38 year old James P. Vernon of Green Hill Road, Rock Island has been indicted on a first degree murder charge by the DeKalb County Grand Jury in connection with the death of 24 year old David Joseph Clark.
Clark was severely beaten during an attack on a houseboat at Center Hill Lake July 7th. He later died from his injuries at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.
The arrest warrant states that “On July 7th, law enforcement began an investigation regarding serious injuries to Clark, who had been discovered unconscious in a vehicle parked at Horseshoe Bend Marina. A subsequent investigation by Dan Friel of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement officers has determined that Clark had been severely beaten on the eve of July 7th on a houseboat on Center Hill Lake.”
” Eye witnesses have provided information concerning the beating of Clark by Vernon on the houseboat. The beating was accomplished by hitting the victim repeatedly in the face and head with his fist and concluded with kicks to the victim’s body. Witnesses describe the continued beating of the victim even after he was unconscious.”
” A subsequent investigation also determined the location on Center Hill Lake where the houseboat was anchored at the time of this beating to be located just inside the DeKalb County line. The victim was airlifted to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga and remained there in the intensive care unit in a comatose state with massive head injuries” until his death
Vernon is among a total of eighty three people who were indicted by the December term of the Grand Jury this week, including two named in sealed indictments. All those indicted will be arraigned in criminal court on Monday, December 14th at 9:00 a.m.
The names of all those indicted and their charges are as follows:
Orlando Ovalle Acuna- evading arrest, criminal impersonation, and speeding
Jack C. Adams- driving on a revoked license and driving on a revoked license enhanced 9th.
Ashley M. Anderson- theft of property under $500
Kenneth A. Applegate- driving under the influence and violation of the implied consent law
Matthew Allen Baker- aggravated assault
Matthew A. Baker- driving under the influence, DUI enhanced 2nd, violation of the implied consent law, and violation of the financial responsibility law
Thomas A. Bagnall- vandalism over $500
Thomas A. Bagnall- burglary and simple possession of a schedule IV controlled substance
Michaela L. Bilbrey- theft under $500 (2 counts)
Michaela L. Bilbrey- theft under $500
Donna S. Blankenship- simple possession of a schedule II controlled substance; simple possession of a schedule II controlled substance
Brian Allen Bly- domestic assault
Bret Kenneth Boring- driving under the influence, DUI enhanced 2nd, and driving on a suspended license
Willard Darrell Brown- domestic assault
William Eugene Burgess- boating under the influence and violation of the implied consent law
Christopher E. Bush- aggravated burglary and theft over $1,000
Jason K. Cline- driving under the influence and DUI enhanced 2nd
Joshua Rhyan Cripps- attempted aggravated burglary, unlawful possession of a weapon, and simple possession of a schedule IV controlled substance
Brandy M. Egerton- assault
Donna S. Estes-worthless check under $500
Jimmy L. Estes- public intoxication
Ricky Estes- driving under the influence. DUI enhanced 5th, driving on a revoked license, and driving on a revoked license 4th
Ricky Estes- habitual traffic offender
Billy D. Ferrell-no drivers license, prohibited weapon, and disorderly conduct
Donald E. Foster- driving under the influence, DUI enhanced 3rd, and driving on a suspended license
Jacob Gadberry and Nina Natasha Sullivan- aggravated robbery and criminal impersonation
Lazaro R. Garcia- driving under the influence, DUI enhanced 3rd, driving on a revoked license, and driving on a revoked license 2nd
Christopher J. Garrett- theft of property over $1,000
James Edward Gilles- domestic assault
Sharon J. Groshon- theft under $500
Leland Todd Hasty- driving under the influence, DUI enhanced 4th, failure to maintain lane
Joel Thomas Hayes- possession of drug paraphernalia
Michael Chad Hayes- driving on a revoked license and driving on a revoked licensed enhanced 2nd
Craig A. Hill- forgery (3 counts) and passing a forged instrument (3 counts)
Craig A. Hill- forgery and passing a forged instrument
Craig A. Hill- theft over $500
Craig A. Hill- forgery and passing a forged instrument
Craig A. Hill- theft under $500 ( 2 counts)
William G. Howell- theft over $10,000
Denise A. Jaurequi- theft of property over $1,000
Brandon M. Jennings- driving under the influence
Brad E. Johnson- possession of drug paraphernalia
Pamela Jo Kelley- driving under the influence, violation of the implied consent law, and violation of the open container law.
Stephen C. Killion- public intoxication
Stephen C. Killion- accessory to violation of boating under the influence (BUI), and violation of the vessel registration law
Molly S. Lawrence- theft of property under $500
Amy Jeanette Lawson- simple possession of a schedule IV controlled substance; simple possession of a schedule II controlled substance
Amy Jeanette Lawson- driving on a suspended license, driving on a suspended license enhanced 2nd, and violation of the financial responsibility law
Amy Jeanette Lawson-theft of property under $500
James Steven Leduc- aggravated burglary and theft over $500
James S. Leduc- burglary and theft under $500
James David Linder- driving on a revoked license and driving on a revoked license enhanced to 10th
William Travis Malone- theft under $500
Joseph L. Merriman- driving under the influence
James B. Metcalf- driving under the influence
Billy Paul Mooneyham- vandalism over $500
Billy Paul Mooneyham- aggravated burglary and theft over $500
Cody Murphy and Ricky Murphy-aggravated assault
Cody Murphy and Ricky Murphy- retaliation for past action
Gregory E. Neal- driving under the influence
Scotty W. Neisz-theft under $500
Jefry V. Overall- driving under the influence, DUI enhanced 6th, and violation of the implied consent law
Courtney A. Paris- driving under the influence, no drivers license, violation of the financial responsibility law, and violation of the implied consent law.
Timothy W. Patrick- driving under the influence and driving on a revoked license
Timothy W. Patrick-driving on a revoked license
John Bryan Pedigo- simple possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia
Marco A. Perez-driving on a revoked license and driving on a revoked license enhanced 2nd
Rhonda Perez- worthless check over $1,000
David R. Petty- criminal impersonation
Aron D. Ponder- driving on a suspended license
Lisa Porterfield- driving on a suspended license and possession of drug paraphernalia
Lisa Porterfield- theft of property over $1,000
Wallace M. Rackley-domestic assault
Wallace M. Rackley-assault
Wallace M. Rackley- aggravated burglary and vandalism over $1,000
Luis M. Ramirez- driving on a revoked license, evading arrest, and resisting arrest
Jo Ann Rutland- theft over $1,000
Jo Ann Rutland, Sharon Barnwell, and Brandon E. Smith- aggravated burglary and theft over $1,000
Jose Eugenio Sagahon- driving on a revoked license
Mike J. Sartain, Sr.- worthless check under $500 (2 counts)
Mike J. Sartain, Sr.- worthless check under $500
Jeremy S. Shelton- aggravated assault and vandalism under $500
Sharon K. Skinner- forgery
Sharon K. Skinner- theft over $500
Jeffery Smithson- aggravated burglary and theft under $500
Steve A. Stanley- sale of a schedule II controlled substance, delivery of a schedule II controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving on a suspended license
Matthew R. Sullivan- driving under the influence
Jeffrey L. Taylor- driving under the influence, DUI enhanced 3rd, and violation of the implied consent law
Michael F. Teachout- driving on a revoked license
Jonathon D. Thomas- aggravated burglary and theft under $500
Jonathon D. Thomas- evading arrest
Jonathon D. Thomas- evading arrest, criminal impersonation, and possession of drug paraphernalia
Jonathon D. Thomas- evading arrest
Michael G. Thomas and Nancy Brown- promotion of manufacturing methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia
Crystal L. Thompson- simple possession of a schedule II, simple possession of a schedule III, and simple possession of a schedule IV controlled substance
Joel Trobaugh- driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license, possession of drug paraphernalia, and criminal impersonation.
Joel Trobaugh-domestic assault
Stephanie Lee Vanatta- forgery (2 counts) and passing a forged instrument
James P. Vernon- first degree murder
Timmothy Walker- worthless check over $1,000
Toby Lynn Young- aggravated assault with a weapon