August 21, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
A Smithville man is facing DUI and evading charges after he was spotted traveling in the wrong lane and then tried to avoid being pulled over by a county deputy.
31 year old Nelson Ramos Celaya of Short Mountain Highway is under an $8,500 bond and his court date is September 6.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Monday, August 13 a deputy was dispatched to Nashville Highway due to a report of a reckless driver traveling on the wrong side of the road. The responding officer spotted the car in the wrong lane and tried to stop it. The deputy activated his blue lights and sirens but the driver, Celaya, initially refused to stop. He kept driving in the wrong lane before pulling up to a business on West Broad Street and stopping at a security gate.
Celaya had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person. He admitted to having consumed three beers thirty minutes prior to being stopped. Celaya’s speech was slurred and his eyes were bloodshot. He was unsteady on his feet and performed poorly on field sobriety tasks.
During a routine check on registered sex offenders living in the county, the sheriff’s department discovered one man who is in violation of the sex offender registry law for moving and not reporting his new address.
41 year old James Walter Stringer of Church Street, Liberty is charged with violation of the sex offender registry law. He is under a $5,000 bond and his court date is August 30.
Sheriff Ray said that on Wednesday, August 15 the chief deputy and detective conducted a compliance visit to Stringer’s home. Stringer, a sex offender, was registered to be living on Brook Lane in Sparta. The owner of the home said Stringer had not been living there for two months. Authorities learned that Stringer had not registered at any other residence.
38 year old Erik Thomas Dunn of Indian Mound Road, Sparta is charged with violation of bond conditions. Dunn’s bond is $20,000 and his court date is August 30.
Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, August 16 a deputy was dispatched to Indian Mound Road where a man and a woman were reported to be arguing. Upon arrival the officer broke up the argument and learned from a computer check through central dispatch that Dunn was under a court order granting bail from a domestic assault in White County against the woman and he was supposed to stay away from her.
24 year old Krystal Noelle Williams of Gilford, Connecticutt is charged with public intoxication. Her bond is $1,500 and she will make a court appearance on September 5.
Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, August 16 a deputy was dispatched to Coconut Ridge Road where an intoxicated woman was trying to assault others in the residence. Upon arrival the officer observed the woman, Williams walking in the roadway. She had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her person and she was unsteady on her feet. Williams was placed under arrest.
24 year old Dylan Robert Wagner of Students Home Road, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence. He was also cited for roadways laned for travel. His bond is $1,500 and he will make a court appearance on September 6.
Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, August 19 a deputy spotted a car leaving its lane of travel several times on Sparta Highway. The officer spoke to the driver, Wagner and found his speech to be slurred. His eyes were bloodshot and he had an odor of alcohol on his person. Wagner told the officer that he had been drinking since soon the day before. Wagner performed poorly on field sobriety tasks and submitted to a blood alcohol test. He was then placed under arrest.
39 year old Troy Eugene Martin of Lee Braswell Road, Smithville is charged with a second offense of driving under the influence. He was also cited for violation of the implied consent and open container laws. Martin’s bond is $3,000 and his court date is September 6.
Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, August 19 a deputy responded to the area of Miller Lane and Jacobs Pillar Road where a vehicle was in the ditch and the driver was passed out. Upon arrival the officer found the driver, Martin passed out behind the steering wheel with the engine running. The deputy also spotted an open can of an alcoholic beverage in the cup holder of the vehicle. After being awakened Martin performed poorly on field sobriety tasks and refused to take a blood alcohol content test. He was placed under arrest.