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Traffic Stop leads to Trouble for Woman and Juvenile
A 17-year-old Tullahoma resident and a Smithville woman are in trouble for possession after they were stopped by Tullahoma Police on Wednesday (March 29).
Arayna Lynn Arrocha, 26, of Smithville was issued a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia, driving on revoke/suspended license, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and light law.
A 17-year-old, who was a passenger in her vehicle, was charged with unlawful possession of weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia and manufacture/sell of a controlled substance.
According to a Tullahoma Police report by Officer Michael Wilder, a vehicle operated by Arrocha was stopped on East Carroll Street for a light law violation. When the officer approached the vehicle he detected the odor of marijuana.
He then got both Arrocha and the juvenile out of the vehicle and searched the vehicle. He allegedly found a backpack with a loaded handgun and individual bags of marijuana and a set of digital. After the officer placed the juvenile in his patrol car the juvenile allegedly threw a bag of marijuana in the floor of the car.
The juvenile was transported to a juvenile detention center in Rutherford County and is to appear in Coffee County Juvenile Court on April 13.
Court Halts Solitary Confinement of Juveniles in Rutherford County
Rutherford County now is temporarily prevented from holding juveniles in solitary confinement until a lawsuit is resolved. (Hannah/flickr.com)
The ruling comes as a result of a lawsuit filed on behalf of a 15-year-old detainee who was held in confinement for five days. His attorney, Mark Downton, questioned what would happen if a parent inflicted a similar punishment.
“I believe if a parent did anything like this to a child, DCS would remove that child from a parent’s care; they would consider it barbaric and abusive,” Dawnton said. “And it’s appalling to me that the state and county governments can engage is such behavior, the same behavior that would cause a parent to lose their rights.”
Downton’s case now is a class action suit representing all juveniles placed in solitary confinement in the county since April 2015. Court records show that 128 juveniles in Rutherford County were put in isolation as punishment during seven months in 2016.
Calls to the Rutherford County attorney for comment were not returned.
A recent report by the ACLU found numerous studies demonstrating that solitary confinement can have long-term negative psychological effects on youth, and also can exacerbate existing mental issues. Downton explained further.
“This is a practice that amounts almost to the level of torture to children,” he said. “Kids particularly, more than adults, need stimulation and they need some sort of contact with the world. And what happens in solitary confinement is all of that stimuli is removed from them. ”
In 2016, President Obama banned the practice for juveniles in the federal prison system. The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services guidelines about solitary confinement of juveniles do not extend to county facilities.
Some Coffee County youths serving time in a juvenile detention center are housed in Rutherford County.
March “Hometown Hero”
Manchester Officer Dustan Foster
Our hero this month is Manchester Officer Dustan Foster.
Officer Foster began his career at Franklin County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He worked there for 8 years until 2006. He served with numerous ranks and ultimately became a Captain with Franklin County Sheriff’s Department.
Officer Foster became employed with Manchester Police Department in 2007. He is a very dedicated officer. He has a tremendous work ethic.
Officer Foster continues to work part-time as an officer for Sewanee, University of The South.
Officer Foster has been in Law Enforcement for 18 years. He has completed numerous specialized training classes including tactical training, Leadership Training, narcotics training and Meth Lab training.
We are continuing to ask for the public’s help for more hometown heroes. Go to our Facebook page or the Al White Ford Lincoln Mercury Facebook page to nominate a law enforcement official. Tell us why you think someone that serves Coffee County in law enforcement deserves to be chosen as a “Hometown Hero”. The man or woman that is selected each month will be recognized on WMSRradio.com and receive a nice surprise from Al White Motors.
Thank you to all that serve and protect us, our Hometown Heroes.
4/1/17 — Richard Daryl Welch
Richard Daryl Welch, age 48, of Hillsboro, passed away on Thursday, March 30, 2017 at St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital. He was born December 9, 1968 in Tullahoma as the son of Gene Maurice Welch and Mary Elizabeth Freeze.
Daryl served in the United States Army and was a member of the Asbury United Methodist Church. He was a coffee county sheriff’s deputy, and his occupation was Homeland Security/EMA Coffee County Officer of Coffee County. He was the first recipient voted to receive the “Hometown Hero” award. Daryl was an avid hunter, fisherman, but most of all he was a family man. His family was the highlight of his life.
Daryl is survived by his wife Tonia Welch. Daryl and Tonia have four children; Colby Welch of Hillsboro, TN, Heather (Tony) Grissby of Manchester, TN, Tyler Cavender of Manchester, TN, and Shelby Cavender of Manchester, TN, two brothers; Mark Welch of Manchester, TN, and Clay (Karan) Welch of Dover, TN, two sisters; Sarah Welch and Christina Cabrio, and many nieces, nephews, and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to: Daryl Welch Fund at the Coffee County Bank.
VISITATION: Friday, March 31, 2017, 4 – 8:00 P.M. at the Central Funeral Home, 2812 Hillsboro Highway, Manchester, Tennessee
FUNERAL: Saturday, April 1, 2017, 12:00 Noon at the Central Funeral Home
BURIAL: Asbury Methodist Cemetery
CENTRAL FUNERAL HOME IS IN CHARGE OF THE ARRANGEMENTS.
Lady Bucks Look to Get Offense Untracked at Columbia State This Weekend
The Motlow State Lady Bucks will look to get their offense going this coming weekend when they travel to Columbia after dropping a pair of low scoring, one-run games to Dyersburg State last weekend in Dyersburg.
The Lady Bucks (7-18, 4-10) only got to play two of the scheduled four games against the Lady Eagles, falling 1-0 and 3-2 on Friday. Saturday’s scheduled doubleheader was cancelled due to weather, and will only be made up if the outcome directly affects the TCCAA standings.
Motlow will hope to put together strong pitching, which it got in Dyersburg, with increased offensive production when it travels to Columbia to take on Columbia State this weekend. The Lady Bucks and Lady Chargers are scheduled for doubleheaders both Friday and Saturday, with Friday’s action starting at 4 p.m. and Saturday’s at noon.
Friday’s opener in Dyersburg was a splendid softball game halfway through the sixth inning, with neither team able to generate offense against outstanding pitching. Then came the bottom of the sixth, when Dyersburg scored the only run of the game due to a Motlow error, one of two in the game.
Sarah Wilson pitched well enough to win, allowing only three hits and two walks. Ashton Watkins had two of Motlow’s three hits, with Riley O’Neal getting the other.
Friday’s second game was just as painful for Motlow, as the Lady Eagles scored twice in the third inning and once more in the fourth to lead 3-0. The Lady Bucks finally generated a pair of runs in the fifth when Taylor Honea, who has been Motlow’s best hitter this season, hit a two-run homer after Taylor Mitchell had doubled.
The Lady Bucks couldn’t score again though, wasting another fine pitching performance. Breanna Owens tossed five innings, scattering seven hits and walking four, followed by Wilson allowing just one hit in the final inning.
Paige Loveless from Stewarts Creek Signs NLI to Play Soccer at Motlow State
Stewarts Creek High School soccer standout Paige Loveless recently signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her career as a student-athlete at Motlow State Community College. Joining Paige for the signing ceremony are her parents, Susan and Brian, and standing left to right; Andy Lyon, Motlow soccer head coach, Paige’s siblings Morgan and Mason, and Brooke Mayo, Stewarts Creek head coach.
CHS Baseball Rallies to Tame Lawrence County on Wednesday Night
Noah Anderson of CHS baseball
After a disastrous inning led to a loss on Tuesday to Lawrence County, the Red Raider baseball team was more than ready to take the field on Wednesday when they welcomed the Wildcats to Powers Field. On a game you heard here on Thunder Radio, Coffee County used 5 runs in the 1st inning to set in motion a 14 to 4 win over Lawrence County. The win lifts the Red Raiders to 4 and 2 in district play.
Lawrence County opened strong as they plated a pair of runs on 3 hits in the top of the first inning. The Red Raiders bounced back in the bottom of the inning using 4 hits, including a pair of doubles, 2 walks and a Lawrence County error to plate 5 runs. Coffee County added 4 runs in the 4th inning and finished the game via the mercy rule with 5 runs in the 6th.
Grant Sadler got the win for Coffee County as he went the distance striking out 2 and walking 1. At the plate, Sadler added a single and 3 RBI. Nathaniel Tate, Noah Anderson, Jacob Langham and Hayden Skipper all finished with 2 hits. Anderson finished with a double, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI to earn the Crazy Daisies Player of the Game.
Coffee County will open play in the Warrior Classic on Thursday when they take on Central Magnet in Murfreesboro at StarPlex. First pitch is set for 4:00 PM, weather permitting. The Raiders return to action on Friday with a doubleheader at Stewarts Creek against Loretto and Stewarts Creek before concluding on Saturday taking on the Blaze of Blackman at Blackman High School.
You can download the broadcast at: http://www.thunder1320.com/downloads/
CHS Softball Concludes Gulf Shores Tournament with Top 10 Finish
Sarah West of CHS softball [Photo by John St. Clair – stclair-sports.com]
After surrendering 5 runs in the first inning, the Lady Raiders rallied to defeat Gulf Shores in the tournament opener by an 8 to 5 score. Coffee County scored runs in 4 of the 5 innings as they pounded out 10 hits. Sarah West led the Lady Raiders in hitting with 2 hits, including a double, while collecting 2 RBI. Katie Rutledge and Lauren Tomberlin each had a pair of hits while Haley Richardson had 2 RBI.
Against Hoover, Coffee County once again gave up 2 first inning runs before tying the game in the 3rd inning and putting the game in the win column with 8 runs in the 4th inning. Coffee County finished with 9 hits and did not commit an error. Tori Bell led the Lady Raiders in hitting with a pair of doubles and 2 RBI. Ashlynn Morton had a pair of hits and Haley Hinshaw had a double and 3 RBI.
Against Lafayette, the Lady Raiders once again gave up runs in the 1st inning but this time the “rally monkey” did not show up for Coffee County. Lafayette held Coffee County to 3 hits on the game. Rutledge, Hinshaw and Gracie Pippenger each had singles for the Lady Raiders.
The Lady Raiders will begin the trip home on Friday when they stop in Montgomery for a pair of games at Macon-East Academy. The Lady Raiders will take on Macon-East at 3 PM(CDT) before tangling with Glenwood at 4:30 PM. Both games will be 5 inning games. Coffee County returns to Terry Floyd Field on Monday for a district game with Columbia. That game will get underway at 5:30 PM.
Westwood Baseball Drops Cascade in “Home” Opener
Luke Beachboard of Westwood baseball
Finally having a chance to host their first game on their home field, the Westwood Rocket baseball team welcomed Cascade to Looney Riddle Field at Fred Deadman Park on Wednesday night. After field vandalism forced Westwood to move games to CHS and CCMS, Westwood was able to host a game at their normal home field. The Rockets plated 5 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning and made those runs stand up in a 7 to 2 conference win.
The Rockets used 3 walks, 2 hits, a hit batter and a sacrifice fly in a first inning that saw 11 Westwood players come to bat and 5 runs score. The Rockets tacked on their final 2 runs in the 6th to improve their record to 5 and 3 on the season.
Wyatt Nugent led the Rockets in hitting as he had 3 singles and 1 run scored. Luke Beachboard added a pair of singles, an RBI and a run scored. Skylar Bratcher got the win for Westwood as he pitched 4 scoreless innings striking out 5. Bratcher also had a 2 RBI double with a walk, a run scored and reached base in the first inning went he got hit by a pitch.
The Rockets are back at home on Thursday, weather permitting, as they play host to Middle Tennessee Christian. That game will get underway at 5 PM.
4/1/17 — Eugene Elmer Walter
Funeral services for Mr. Eugene Elmer Walter, age 74, of Hillsboro, TN,
will be conducted at 11:00 AM on Saturday, April 1, 2017 at Coffee County
Funeral Chapel with Bro. Brandon Stutts officiating. Burial will follow
in Bethany Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be from 6:00 PM
until 9:00 PM on Friday evening at the funeral home. Mr. Walter passed
away at his residence on March 28, 2017, surrounded by his loving family.
Eugene was born in Cincinnati, OH, the son of the late George and Rose
Osner Walter. He was previously employed in sales at Oxygen Plus and was
a member of Faith Freewill Baptist Church, where he served in the music
ministry. Eugene loved to fish and watch Nascar. In the 1980s, Eugene
and James Mahaffey organized Normandy Volunteer Fire Department.
In addition to his parents, Eugene was preceded in death by his
mother-in-law, Leedom Swoape; sister-in-law, Brenda Uselton; and
brother-in-law, Ted Carter. Eugene is survived by his loving wife of 29
years, Rosie Walter; four children, Rose Chandler, Karen Thomas, Eugene
F. Walter and Christina Tesche; eight brothers and sisters, Sandy Rose,
Helen Rhodus, Robert (Gloria) Walter, Gerri (Leroy) Hoff, Connie (Arvil)
Hayes, Paul (Theresa) Walter, Mary (Brian) Straubb, and Jacqueline (Mark)
Mergo; six grandchildren, Samantha, Tiffany, Rochelle, RJ, Shane, and
Isaac. He is also survived by his father-in-law, Ralph Swoape, Sr.;
sister-in-law, Jeannie Carter; brother-in-law, Ralph (Gina) Swoape, Jr.;
and many nieces and nephews.
Coffee County Funeral Chapel is honored to serve the Walter family.