McKenzie Police Reports

Driving on Suspended/Revoked License — Tyler M. Emrich, 29, Gleason, was charged with Driving on Suspended/Revoked License and Obstruction to Drivers View on May 27.

Officer Sean Beck conducted a traffic stop on Tyler Emrich for an Obstruction of Driver’s View and Display of Registration infraction. Emrich handed Officer Beck a paper copy of an Indiana driver’s license.

Officer Beck asked if Emrich ever had a Tennessee license and if it was valid. Emrich said he did have a Tennessee license. After looking Emrich’s license through the Tennessee Justice Portal and dispatch, Officer Beck found that his license was suspended indefinitely, since April 19, 2023.

Emrich received a verbal warning on his Display of Registration Violation, but he was cited into Carroll County General Sessions Court for Driving on Suspended (1st) and Obstruction of Driver’s View.

Domestic Assault — Christopher F. Graham, 38, Atwood, was charged with Domestic Assault on May 29.

Officer Bryan Batchelder met the victim at Little General after she called asking for advice. She said she and Christopher Graham used to date and lived together, but he had been gone for a while and recently returned. She stated he had been acting erratic and paranoid since returning.

The victim stated that on May 22, 2023, Graham became violent and punched a hole in the wall next to her during an argument.

Graham admitted to punching the wall next to her.

Graham was taken into custody for Domestic Assault and was transported to Carroll County Jail.

Sale/Delivery of a Controlled Substance — Tiffany A. Jones, 30, Jackson, and Ellis R. Tharpe, 41, Jackson, were charged with Sale/Delivery of a Controlled Substance on May 31

Officer Sean Beck was dispatched to a location on Cole Street after a woman complained about reckless drivers speeding down the road. Officer Beck attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the speeding vehicle, following the vehicle through Paw Paw Lane until it came to a stop on Ben Smith Road. Officer Beck advised the driver, Ellis Tharpe, that he was making a traffic stop due to the excessive noise coming from his muffler/exhaust. Officer Beck noticed a marijuana smell coming from the vehicle.

Officer Beck asked Tharpe to step out of the vehicle and then asked if any marijuana was in the vehicle. Officer Beck conducted a search on Tharpe, who pulled out a large amount of money from his pocket. Neither Tharpe nor his passenger, Tiffany Jones, had anything illegal on their person. Officer Beck then began a probable cause search on the vehicle.

Officer Beck discovered 15.5 grams of marijuana in the vehicle’s center console, a large zip lock bag with marijuana residue in the backseat, and two bags of marijuana (one clear bag weighing 1.8 grams and one a dispensary zip lock bag weighing approx. 6.9 grams) and a container with multiple loose pills (four Xanax pills and one Oxycodone pill) in the passenger’s purse.

Officer Beck took the vehicle and currency into custody of the McKenzie Police Department for a seizure hearing. Tharpe and Jones were arrested and taken into the Carroll County Jail. Tharpe was cited for Muffler Law violation and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and charged with Possession of Schedule 6 with Intent (bond of $5,000). Jones was charged with Possession of Schedule 6 with Intent (bond of $2,500), Possession of Schedule 4 Xanax (bond of $1,500), and Possession of Schedule 2 Oxycodone (bond of $2,500).

DUI — Kenneth Whitson, 54, McKenzie, was charged with Driving Under the Influence, Simple Possession or Casual Exchange and Open Container on June 2.

Officer Colton Broyles was dispatched for an argument between Whitson and a worker at Little General. Officer Broyles noticed Whitson smelled strongly of alcohol. When Officer Broyles asked how he got to the store, Whitson said he drove his mother. Sgt. Beauchamp spoke to Whitson’s mother in the vehicle and noticed a cold glass bottle of Bud Light in the cup holder. Officer Broyles conducted a field sobriety test on Whitson and took him in to custody for DUI.

Officer Broyles also found marijuana in Whitson’s jean pocket during a search.

Public Intoxication — Maurice L. Lawrence, 30, Memphis, was charged with Public Intoxication, Criminal Trespass and Resisting Arrest on June 3.

Officer Matthew Cunningham, Sgt. Cody Coleman and Officer Darren Davis made contact with Maurice Lawrence after observing him trespassing on residential properties. Officer Cunningham noted Lawrence seemed to be under the influence of an intoxicate.

Sgt. Coleman tried explaining to Lawrence the dangers of walking around residential properties at 3 a.m., and Lawrence became increasingly defiant and unwilling to follow instruction to stay off residential properties in the area. Lawrence then shouted profanities at the officers on the scene. Sgt. Coleman attempted to arrest Lawrence, but he resisted and ran away.

In his attempt to flee, Lawrence slipped and fell. Officer Cunningham and Officer Davis were then able to cuff him.

Lawrence was placed under arrest for public intoxication ($250 bond), aggravated criminal trespassing ($2,500 bond), and resisting arrest ($1,500 bond). He was transported to the Carroll County Jail.

Domestic Assault — Gary Allen Hocker, 43, McKenzie, was charged with Domestic Violence on June 3.

Officer Darren Davis responded to a call concerning a verbal altercation that could turn physical. The two parties were separated when officers arrived on the scene. The victim said her boyfriend Gary Hocker went through the home breaking and throwing multiple items. The victim’s daughter said the altercation turned physical when Hocker threw various objects at her mother. The victim admitted Hocker got physical with her but she did not want him to go to jail. She declined to provide a written statement, but she did want him to leave. The home’s condition was consisted with the statements made by the victim and her daughter.

Hocker was arrested for Domestic Assault ($2,500 bond) and transported to the Carroll County Jail.