A Sidonia man arrested for domestic assault now faces a charge of second-degree murder, following the death of his wife in a Nashville hospital.

    According to Investigator Randall McGowan of the Weakley County Sheriff’s Department, 32-year-old Jason Douglas Kayser of 1518 Gaylord Road near the Sidonia Community was arrested Friday, April 11 at Volunteer Community Hospital in Martin after the defendant drove his wife, 30-year-old April Dawn Kayser, to the emergency room in an unresponsive state. Investigator McGowan states that Kayser admitted to investigators that he struck his wife several times during a fight at the couple’s residence, which allegedly took place approximately 18 hours earlier. At that time, Kayser was taken into custody and charged with aggravated domestic assault.

    April Kayser was transferred by helicopter to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville for treatment of serious closed head injuries, where she remained hospitalized in a vegetative state until her death.

    During the defendant’s preliminary hearing last Wednesday, Kayser’s bond was set at $250,000 and the public defender was appointed to handle Kayser’s case. Also, a restraining order was issued to keep Kayser away from his wife and her family.

    Doctors at Vanderbilt treated Mrs. Kayser for massive brain trauma and other injuries caused by the beating inflicted upon her by her husband. However, Sheriff’s Investigator Marty Plunk, stated that the injured woman’s health deteriorated to the point that she was being kept alive by a respirator with no hope of getting better, so Thursday afternoon, the family made the difficult and painful decision to take her off the respirator.

    On Friday, Investigator Plunk traveled to the state medical examiner’s office in Nashville to request an autopsy. After returning to Weakley County Friday afternoon, the officer amended charges against the defendant from domestic assault to second-degree murder as a result of April Kayser’s death.

    On Monday, Kayser was arraigned in Weakley County General Sessions Court on the amended charge of second-degree murder, and the preliminary hearing date was set for either April 23 or May 13, depending on how the court docket works out.

(Read the rest of this story in the April 23rd print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

By David Fisher Staff Reporter

  

    An early Friday morning earthquake centered in Indiana woke many across the Midwest, including those here in Weakley County and the surrounding West Tennessee region.

    Many Weakley County residents report that they were awakened by the early morning quake, but no local damage was reported. According to Weakley County Emergency Director Jamison Peevyhouse, the 911 dispatchers fielded several calls from area citizens asking if there had been an earthquake, but no property damage or injuries were reported.

    The 5.2 magnitude quake, which took place just before 4:37 a.m. was centered six miles from West Salem, Illinois, and 66 miles from Evansville, Indiana. It was also felt in such distant cities as Chicago, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, and Des Moines, Iowa, 450 miles northwest of the epicenter, but there were no early reports of injuries or significant damage.

    The quake was the strongest the region has experienced in 40 years, and surprised residents unaccustomed to such a powerful Midwest temblor.

    According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake occurred in the Illinois basin-Ozark dome region, which covers parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas and stretches from Indianapolis and St. Louis to Memphis.

    The U.S. Geological Survey says a total of 22 aftershocks have been recorded since last week’s tremor. The strongest aftershock, measuring 4.6, struck approximately five and a half hours after Friday morning’s original quake. And another aftershock hit Monday around 12:40 a.m., registering magnitude 4.0 and was centered just northwest of Mount Carmel, Illinois.

    Before any of those earthquakes shook the Midwest and South, hundreds of individuals, including members of the Tennessee National Guard, as well as local and state agencies, were planning for the effects of a 7.7 magnitude earthquake right here in Tennessee.

    As part of Vigilant Guard ’08, National Guard units train and respond to the simulated quake. They take on various scenarios, such as hazardous chemical spills and collapsed buildings. This training event, which lasted for almost a week, took about eight months to plan.

    The U.S. Geological Survey’s Web site notes that earthquakes occur irregularly in the area, and that the largest historical earthquake in the region — a magnitude 5.4 — caused damage in southern Illinois in 1968.

 

(Read the rest of this story in the April 23rd print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

    Officers of the Martin Police Department arrested two individuals last week on assorted drug charges.

    The drugs were discovered while Martin officers were executing a search warrant at Four Seasons Apartments last week.

    According to a report filed by Investigator Thomas D. Erwin of the Martin Police Department, at approximately 4:31 p.m. on Thursday, April 17, Inv. Erwin and other officers executed a search warrant at the residence of 28-year-old Richard D. Britten located at 206 West Peach Tree Street, Apt. 5.

    The defendant was searched by Investigator James D. Hatler, who discovered a cellophane bag in the defendant’s left-front pocket that contained a white powder substance believed to be cocaine. Inside of the cellophane bag were three smaller bags for a total weight of four grams.

    A search of the residence also revealed a shoebox containing green plant material believed to be marijuana, which was located on the kitchen cabinet next to a box of sandwich bags.

    The combined street value of the drugs is estimated at $800.

    Britten was charged with possession of schedule II (cocaine) with intent to sell, possession of schedule VI (marijuana) with intent to sell, and possession of unlawful drug paraphernalia.

    Another man at the apartment at the time the search, 20-year-old Atu Cambell, was issued a misdemeanor citation for possessing a small amount of marijuana.

 

(Check out the rest of this story in this week's print edition of the Dresden Enterprise!)