December 19, 2022
By: Dwayne Page
A 40-year-old woman was arrested last week by Smithville Police charged in a burglary and theft at Wal-mart.
In addition to those offenses, Jessica French Hale was also cited for simple possession and criminal trespassing.
Chief Mark Collins said that police were summoned to a suspicious person call on Morgan Drive and upon arrival confronted Hale. During the investigation at Morgan Drive, police received a call from another officer at Wal-Mart where someone had stolen items from two commercial vans in the loading area of the store. Surveillance video from the store showed Hale committing the theft before leaving the scene. When confronted, Hale had in her possession the stolen items from those vehicles. During her arrest, Hale was also found with two white round pills believed to be oxycodone for which she had no prescription. Bond for Hale is $14,500 and her court date is January 5. According to police, Hale had previously been ordered to keep away from Wal-Mart.
39-year-old David Matthew Hill of West Bryant Street was arrested on November 23 for criminal impersonation. During an investigation of a possible shoplifting, Hill gave police the name of another person when identifying himself. The officer checked out the information given by Hill and confirmed that he had lied about his identity. Bond for Hill is $4,000.
42 year old Abigail Vogel of Dale Ridge Road was arrested on November 26 for public intoxication. Vogel was in a sober living home at 308 South College Street where she had been allowed to stay but because of her behavior Vogel was later asked by management to leave. According to police Vogel became belligerent toward roommates and caused damage to the residence. Police found Vogel to be unsteady on her feet. Vogel’s speech was slurred and she smelled of alcohol. After becoming belligerent toward officers and screaming obscenities in public view, Vogel was taken into custody. Her bond is $1,500.
19-year-old Anthony Gage Trapp of Dry Creek Road was cited on November 27 for underage consumption. An officer was summoned to Mapco for someone underage trying to buy rolling papers. The man, identified as Trapp, left before the officers’ arrival. The officer later found Trapp who smelled of alcohol and he had a 12 pack of Twisted Tea in the vehicle with him.
18-year-old Anderson Jack Burnett of Students Home Road was cited on November 28 for possession of tobacco, hemp, or vapor products by a minor. Police were dispatched to the DeKalb Community Complex on November 28 where a red Ford Ranger was observed driving recklessly. The officer spotted the vehicle and stopped it at Arby’s. As he approached the automobile, the officer smelled marijuana. The driver, Burnett produced his vape product and told the officer that the odor was from the vape. According to law the legal age for using tobacco, hemp, or vapor products is 21 or older.
30-year-old Tanner Jordan Bellenfant of Franklin was arrested on December 2 for DUI. While on patrol, an officer spotted a truck not maintaining its lane of travel. The truck crossed over the center lane to the one closet to the shoulder, almost hitting the sidewalk. After the officer conducted a traffic stop and spoke with the driver, he could smell an odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. The driver, Bellenfant submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. Police learned that Bellenfant had consumed 5 or 6 beers with a couple shots of liquor. Bond for Bellenfant is $3,500 and his court date is January 12.
30-year-old Sonny Roman Smith of Wade Street was arrested on December 4 for burglary. Police were called to 212 Spring Street due to a vehicle burglary. The owner informed police that he found his truck had been burglarized and items from the console and glove compartment were scattered. Video evidence showed Smith near the truck before leaving the scene when a car passed by. Bond for Smith is $7,500.
18-year-old Zacorri Cre’sean Marchbanks of McMinnville was arrested on December 4 for evading arrest and three counts of reckless endangerment. While patrolling on West Broad Street an officer received a call that there were several people in a gold Honda CRV who had caused problems at the community center. As the officer was enroute, the caller informed him that she and someone in another vehicle had left the community center but that the driver in the CRV was chasing them out Sparta Highway. After advising them to turn around and head back toward town, the officer spotted a CRV, matching the description, traveling at approximately 69 mph in a 40-mph zone. The officer turned on his blue lights to get the vehicle stopped near Gill’s Automotive but the fleeing automobile continued toward West Broad Street, traveling at speeds exceeding 100 mph. After about two miles, the pursuit ended at Ervin Avenue and West Broad Street where the fleeing vehicle pulled over. Another officer arrived on scene and assisted the arresting officer in removing four individuals from the vehicle including Marchbanks. Bond was set at $15,000 and the court date is December 22.
28-year-old Brittany Ann Campbell of The Loop Circle was cited on December 5 for trespassing and theft. After previously being ordered not to be back on the property of Wal-Mart, Campbell was observed in the store by Wal-Mart employees on December 1. Campbell later left the store with a pair of boots that she had not purchased. The boots were recovered and returned to the store. Her court date is December 29.
35-year-old Johnathon Adam Rice of Jennings Lane was cited on December 7 for theft of merchandise and trespassing. Police confronted Rice after he had taken a bark control dog collar and flat iron from a local business. The stolen items were later returned to the store. Rice had also been previously ordered to keep off the store property.
35-year-old Juan Tomas Rodriguez of Calhoun Street was arrested on December 10 for domestic assault. According to the warrant, Rodriguez struck the victim by hitting him causing a cut on the right side of his face and swelling and bruising to his right eye. Bond for Rodriguez is $2,500 and his court date is January 5.
35-year-old Bryan R Philpot of Cookeville was arrested on December 10 for simple possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. After being pulled over for non-working taillights, the owner and operator of the vehicle consented to the officer’s request to search. Found in the automobile were a white powdery substance in the glove compartment on the passenger side and a small blue “Nanette” brand bag which held 9 needles. Also inside the bag was a small cylinder-shaped Tylenol bottle which contained an unknown clear liquid. Philpot, the passenger of the vehicle was then placed under arrest. His bond is $15,000 and he will be in court January 5.
24-year-old Courtney Brooke Shrum of Dowelltown was cited for theft on December 13. Shrum was observed on Wal-Mart surveillance video concealing items and leaving the store without paying for them on December 2. Her court date is January 5.