Danny Johnson's 2003 Nissan Altima struck an embankment on Tennessee 124 Friday morning after shearing a utility pole. MFD extricates Thomas Doster from the wreckage.

 

An early morning one-car accident Friday on Cedar Street in McKenzie claimed the lives of two men and critically injured a third.

According to Trooper Mark Jackson, who investigated the accident, a 2003 Nissan Altima was traveling west on Tennessee 124 in a 35-mph business/residential zone, when it exited the right side of the road at McKenzie Funeral Home and sheared a utility pole, before hitting an embankment. The vehicle came to rest facing north. The car was approaching the intersection of U.S. 79 and SR124 when the accident occurred.

Driver Danny Carl Johnson, of 123 West Chestnut Street, McKenzie, whose 43rd birthday was Friday, and front seat passenger Carl Anthony Townes, 44, of 83 Elm Street, McKenzie, were killed on impact, according to the trooper.

Back seat passenger Thomas Ray Doster of Gleason (formerly of McKenzie), who turned 44 Saturday, was airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville after being extricated from the wreckage by McKenzie Fire Rescue Team. Air Evac helicopter was summoned to the scene and landed on the funeral home parking lot to airlift the injured man. He underwent surgery Friday at the Nashville medical facility. His condition was initially listed as critical, but has since been upgraded to stable, according to hospital spokesperson Monday.

Jackson said that toxicology reports would not be returned from the TBI Crime Lab in Memphis for several weeks, but added, "it appears that alcohol was involved and speed was a factor."

Responding to the wreck were McKenzie Police Department, McKenzie Fire and Rescue, Tennessee Highway Patrol, McKenzie Regional Emergency Medical Services, Carroll County Electric Department and Carroll County Sheriff's Department.

McKenzie Fire and Rescue also had to extricate the two front seat occupants. Only Townes was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, Jackson said. But in his opinion, safety belts would not have made a difference, according to the report.

Carroll County Coroner Steve Cantrell was called to the scene and pronounced Johnson and Townes.

MPD Corporal Dennis Taylor was the first officer on the scene and requested traffic assistance from Patrolman Adam Bailey after discovering that electrical wires were in the roadway. Bailey was traveling to the east side of the wreckage to warn approaching motorists that the highway was blocked when he veered off Tower Road in a curve and struck an embankment. It was the second such accident in the curve in two months. Although Bailey did not sustain injuries, the 1997 Ford patrol car sustained considerable damage and will not be repaired, according to Chief Harry Cooper. Both airbags deployed on impact, Cooper said.

Tennessee 124 remained closed to traffic for approximately two hours, said Trooper Jackson.

D & D Wrecker Services towed the Johnson vehicle, while Mid-South Towing of McKenzie towed the patrol car.

Tennessee Highway Patrol Critical Incidence Response Team was called in to assist in the investigation by reconstructing the accident, Jackson said.

Trinity Funeral Home in Paris will be in charge of funeral arrangements for Townes. Johnson's funeral services will be conducted by Mercer Brothers Funeral Home of Jackson. No further information was available at press time.

 

MCKENZIE (September 26) - Two local developers wish for three parcels of property along U.S. 79 to be rezoned from residential to commercial. Retail developers Ed Perkins and Fred Morris, both residents of McKenzie, made an informal request for the parcels, located at the intersection of U.S. 79S and Eastwood be rezoned to develop retail businesses.

Perkins recently developed the Dollar General, Movie Gallery, Subway location, which generates some $40,377 annually in city taxes. Perkins' previous McKenzie developments include the U.S. Post Office, McDonalds, Highland Mall, McKenzie Shopping Plaza, and the shopping center along Cedar Avenue. Perkins noted that suitable zoning is not currently available along major thoroughfares for retail development. Both Perkins and Morris have numerous residential properties in the city.

Perkins and Morris each developed retail projects in Paris. Morris developed the shopping area for Premier Nissan with more outparcels available. Perkins recently developed the Fred's store in Paris along Volunteer Drive and is developing a new Fred's Super Center in Dresden. Morris is planning a major retail development in Medina. Both men commented other cities are cooperatively working with the developers urging aggressive development of their cities. "Dresden called and wanted to meet with me," said Perkins, who noted that other towns are very eager for development. Perkins said their retail developments usually include stock exchange-related companies, providing a "win-win" for everyone. Morris assured commissioners that his developments would not adversely affect McKenzie, his home.

The developers' visit was a precursor to a formal application for rezoning of the parcels across from the Tennessee Technology Center. The two wanted see if the city planners were favorable to the idea before applying for rezoning.

Shelton Merrill, planner with the Local Planning Office in Jackson, provided a preliminary recommendation against rezoning. He said the city has plans to update its Goals, Policies, and Objectives and revise its Land Use and Transportation Plan for the city. The current plans were drafted in 1975 (31 years ago) and have not been updated. He noted that updates could take as long as January 2008.

Perkins responded that rezoning was allowed to develop Willie's Tire (now McClain's) business along U.S. 79 in the past two years. Rezoning is not without precedent, indicated Perkins.

And this week, the city rezoned undeveloped parcels along South Main Street for Donald Tolbert, a plumbing and electrical contractor. In Tolbert's rezoning request, the Local Planning Office opined, "Evidently, the development trend in this particular vicinity (Main Street) has been commercial development. Therefore staff would not have an issue with tax parcels 13 and 14 becoming rezoned. Since the owner of tax parcel 12, Group "B", does have a problem with their property becoming reclassified, staff recommends that tax parcels 13, 14, "Group "B", become rezoned from R-2 to B-1. However, staff feels written goals, policies and objectives are needed to guide subsequent decisions like this one."

Merrill recommended developers Perkins and Morris submit a site plan, which should include noise and light buffers to protect the adjacent residential areas. Once the property is rezoned, any permissible development within that zoning could be constructed, noted Merrill.

Commissioner Chairman Dean Robb said the city is seeking development, but doesn't want to shortchange area residents. Robb suggested the local developers submit more details.

On a unanimous vote on a motion by Vice-Chairman Keith Priestley, the commission requested a formal rezoning application from Perkins and Morris.

Surveys will soon be distributed to citizens. The city wants to determine the course of action necessary for the city's development, transportation needs and zoning needs. The three-part survey will also seek knowledge and opinion about certain aspects of the city. Mayor Walter Winchester said the surveys would be mailed by October 15 to residents. Additional surveys will be available online.

  

Property tax notices for 2006 were mailed Friday for Carroll County. Property owners should have received the notice by the first of this week.

The property tax rate this year is $1.06 per $100 of assessed value. Special school tax is added to each property owner's bill. The tax amount per $100 of assessed value for each of the five special school districts in the county is as follows: Huntingdon - $1.65; Hollow Rock-Bruceton - $1.99; McKenzie - $1.53; South Carroll - $1.41; and West Carroll - $1.81.

County Trustee Pat Rich said county property owners may pay their taxes in person at the trustee's office in the county office complex, located at 625 High Street, Suite 106, Huntingdon from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Rich noted the office remains open from 12 - 1 p.m.

The last day to pay 2006 county property taxes without penalty will be February 28, 2007.

The tax aggregate for the county is 18,300 parcels of property. The expected revenues if 100 percent of taxes were collected would be $7,446,633.64 for this year, she said.

Rich stated that funding for the state's property tax relief program for low-income elderly, disabled, disabled veterans and widows of disabled veteran property owners has been sharply increased this year.

The state recently approved $17.75 million in state funds available to qualified property owners, an increase of $7.7 million from last year.

In 2005, the county's tax relief program had 430 participants who received a total of $59,846.50 in relief. The maximum income figure was $12,980.

This year, the state has changed the maximum income limit to $20,000. That's a 46.5 percent increase from last year. Rich said 456 participants to date are on the rolls for 2006, with that figure expected to climb significantly.

"We are expecting a lot more," said Rich. "A lot of people were on the borderline before, so now they will be eligible. We would like to be able to help everyone who needs it."

The county provides the credit on qualifying taxpayers' bills and then is reimbursed by the state on this program. However, Rich said when applying for tax relief for the first time, property owners must pay in full and then the state will refund the amount of relief.

"Our system is working well with the state on this," said Rich, "it balanced to the penny as of June 30."

Elderly property owners age 65 and older and any co-owners who have a combined income of $20,000 or less may qualify for tax relief. Also, disabled property owners and any co-owners who have a combined income of $20,000 or less may qualify. There is no age limit for disabled property owners.

Qualified applicants will receive tax relief on the first $25,000 of their property's market value. This is a $7,000 increase from the previous value limit.

"A change to the property tax relief program is that spouses of soldiers killed in action will be eligible for property tax relief for the first time," said Rich. To apply for the program contact her office at 986-1941.

The cities of McKenzie, Hollow Rock and McLemoresville will be mailing property tax notices the first for second week of October. McKenzie's tax rate is $1.05 per $100 of assessed value, Hollow Rock has a tax rate of $.84 per $100 of assessed value, and McLemoresville's tax rate is $.79 per $100 of assessed value.

Huntingdon and Bruceton mailed notices Friday. The rates per $100 of assessed value is $1.29 for Huntingdon and $1.89 for Bruceton, which is up from $1.39 in 2005.

The town of Trezevant will mail tax notices Monday. That rate is $.69 per $100 of assessed value.

Atwood and Clarksburg have no city property tax.

Like the county, the last day to pay 2006 city taxes without penalty will be February 28, 2007.