Wednesday Herald-Citizen The Daily Newspaper of the Upper Cumberland 114th Year — No. 40 Cookeville, Tennessee, February 17, 2016 16 Pages — 2 Sections • 50¢ Weather Former state trooper arrested for DUI, implied consent Tonight Tomorrow By TRACEY HACKETT Brian Wayne Lawson, 43, of Sparta, trict in November after a departmen- sponded to a motor vehicle crash on HERALD-CITIZEN Staff was charged with driving under the tal investigation found that he had re- Highway 84. influence and violation of implied portedly been drinking alcohol, “Upon arrival, I found that this de- PUTNAM COUNTY — A former consent after crashing the vehicle he operating a state vehicle and had fendant (Lawson) had driven his ve- captain of the Nashville district’s was driving. been untruthful with investigators. hicle into the ditch,” Trooper Jeff Tennessee Highway Patrol was ar- Lawson resigned in lieu of termina- According to a report of Saturday’s 26º 54º rested here on Saturday. tion from the THP’s Nashville dis- incident, THP trooper Jeff Brown re- See DUI, Page 2 Complete forecast, Page 2 Lawson Sports On Dodson Branch Algood board still has vacancies By LAURA MILITANA Season over HERALD-CITIZEN Staff Monterey sees season end ALGOOD — Two new names in 7-A openers /B1 were proposed by the mayor to the city council to fill the positions on the Algood Board of Zoning Ap- peals during the rescheduled coun- cil meeting held Tuesday night, but Living those names failed as well. Mayor Scott Bilbrey proposed Johnny Bennett and Marshall Judd to fill the positions, but failed — for the fourth time in a row — to get the council’s approval. Voting against both names are Vice Mayor Kirk Dyer and council members Carolyn Norris and Jennifer Green. A related item regarding the cre- ation and membership of the Board of Zoning Appeals was also on the agenda to undergo a second and final reading. This item, also a re- For children Ty Kernea | Herald-Citizen peat, stating that the legislative Shriners collect can tabs The Putnam County Fire Department respond yesterday morning to a fire in a Dodson Branch townhouse apart- body would appoint the members, to benefit hospital /A8 ment. Three people were transported to the hospital and treated for smoke inhalation. not the mayor, as it has typically been done. “We haven’t changed the charter or the bylaws of the BZA,” Bilbrey Nation said. “I feel like sitting here and being the chair that this violates the 3 rescued from blaze charter and I’m not going to be a part of it. If you want to call a spe- By TRACEY HACKETT their way to the scene. sonnel also assisted the fire department in cial-called meeting, do whatever HERALD-CITIZEN Staff The Putnam County Fire Department was clearing occupants from the other units in you want to do at that point, but as dispatched to the location on Dodson the involved apartment building. the chair, tonight, I’m not bringing PUTNAM COUNTY — A woman and Branch Road at 10:04 a.m. Emergency medical personnel trans- it up and I feel it violates the char- two children woke up yesterday morning “When we arrived on the scene, there was ported the woman and children to the hos- ter. I’ve said this before, change the in their second-story bedrooms to find their very little smoke showing from the upstairs pital for treatment of smoke inhalation and bylaws, change the charter, let’s do townhouse apartment filling up with window,” said Battalion Chief Mike Keith. other possible injuries they may have sus- it the right way. It’s not about my smoke. With four other units in the apartment tained in the incident. way or somebody else’s way, it’s With the fire that began in their living building, one of the first priorities was de- When firefighters entered the involved about doing what’s right. I don’t room sending smoke billowing up the termining that all residents had been evac- unit, they discovered that the fire’s source think doing it this way is right. Be- Top dog stairs, they were unable to get out, so they uated. was in the living room, just inside the cause an ordinance does not change America’s top dog named called for help. “We initiated two crews, one for fire sup- apartment door. our charter. Charters supercede or- at Westminster /A10 Two of their neighbors heard their cries pression and search and the other specifi- The exact cause of the blaze is still unde- dinances. If you want to have a spe- and assisted them to safety from an upstairs cally for search,” he said. window as emergency personnel were on Putnam County Sheriff’s Department per- See FIRE, Page 2 See ALGOOD, Page 2 Index Abby............................A8 WWII soldier’s widow receives medals Calendar......................A6 Crossword ...................A9 By MEGAN TROTTER star, which was awarded by the Re- Living ..........................A8 HERALD-CITIZEN Staff public of the Philippines to Allied forced who participated in the libera- Obituaries ...................A7 COOKEVILLE — The widow of a tion of the Philippines from 1944- Dorothy Burton World War II veteran left last night’s 1945 and during the surrender of the Frankie Bledsoe meeting of Post 6296 of Veterans of Japanese Empire in 1945. Foreign Wars holding so many medals He was also authorized to receive George Stephens and awards for her late husband that four Overseas Service Bars, a Distin- Sue Ellen Erskine she could hardly carry them all. In a guished Unit Badge — which was a special ceremony at the regular VFW forerunner of the Presidential Unit Ci- Elsie Crowe meeting, Helen Gregory accepted tation — the Marksmanship Badge, George Kreis these honors for her late husband and a World War II Lapel. Jewel Stayt Charles Gregory Sr., who was a World Bonny Warren, representing Con- War II veteran who served in the gressman Diane Black’s office, con- Opinion.......................A4 Army Air Corps. President Barack gratulated Helen on receiving the Sports ..........................B1 Obama authorized the granting of the medals. Sudoku ........................A9 following awards: the Good Conduct “These ceremonies just touch our Medal for completion of three years of hearts so deeply,” Warren said. “The Weather ......................A2 honorable service, the American Cam- congressman is so proud to see these paign Medal, the Asian-Pacific Cam- medals given, coming from a strong paign Medal with three bronze service military family herself. ... This cere- Megan Trotter | Herald-Citizen stars for service in the Pacific Theater mony has brought tears to my eyes Helen Gregory, center, receives military medals and awards for her late hus- from 1941-1945, the World War II and joy to my heart. We’re so excited band, Charles Gregory Sr., while Bonny Warren, representative from Con- Victory Medal and the Philippine Lib- and so happy that we can help honor gressman Diane Black’s office, and Jim Loftis, VFW Post 6296 commander, eration Medal with one bronze service our veterans in this way.” look on. A-2 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Wednesday, February 17, 2016 LOCAL READER SERVICES Monterey man arrested for assaulting woman By TRACEY HACKETT incident. after an argument between Padgett The man reportedly also threatened HERALD-CITIZEN Staff According to reports from the Mon- and the victims escalated. and struck the woman’s caregiver, Contact us: terey Police Department, officers re- “Mr. Padgett got a knife and threat- who also lives at the residence. Address: MONTEREY — A 49-year-old sponded to a reported domestic ened to cut her head off. He also hit “Mr. Padgett hit her about the face Monterey man was arrested Friday situation. her about the face and head with his with his fist and threatened to cut her 1300 Neal St. for allegedly assaulting an elderly “Upon arrival, [we] found [the vic- fist, knocking her to the floor, and head off,” the report continues. Cookeville, Tenn. woman with disabilities and her tim] on the dining room floor. [She] also grabbed her by the arms,” the Padgett was transported to the Put- Padgett caregiver. is wheelchair bound and in very bad officer reports. nam County Jail, where he was Mailing Address: Paul Delano Padgett, of West health,” Officer Jerry Clark said in a According to the report, officers booked on a total bond of $20,000. Stewart Street in Monterey, was report of the incident. who responded to the situation found His initial appearance in Putnam P.O. Box 2729 charged with two counts of aggra- The department’s investigation visible signs of swelling and bruis- County General Sessions Court is set Cookeville TN 38502 vated assault in connection with the found that the incident happened ing on the woman’s face and arms. for today. Phone: 931-526-9715 Fax: 931-526-1209 DUI: Former Email: News trooper [email protected] Sports arrested [email protected] Advertising From Page 1 [email protected] Living Brown reports. [email protected] The trooper also reports that Circulation Lawson exhibited signs of being [email protected] under the influence of alcohol. Business News “The subject had slurred [email protected] speech, was disoriented and said Church News that he was on Highway 135 [email protected] going from Cookeville to School News Sparta,” the trooper said. [email protected] Trooper Brown administered Classified Ads five field sobriety tests, all of [email protected] which Lawson failed to complete satisfactorily. “The subject was also advised Laura Militana | Herald-Citizen of the implied consent law and Letter Guidelines Algood Mayor Scott Bilbrey, left, along with Vice Mayor Kirk Dyer and council members Jennifer Green and Carolyn refused to submit to a chemic al All letters to the editor must Norris listen to fellow council member Dr.