Two Injured in Thursday Night Crash

January 18, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Two people were injured in a Thursday night crash at the intersection of Highway 56 south and South College Street.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 25 year old Samuel D. Giles of Smithville was traveling south on State Route 56 in a 1998 Mazda 3C pickup truck as 67 year old Pamela Miller of Smithville was stopped in the turning lane of State Route 56 in a 2006 Chevrolet Traverse, waiting to turn onto College Street. As one vehicle was attempting to turn, it was struck by the other in the front end. The crash is still under investigation.

Giles was airlifted from the scene by helicopter ambulance. Miller was taken to Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital and then to Vanderbilt Hospital

The crash is under investigation by Troopers Troy Withers and Jonathan Burke.

January 17, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

A DeKalb County Neighbors Helping Neighbors Blood Assurance Drive will be Monday, January 20 from noon until 5:00 p.m. at the County Complex Senior Citizens Center inside the Bloodmobile.

All donors will be given a “BA Fleece Blanket” and entered for a chance to win a “$200 Pier 1 Imports Gift Card”

To schedule an appointment, go to Bloodassurance.org/dekalb or contact Jimmy Poss at 615-464-7426 or jimposs72@yahoo.com. Please remember to EAT A GOOD MEAL and drink additional water and bring a photo ID.

Blood Assurance is the sole blood provider for local hospitals

January 17, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

When people get a new phone, their old one often collects dust in some drawer in their house because they aren’t sure what to do with it. For victims of domestic violence, a donated cell phone can be their lifeline. A phone allows them to call 911 if they need help.

Throughout the year, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department serves as a drop off point for cell phones which are collected there and donated to the Genesis House in Cookeville. On Thursday, Sheriff Patrick Ray presented Keesha Williams of the Genesis House 290 cell phones which, according to Williams, have a value of $7,250.

“We are a collector of cell phones for the Genesis House. We ask people to bring their old cell phones to the jail. We take those cell phones and present them on behalf of DeKalb County to the Genesis House. We don’t need the phone charger or case. The only thing we need is the phone. Genesis House will refurbish those phones and erase all data on them except for the ability to call 911 and give them to victims of domestic violence,” said Sheriff Ray.

Williams said the Genesis House appreciates the donation of these cell phones and they will be put to good use.

Genesis House is a non-profit organization in Cookeville dedicated to offering services for victims of domestic and sexual violence all across the country and within its service area.

Services include a 24-hour hotline, shelter, hospital accompaniment, individual counseling, transitional housing, support groups, advocacy, crisis intervention, community education and outreach, community referrals, and court advocates for nine Tennessee counties (Putnam, White, Smith, Jackson, Overton, DeKalb, Clay, Pickett and Macon).

“We are a service provider for victims of domestic and sexual violence. We have a shelter located in Putnam County. We do court and legal advocacy. We offer food, clothes, hygiene products, diapers and wipes for people in their domestic situation. We service the nine surrounding counties of Putnam including DeKalb and we have bar advocates that go to each court in the counties. We have a 24 hour hotline so there is always someone to answer the phone regardless of the time. We are always there to provide our services. Our shelter in Cookeville houses up to 25. I am the housing advocate. I help my clients with all their housing needs. I help them find apartments and transportation in finding apartments, and rental assistance programs. We also do case management and planning. We are here to listen and to guide victims in the direction they need to go. If they want to press charges we will explain what they need to do through legal advocacy” said Williams.

According to Sheriff Ray, domestic violence incidents are typically the most dangerous types of calls to which an officer can be called.

“In the latest survey I found from the Violence Policy Center, Tennessee ranks 4th in the country for the rate in which men kill women in a domestic related homicide. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reported that 77,846 domestic violence cases occurred in 2017 and that females were three times more likely to be victimized. That accounts for 71.5% of the reported victims. The 2018 statistics are not yet available,” he said.

“If you are a victim of domestic violence we want to help you. If it is an emergency situation call 911 and somebody will come to you. If it is a non emergency you may call me at the sheriff’s department at 615-597-4935 or you may call our dispatch line at 615-215-3000. The Genesis House also has a 24 hour crisis line at 931-526-5197,” said Sheriff Ray.