City to Increase Court Costs

January 9, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Court costs are about to go up in the Smithville Municipal Court but the increase will help the police department upgrade to a new court management computer software system.

During Monday night’s meeting, the aldermen adopted an ordinance on first reading to raise the city court costs. The current fees associated with traffic violations, etc. are $85 per violation and a $13.75 litigation tax levied by the state. The new fee would be $100 per citation, a $15 increase.

Although the new Courtware Government Software Solutions system is free to the city, the cost of the software by the provider will be be passed along to violators in the form of the increased court costs.

Police Chief Mark Collins said the new Courtware System will save the city money, simplify the city’s court processing procedures, and provide offenders the option of paying their fines and court costs online.

“We (city) pay $2,000 a year just to have the system we’re using now. The new one is free to the city but will be paid for by offenders who are found guilty of speeding and traffic offenses. Ten dollars out of their court costs will go to this courtware system to pay for it. It creates more ways to pay a ticket. We do not have a pay online system now. With this new system people can pay online,” said Chief Collins.
In addition to online fine payment, other software features include an online court calendar, digital documents, fund calculations, automatic dispositions, simple docket scheduling, statistical data that can be helpful to the police department, and more.

The ordinance increasing the court costs will be considered for passage on second and final reading by the aldermen next month.

January 9, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

A 25 year old man was injured in a one car crash Tuesday evening, January 9 on Highway 56 north near Hurricane Bridge.

Sergeant Dewain Jennings of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told WJLE that 25 year old Oribel L. Santizo Perez was traveling south on Highway 56 in a 2008 Nissan Versa when he failed to negotiate a curve and went off the left side of the road and crashed. According to Sergeant Jennings, Perez was going too fast and faces citations. He was taken by DeKalb EMS to St. Thomas DeKalb Hospital.

Members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and DeKalb Volunteer Fire Department also responded.

Meanwhile two dump trucks were involved in a collision Tuesday on Holmes Creek Road. The accident is under investigation by the Tennessee Highway Patrol. More details forthcoming.

January 9, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

A mother has been arrested for forgery and criminal simulation after allegedly forging the name of a registered nurse on fake doctor’s excuses in order to get her child’s absences from school approved.

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MUG SHOTS OF PERSONS RECENTLY BOOKED AT THE DEKALB COUNTY JAIL

35 year old Christy Lee Hendrixson of New Home Road, Smithville is charged with two counts of forgery and four counts of criminal simulation. Hendrixson’s bond is $19,000 and her court date is January 25.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on the dates of October 2, November 13, November 20, and November 27, Hendrixson presented to administrators at Northside Elementary School what appeared to be a doctor’s excuse for her child to have excused absences from school but the documents were false. On two of those dates, November 13 & 20 the excuses bore the forged name of a registered nurse.

The case was investigated by a Sheriff’s Department detective.

A convicted felon is in trouble with the law again after he was allegedly found with marijuana and firearms during a recent probation search at his home.

50 year old Gary Jason Britt of Shady Place, Smithville is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a schedule VI drug with the intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. He was further cited for possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond is $20,000 and his court date is January 18.

Sheriff Ray said that on Tuesday, January 2 a deputy went to Britt’s home to do a probation search and found two firearms in the residence, a Savage 243 caliber rifle and a 12 gauge Winchester shotgun. The search also turned up 19.5 grams of a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana and some rolling papers.

Britt, who admitted to having firearms in the house prior to the search, is a convicted felon out of Wilson County for possession of a schedule VI controlled substance of more than 0.5 ounces. He is currently on probation.

35 year old Joshua Kevin Vickers of Woodbury Highway, Liberty is charged with burglary, aggravated burglary, theft of property under $1,000 , and vandalism. His bond is $20,000 and his court date is January 18.

Sheriff Ray said that on January 18, 2017 Vickers allegedly broke into a garage and a residence on Sweetwater Road in Liberty (same property) and took an HP computer with a monitor and a Primo game camera. The total value of the items taken was $400. In breaking into the garage and the home, Vickers damaged or destroyed windows and doors. The total amount of damage was $575.

The case was investigated by a sheriff’s department detective.