deputy.
22 year old Tabitha Marie Norsworthy of Baxter is charged with theft of property under $500. Her bond is $2,500 and she will be in court on August 9. Sheriff Ray said that on Monday, July 23 Norsworthy allegedly took a debit card from a residence on Vickers Ridge Road to purchase a $50 phone card for herself. This transaction caused the victim’s bank account to overdraft. The total loss was $55.41 and a $75 overdraft fee for a total of $132.41.The case was investigated by a sheriff’s deputy.
24 year old Amanda Brooke Washer and 33 year old Kenny Wayne Bly of Smithville are charged with theft of property over $1,000. Bond for each is $5,000 and they will be in court on August 2. Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, July 21 Washer and Bly allegedly stole a 2003 Ford Ranger pickup from a residence on Potts Camp Road. The case was investigated by a criminal detective from the sheriff’s department.
32 year old Kenny Lynn Arnold of Johnson’s Chapel Road, Sparta is charged with filing a false report and two counts of criminal impersonation. His bond is $5,800 and he will be in court on August 2. Sheriff Ray said that on June 20, a deputy was dispatched to Johnson’s Chapel Road to investigate an attempted theft. Arnold told the officer that he had borrowed a tractor from his landlord and left it parked behind his house. When he returned, Arnold said the tractor had been stolen. The tractor was later found turned over at the bottom of a hill. It had not been stolen. When he filed the report concerning the tractor, Arnold identified himself as Kenny L. McClure. He also gave a bogus social security number. The officer later learned Arnold’s true identity. Arnold said he used the fake name and social security number because he has warrants against him in Hamilton County. Meanwhile, on Thursday July 26 a criminal detective and a deputy from the sheriff’s department went to serve a state warrant on Arnold at his residence. Upon arrival, the detective approached the front door while the deputy went around to the back of the home. After knocking on the back door, the deputy saw Arnold inside the house trying to hide in a closet. The detective entered the home and found Arnold in the closet. He asked Arnold to identify himself and Arnold replied “Randy”. When asked a second time, Arnold said he was “Kenny L. McClure”. When the detective asked a third time, Arnold gave his real name. Arnold was then placed under arrest. The case was investigated by a criminal detective of the sheriff’s department.
25 year old Dustin Shay Wagner of McMinnville is charged with driving on a suspended license. His bond is $1,000 and he will be in court on August 9. Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, July 26 a sheriff’s department drug detective saw Wagner operating a motor vehicle on Highway 70 west. Having prior knowledge that Wagner’s license were suspended, the drug detective stopped the vehicle and spoke to the driver, Wagner. A computer check revealed his license were suspended due to frequent traffic violations in May.
55 year old Neil Bernard Keenan of Dowelltown is charged with driving under the influence. His bond is $1,550 and he will be in court on August 23. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, July 29, a deputy saw a vehicle on Highway 70 west in Liberty traveling eastbound without its headlights on. The officer got behind the vehicle and saw it cross the yellow line. The deputy pulled over the automobile and approached on the driver’s side. The officer talked to the driver, Keenan. He noticed a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming form the vehicle. The officer asked Keenan if he had been drinking. Keenan replied “yes”. The deputy saw several empty beer cans in the vehicle along with one open beer can, and three not opened. Keenan submitted to but performed poorly on several field sobriety tasks. He also submitted to a blood alcohol test.
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