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News Headlines
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
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Dresden man arrested on
assault and kidnapping charges |
A 35-year old Dresden man
was arrested Friday, September 26, after allegedly beating
his girlfriend and preventing her from seeking medical
attention for several hours.
Phillip M. Hutcherson of 483 East Main Street, Dresden, is
charged with aggravated domestic assault and especially
aggravated kidnapping.
According to an affidavit of complaint filed in Weakley
County General Sessions Court by Sgt. Tonya Warren of the
Dresden Police Department, at 9 p.m. Thursday, September 25,
Sgt. Warren was called to investigate an assault that took
place the night before between Hutcherson and his
girlfriend, 21-year-old Whitney Bowls, who had been
airlifted to the Regional Medical Center in Memphis for
medical treatment.
When Officer Warren arrived at the Med to speak with the
victim concerning the incident, she learned Bowls underwent
surgery on her left eye socket because it was fractured. The
victim also had a laceration to her liver, a brain
contusion, and multiple bruises to her body.
During the interview, Bowls told the officer at 11 p.m.
Tuesday, September 23, she and Hutcherson were arguing about
her wanting to leave him. Bowls stated Hutcherson asked her
if she was seeing her ex-boyfriend, and if she was, to just
tell him the truth and it would be okay. However, she stated
this was not the case.
The victim told Hutcherson she just wanted to leave him and
get on with her life, and this was when he started hitting
her and yelling at her to tell the truth.
Bowls states Hutcherson took a wooden ball bat and hit her
in the lower left stomach. He then hit her in the face
repeatedly with his fists. After smashing a glass candle jar
against the wall, he allegedly took a piece of glass and cut
the victim on the lip. Next, Hutcherson smashed a guitar and
broke off the small end, then used it to strike the victim
in the left leg and arm. He then resumed hitting Bowls in
the face with his fists. “I could not see out of my left eye
after this,” Bowls said. “I tried to grab a sword, but he
knocked it out of my hand and paddled me with it. He then
grabbed a BB gun and shot at me and hit me in the right arm;
and then, he broke the gun. All of this took place between
the bedroom and living room.”
Bowls states, during this time, she was asking Hutcherson to
stop because he was hurting her. But he was yelling at her
and telling her he was not going to stop until she told the
truth. This was about 3 a.m. Wednesday, September 24. The
victim states she asked Hutcherson to stop hitting her,
because she could not see and she wanted to go to sleep.
Bowls states she woke up around 4-5 a.m. Wednesday,
September 24, and told Hutcherson she wanted to go to a
doctor. But he told her to get in a tub of warm water and
the swelling would go down. While she was soaking,
Hutcherson went out to get something to eat and brought it
back to the house. Bowls told Hutcherson that something was
wrong and she needed to see a doctor. He told her the only
way he would let her out to see a doctor would be if she did
not tell the police what he did.
The victim states Hutcherson called Matt Mangum to come
over, and when he arrived, Hutcherson asked him if he would
wreck Bowl’s Jeep so it would look like she had an accident,
but Mangum refused. She states when Hutcherson told Mangum
his hands were swollen, “Matt said, ‘Forget about your
hands, look at her face.’ Matt was walking out and Phillip
grabbed him by the arm and stated to Matt, ‘If you tell
anyone, I will kill you.’ ”
Bowls states, after Mangum
left, Hutcherson started talking about making her injuries
look like she fell off a ladder. The victim told Hutcherson
she would go along with the plan so she could get help.
Hutcherson had the victim to lie down under the ladder. He
then cut some of Bowls’ hair and put it on the ladder to
make it look like her hair was caught in the ladder as she
fell. She states he also poured paint on the ground.
Hutcherson went inside of the house and returned
approximately 20 minutes later. He then called 911 and the
police and an ambulance came to the scene.
(Check out the rest of this story in this
week's print edition of the Dresden Enterprise!) |
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Camden woman sentenced in Martin bank robbery
case |
A 45-year-old Camden woman was sentenced to six years in
federal prison for her part in the robbery of Regions Bank
of Martin earlier this year.
On Thursday, September 25, Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced
Pam Wilson to 78 months in federal prison and three years
supervised release. Wilson was also ordered to pay jointly
with co-defendants, $3,139 in restitution to the bank.
Wilson, along with Edward Tharpe and LaToya Wilson, were
each indicted on one count of bank robbery and one count of
using a firearm during the robbery.
Both Pam Wilson and LaToya Wilson pleaded guilty to the bank
robbery charge in June 2008. Tharpe is scheduled to appear
in court Tuesday, September 30, while LaToya Wilson is
scheduled to be sentenced in October. The Martin Police
Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the
bank robbery investigation leading to the arrest of the
three defendants. |
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Doster announces retirement as Weakley County
Trustee |
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By David
Fisher
Staff
Reporter |
Weakley County Trustee Donald Doster, 62, of Dresden
announced Monday he has decided to retire from office
effective October 31.
In an open letter addressed to Weakley County Mayor Houston
Patrick, County Commission Chairman Richard Phebus, County
Court Clerk Pat Scarbrough, and the citizens of Weakley
County, Doster states:
“I have been elected to the office of trustee five times by
the citizens of Weakley County and I am grateful for the
opportunity to serve as your county trustee for the past
18-plus years.
“Due to some major changes in my life over the past couple
of years; the loss of my wife to cancer, and now my upcoming
marriage to the former Carolyn Finney, I offer my
resignation to the office of trustee as of October 31, 2008.
“In retirement, I hope to work more in the church field at
Alamo Baptist Church near Sidonia, get caught up on my
crappie fishing, and do some traveling with my new wife,
Carolyn.
“By the authority of state law TCA 8-11-111, I am
designating Linda Pettit as my temporary successor to the
office and respectfully request that the County Commission
make this permanent until the next election. Linda has the
knowledge and experience to best serve our citizens in the
trustee’s office. She came into office at the same time as I
on September 1, 1990. I am confident she will do an
outstanding job for you and Weakley County.”
When asked if he might be interested in running for a higher
office, Doster replied, “At this time, no.”
Concerning the changes that have occurred in the trustee’s
office over the years, Doster said, “It’s amazing the
changes that have occurred. I came into office September 1,
1990; and I had the office computerized during April of
1991. Since that time, we have continued to make progress in
updating the computer system. It’s finally getting to the
point where you can pay online. We do our tax relief with
the State of Tennessee online. There have been so many
changes. It’s mind-boggling really. It’s one of those
situations, where if you haven’t been here, you don’t
realize what’s taken place.
“There are people out there with office experience, I’m
sure, that will want the job as well. And I don’t blame
them. But, I’m not playing politics. I’m doing what’s best
for the county in naming Linda to this position. I feel like
we’ve got a good county commission, and when they look at
the whole situation, the majority of them will say, ‘yeah,
she’s the one for the job. She’s been here 18 years. She
knows what’s going on.’ ”
Doster said of Pettit, who
is currently serving as first deputy in the trustee’s
office, “I guarantee you, without her, this office wouldn’t
run. In my opinion, putting the person in here that knows
what’s going on, they won’t miss a beat as far as service
and accountability is concerned. I think it’s the wise thing
to do. And that’s why I respectfully request the county
commission confirm her until the next election.”
(Read the rest of this story in the
October 1st print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.) |
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Greenfield to host 20th annual Fire Prevention Festival |
The Greenfield Fire Department is hosting the 20th Annual
Fire Prevention Festival featuring a wide assortment of
activities October 7 through October 11, 2008.
The high point of the celebration is the Greenfield’s Fire
Prevention Parade, which is held the final day of the
festival and routinely draws thousands of residents,
visitors and special guests from surrounding communities.
Dozens of fire trucks and emergency vehicles from throughout
the region participate. Festival activities include the
arrival of a Med-Evac helicopter, bagpipers, emergency
response displays, arts and crafts, food booths, merchant
sales, prize drawings, the always-popular parade and
fireworks show, and other family-friendly events.
The festival kicks off Tuesday with a Senior Citizens
Luncheon at the park pavilion from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. The
cost of the luncheon is $6. Donations will be taken for a
country ham to be given away Saturday at noon. Chances are
$1 each. All money raised goes to benefit the Nutrition Site
and Senior Citizens Center. For more information about this
event, contact Billy Swindell 235-2815 or Suzann Kroll
235-9213.
On Wednesday, Healthsouth Cane Creek is sponsoring the
Greenfield Fire Prevention Kick-off Breakfast at the
Greenfield Fire Station from 6-9 a.m. consisting of homemade
waffles, sausage, coffee, and juice for $6. All proceeds go
to the American Cancer Society. Advance tickets are
available. For more information, call Ray Ann Dudley at
235-3803 or Health South Cane Creek at 587-4211.
The Greenfield Fire
Department is sponsoring a spaghetti supper Thursday from
5-7 p.m. at Greenfield Elementary School cafeteria. The cost
is $7. Proceeds will be used to purchase firefighting
equipment. For more information, contact Ray Ann Dudley at
235-3803.
(Read the rest of this story in the
October 1st print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.) |
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