Austin Charged with Holding Two Women Against Their Will During Domestic Dispute

September 3, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A Smithville man who tried to keep two women from leaving his home during a domestic dispute last month has been charged in the case.

20 year old Sean Douglas Austin is under a $13,500 bond for one count of domestic assault and two counts of false imprisonment or kidnapping. His court date is September 9

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on August 1 a deputy responded to a residence on Page Drive due to a domestic dispute. Upon arrival the officer learned that Austin had held two women there against their will, including the mother of his child, by physically standing in their way and holding the door shut trying to prevent them from leaving the home. Austin also tried to hit his child’s mother as she ran from the residence.

19 year old Abraham Diaz-Perez of McMinnville is charged with underage driving while impaired. His bond is $1,500 and he will make a court appearance on September 26.

Sheriff Ray said that on August 26 a deputy was patrolling on McMinnville Highway when he noticed a vehicle approaching him and that the driver had failed to dim his high beam lights. The officer stopped the automobile and spoke with the driver, Diaz-Perez. He told the deputy that his lights only worked on the high beam but the officer informed him that this was a light law violation. The deputy also noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. After being asked how much he had to drink, Diaz-Perez said he had consumed three or four beers. He performed poorly on field sobriety tasks and refused to submit to implied consent. A search warrant was obtained for a blood draw from him.

23 year old Rebecca Hope Thomas of Eckles Heights, Liberty is charged with filing a false report. Her bond is $8,000 and she will be in court on September 19.

Sheriff Ray said that on August 30 deputies tried to serve an active domestic assault warrant on 45 year old Freddy Silvester Stringer, Jr. who was believed to be at Thomas’ home. Upon arrival the officers spoke to Thomas and asked about Stringer but she told them several times that Stringer was not there.  After she gave the deputies permission to search her home, Stringer was found hiding in a water heater closet with the door shut. A clothes basket had also been placed in front of the closet door. Stringer was taken into custody and Thomas was also placed under arrest.

Stringer’s bond for domestic assault is $7,500 and he will be in court September 19.

Sheriff Ray said that on August 19 Stringer threw this wife (not Thomas) to the ground tearing her blouse and causing an injury to her left wrist. He also put the woman in fear of her life and safety by warning her not to call police. The woman fled anyway and went to the Liberty Post Office where she called law enforcement. Upon arrival the officer observed that the woman appeared to be scared and that her blouse had been torn exposing her sports bra. The woman said Stringer pushed her down outside of their camper trailer and then he forced her back inside the trailer while calling her names. She claims Stringer then grabbed her by the neck and threw her down again ripping her shirt and causing a cut and scrape to her wrist.

26 year old Sara Rebecca Dalton of Nashville is charged with identity theft. Her bond is $7,500 and she will be in court September 5.

Sheriff Ray said that on November 28, 2018 Dalton obtained the personal identification of her sister in order to get a valid Tennessee driver license and had her (Dalton’s) photo placed on the license with her sister’s personal information.

47 year old Tammy Denise Currie of Toad Road, Dowelltown is charged with criminal trespassing. Her bond is $3,500 and she will be in court on September 5

Sheriff Ray said that on August 21 a deputy was dispatched to a residence on Toad Road due to a complaint of an unwanted guest. Upon arrival the officer spoke with the homeowner who said that Currie had returned to the residence even after being warned on a prior occasion to leave and not come back. Officers had been called to the home twice for the same offense and found, the second time, Currie on the back porch of the residence. She was placed under arrest.

35 year old Casandra Kay George of Liberty is charged with driving under the influence. She was further cited for reckless driving, no insurance, and violation of implied consent. Her bond is $2,500 and she will be in court September 19.

Sheriff Ray said that on August 22 a deputy was patrolling when he spotted a car at the intersection of Broad Street and Congress Boulevard trying to turn left on East Broad toward Mapco Express. The car was in the oncoming travel lane instead of the designated turning lane. The officer stopped the car and spoke with the driver, George. She had a strong odor of alcohol on her person and her eyes were red, bloodshot and watery. George submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. After she refused implied consent, the deputy obtained a search warrant for a blood draw from her. George was then placed under arrest.

36 year old Charles Alexander McAlpin of Cookeville is charged with criminal trespassing. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court September 19

Sheriff Ray said that on August 23 deputies were dispatched several times to a residence on Sparta Highway due to an unwanted guest but each time the man had left prior to their arrival. The residents informed the officers that McAlpin had entered their home several times without permission. He was later arrested and charged in the case.

September 3, 2019
By:

A 20^th anniversary celebration of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church will be Sunday, September 8.

Sunday School is at 10 a.m. followed by the worship service at 11 a.m. A cookout on the grounds will follow the morning services. The anniversary program will get underway after the cookout featuring The Heritage Singers from Smithville and testimonials from congregational volunteers.

The church is located at Miller Road and Forrest Avenue and the Pastor is Larry Steffee.

The following is a history of the church provided by Pastor Steffee:

“The Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church came into existence January 3, 1999, after a small group of believers met on December 31, 1998, and decided to start a brand new congregation in Smithville. In just three days the first services were held, and by the third Sunday the current building was found. The building was remodeled to be made more suitable for church services, and was rented four years before it was purchased in 2003. The 20-year mortgage will be paid off in fewer than four years”.

“When church membership reached 12, the congregation officially became a part of the Brethren In Christ denomination, which originated in 1778. Members brought vinyl chairs to be used for seating for about four months, until permanent chairs, an organ, songbooks, and other equipment could be delivered by two members of a Brethren In Christ Church near Tampa, Florida, which had closed. Smithville First Methodist Church loaned hymnbooks to the congregation until the delivery from Florida. More hymnbooks were purchased from another Brethren In Christ Church in Orlando, Florida. A church from McMinnville, donated a piano, and a pulpit was donated by the Brethren In Christ Church from DeRossett, Tennessee”.

“Eventually, used pews with removable cushions were purchased from the Smithville Nazarene Church. These were used until 2006, at which time padded pews were donated by the Brethren In Christ Church in Sarasota, Florida. Smithport Cabinet Shop of Smithville, which sold cabinets in Florida, transported the pews at no charge, and also sent five men to unload them into the building. There are countless other marvelous ways that the Lord provided for the needs of the congregation over the past twenty years”.

“The building was fully insured after it was purchased, which turned out to be a good thing because the water lines froze and broke the next day, flooding the building. Insurance paid for all new floor coverings and drop ceilings, greatly improving the interior of the building. The original dome roof was eventually replaced by a gable roof”.

“The pastor of the congregation since its beginning has been Larry R. Steffee, who has been a pastor in the Brethren In Christ Church since 1967, following graduation from Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania. The college is affiliated with the Brethren In Christ Church, and will become a university in 2020”.

“Of the original individuals who were part of the congregation in 1999, approximately seven are still members. Some who were part of the original group have graduated to their home in heaven. The congregation has a board of directors to advise the pastor, and its members are an important part of the life of the congregation”.

“The main goal of the congregation from the very beginning has been to reach out to the unchurched of the Smithville community and surrounding areas. Three individuals from Cannon County currently attend on a regular basis. The congregation is a very close-knit group which welcomes newcomers readily. Numerous people have been converted and baptized, and have become members”.

Everyone is invited to the 20^th anniversary celebration of Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Sunday, September 8.

September 2, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The tornado disaster drill conducted last Thursday by local emergency responders went well and DeKalb County’s Emergency Management Agency Director Charlie Parker was pleased with the response.

“I think it went very well. We did a critique afterwards and found areas where we can improve. We are required to have one full scale exercise each year and the whole purpose is to see how we can make our response and performance better if it were a real event,” said Parker.

Within minutes after receiving a 911 call, emergency responders sprung into action enroute to the scene of a simulated tornado touchdown on King Ridge Road near the DeKalb County Main Fire Station and at Green Brook Park.

Mannequins representing storm victims were placed at various spots at both locations.

“We have used LIVE patients in the past but this year we used mannequins and each one was tagged with what was wrong with them and how they needed to be treated. Some were tagged as walking wounded with minor injuries while others were tagged as more serious needing a lot of medical attention,” said Parker.

“Our responders in the field located all the patients and got them triaged to the appropriate facilities. We had several taken to Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital and a few went to NHC Healthcare Center. I think altogether 16 patients were treated during the drill,” added Parker.

The Local Emergency Planning Committee was involved in organizing the drill. The purpose of the committee is to analyze, plan, prepare, and mitigate for disasters both natural and manmade that could potentially occur in the county. The Local LEPC is comprised of the combined efforts of city and county elected officials, law enforcement, emergency management, fire departments, EMS, Rescue Squad, hospital, nursing home, utilities, business, industry, media, Red Cross, school system, churches, and civic organizations. This committee meets on a regular basis to work on plans, share information and conduct exercises to make a safer and stronger community.

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