Fire Leaves Family Homeless

A DeKalb County family was left homeless after a fire destroyed their residence Monday morning at 273 Holiday Haven Drive.

911 received the call at 10:22 a.m.

Roy Merriman, Assistant County Fire Chief, said firefighters were summoned to the home of Paul and Anita Snell but were unable to save the structure.

According to Merriman, Mrs Snell was preparing to do some cooking when she got a phone call and walked from the kitchen into the living room. When Mrs. Snell returned to the kitchen she discovered the fire, called 911 on her cell phone, and then escaped unharmed. No one else was at home at the time.

The family lost their home and nearly all of their belongings in the blaze. An outbuilding near the house was also destroyed and a pickup truck in the driveway received some heat damage. Merriman said the fire burned about seven tenths of an acre around the home.

Members of the Cookeville Highway, Short Mountain Highway, Main Station, and Tanker #1 from the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department worked to bring the fire under control along with members of the Tennessee Division of Forestry, who cut a line around the burned area to keep it from spreading into the woods. Blowers and rakes were also used to help contain the fire.

Smithville Man Arrested After Meth Lab Found In His Home

A Smithville man was arrested by the DeKalb County Sheriff's Department last week after a deputy found a meth lab in his home.

25 year old Brandon Keith Thomas of West Broad Street, Smithville is charged with initiation to manufacture methamphetamine.

Sheriff Patrick Ray reported that on Thursday, February 17th, a deputy was called to check out a possible meth lab at Thomas' home. After informing Thomas why he was there, the officer asked if he could enter. Thomas gave consent and the officer, upon entering, detected a strong chemical smell consistent with the manufacture of methamphetamine inside the home. After receiving consent to search, the officer found in five rooms, components of a methamphetamine lab including coffee filters, tubing, and a three liter bottle, all containing a white powdery residue, a two liter bottle with a bi-layered liquid, cut batteries, lithium strips, propane, and empty pseudoephedrine packs.

Thomas' bond was originally set at $50,000 but during a court appearance, Judge Bratten Cook, II doubled his bond to $100,000. Thomas' next court date is March 10th.

Meanwhile, 30 year old Julie Elaine Moore of Cookeville Highway is charged with four counts of theft under $500. Her bond totals $10,000 and she will be in court on March 17th

Moore allegedly stole items from a residence on Cookeville Highway on four separate occasions and then pawned or sold them.

Sheriff Ray reported that on January 14th, Moore allegedly took a wii video game system from the home and pawned it for $40 in Cookeville. The value of the game system was $200.

Moore returned to the residence on January 31st where she allegedly took a floor heater and then returned it for $41 in cash at Wal-mart.

On February 13th, Moore went back to the same residence where she allegedly took a mailbox and then returned it for $16 in cash at Wal-mart.

During her last trip to the home on February 16th, Moore allegedly took ten bags of mulch and six bags of potting soil and returned it for $60 in cash at Wal-mart.

The sheriff's department arrested two people on Tuesday, February 15th after making a traffic stop on Shady Drive.

35 year old Tyrone Dewayne Owens was charged with a first offense of driving on a suspended license while 28 year old Chasity Phillips was charged with unlawful possession of a schedule III controlled substance (Hydrocodone) for resale. Her bond is $10,000 and she will be in court on February 24th. Owens' bond is $1,000 and he will be in court on February 23rd.

According to Sheriff Ray, a deputy was traveling on Highway 56 north when a black Dodge truck turned in front of him into Highland Drive, causing the officer to swerve into another lane to avoid a crash. After stopping the vehicle on Shady Drive, the deputy talked to the driver, Owens who advised the officer that he did not have a drivers license. The deputy had also observed Owens operating this same vehicle earlier in the day. A computer check confirmed that Owens' license were suspended for failure to pay child support.

Phillips, a passenger of Owens' truck was arrested after another officer, standing beside the vehicle, saw her put something down her pants. She was asked to step out of the truck. The officer also asked her what she had placed in her pants. Phillips then pulled out a cellophane pack that contained fifteen hydrocodone 10 milligram pills.

40 year old Jeffrey Lee White of Page Drive, Smithville was issued a citation on February 16th for driving on a revoked license. He was stopped for having a tail light out on the left side of his vehicle. During the traffic stop, White told the officer that his license were revoked. He will be in court on March 2nd.

25 year old Sarah Michelle Gleed of Tubb Street, Liberty was issued a citation for violation of the financial responsibility law (no insurance), failure to display (tag), and for the vehicle not being registered to the driver. Sheriff Ray said Gleed was stopped on February 18th for no tag information on the vehicle. The automobile only bore an out of date drive-out tag. She could not produce proof of registration, insurance, or tag information. Her court date is March 2nd

52 year old Jerry Wayne Foster of Allen Ferry Road, Smithville was issued a citation for violation of the open container law and failure to maintain his lane of travel. His court date is March 30th.

Sheriff Ray said that while driving on Allen Ferry Road February 20th, a deputy saw a black Ford truck crossing the center line. After stopping the truck, the deputy found that Foster was the driver. There was also an open beer bottle about half full, within arms reach of the driver.