Smithville Alderman Beth Chandler Takes Oath of Office (View Video Here)

October 7, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Smithville Alderman Beth Chandler was officially sworn into office Tuesday morning at City Hall.

City attorney Vester Parsley administered the oath. Members of Chandler’s family were on hand for the occasion along with Mayor Josh Miller.

Chandler was appointed by the aldermen Monday night to fill the unexpired term of former Alderman Gayla Hendrix who resigned last month to become Smithville Municipal Judge. Hendrix’s Alderman term ends August 31, 2022.

Smithville Alderman Beth Chandler Takes Oath of Office from City Attorney Vester Parsley.MOV from dwayne page on Vimeo.

“I am deeply humbled to be chosen Alderman and I look forward to working with the Mayor and Aldermen to serve our great City of Smithville,” said Alderman Chandler.

Meanwhile Alderman Shawn Jacobs was sworn into office Monday night. He was re-elected to a new term in August. Jacobs was scheduled to take his oath last month along with fellow Aldermen Danny Washer and Jessica Higgins but he could not attend in person at that time for the ceremony. Jacobs has served as Alderman since 2009.

October 7, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

If you get a phone call supposedly coming from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office — think twice before giving out your financial information.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said someone is targeting would be victims with spoofed phone calls which means even though the caller ID may show otherwise, the calls are not coming from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.

It’s a scam intended to coerce or threaten would be victims into sending money .

“I have received calls about someone spoofing the jail’s phone number making it appear the call is coming from here but it is not. One person said the caller warned that there was a warrant against him in another state and that if he didn’t send money someone from the sheriff’s department would have him picked up. He wound up sending money. That is a scam and if you fall for it the scammers will keep on taking your money until you stop sending it. They will call again and say they found another warrant, that there are taxes on the warrant, or something,” warned Sheriff Ray.

“We have also had a complaint of someone spoofing the jail’s number and using it as some type of security from Apple. I just want to let the public know that we are not making these calls. If you receive a call at your home that shows it is from the sheriff’s department, hang up and call me and I will check it out for you. Most of the time these scammers will ask you to put money on an Apple, Visa or GreenDot card and if you do that and give them the card number it gives them access to the cash. Remember, if a caller says you have an arrest warrant against you or that you need a security code for some reason and must send money give us a call. Keep in mind the sheriff’s department will never solicit money for any reason by phone,” said Sheriff Ray.

October 7, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

A Woodbury man who led authorities on a pursuit in a stolen car in August before crashing on County House Road was in criminal court for sentencing Tuesday, October 6.

33 year old Cory Allen Chapman entered a plea to evading arrest with a vehicle and received a 2 year sentence all suspended to supervised probation except for 180 days to serve. Chapman pleaded guilty to a separate offense of auto burglary for a crime committed in May and received a 1 year sentence all suspended to supervised probation. The sentences are to run consecutively for a total of 3 years. Chapman was given jail credit from May 27 to July 15 and from August 23 to October 6.

A passenger in the car with Chapman, 24 year old Katie Leigh Mooneyham of Foster Road, Smithville had two warrants against her for failure to appear.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on August 23 a detective spotted Chapman driving a 1995 Toyota Avalon and activated the emergency equipment on his patrol car signaling him to stop. Instead of pulling over, Chapman sped up traveling down Short Mountain Highway and onto Jacobs Pillar Road where he ran over a road sign and went into a yard. Chapman then got back on Jacobs Pillar Road as the pursuit continued onto Turner Road , the Old Blue Springs Road, and then to County House Road where Chapman crashed at the new highway construction. The car then went into a field and stopped. Both Chapman and Mooneyham were taken into custody.

Chapman’s license were suspended for failure to show proof of insurance on January 7, 2019 in Warren County. The car Chapman was driving was reported stolen in DeKalb County on August 1. It is valued at $500.

No one was injured in the crash.

Meanwhile in the auto burglary case, Sheriff Ray said that on May 24 Chapman broke into and stole a 2004 Saturn Ion located on Holmes Creek Road. The car was valued at $1,300. The case was investigated by a detective of the sheriff’s department.

37 year old Jennie Michelle McDaniel entered a plea to aggravated burglary and received a 3 year sentence on supervised probation.

Sheriff Ray said that on December 14, 2019 McDaniel forced her way into a residence on Oak Drive and assaulted her husband and another woman. McDaniel struck the woman in the face causing swelling and a bruise under her left eye. McDaniel also tried to choke her husband, struck him in the face, and tried to stab him with a screwdriver and box cutter. He suffered scratches to his neck, red marks on his neck and face, and a small cut on his left palm.

39 year old Geri Lynn Brown entered a plea to burglary and received a 4 year sentence all suspended to supervised probation. She is requesting judicial diversion. Brown was given jail credit of 54 days.

Sheriff Ray said that on August 1 Brown broke into and stole items from a residence and garage on Chapman Hollow Road taking two shotguns, two handguns, a leather western gun belt, several power tools, and other miscellaneous items. The value of the stolen items comes to $3,790. Brown also broke into and stole a 1993 Toyota Corolla valued at $2,500.

54 year old Jeffrey Alan Puckett entered a plea to reckless endangerment and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to supervised probation.

55 year old David Close entered a plea to a 4th offense of driving under the influence and received a sentence of 2 years all suspended to probation except for 150 days to serve.. He was fined $3,000 and will lose his driver license for 8 years. Close was given jail credit of 138 days.

Smithville Police were notified by an off-duty officer that Close had been observed drinking in the Wal-Mart parking lot and that he didn’t have a driver’s license. Upon arrival the investigating officer saw Close driving a silver SUV and followed him out of the parking lot. After stopping the vehicle, the officer spoke with Close but he couldn’t produce a driver’s license or proof of insurance. Close had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person and he couldn’t perform field sobriety tasks due to medical issues. Police obtained a search warrant for a blood sample after Close refused to submit to implied consent. One opened beer can and five empty cans were found in the vehicle .