(Smith County Insider Press) BRUSH CREEK, Tenn. — A Smithville man faces two counts of attempted first degree murder and a host of other charges after evading arrest while Smith County Sheriff’s Deputies investigated an attempted vehicle burglary during the early morning hours of Thursday, October 5.
Sgt. Jimmy Gregory of the Smith County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a Ward Hollow residence in Brush Creek following a report of someone trying to break into a vehicle.
Gregory arrived in the area just after 1 a.m. and drove around to see if there was anyone walking down the road. On his way back, he noticed a red Jeep Cherokee next to a building. He went on down to the residence the report originated from and made contact with the complainant.
According to the arrest warrant, the complainant stated that her dogs were barking at something. She looked out her son’s window and saw a man standing next to her car.
The complainant set the car alarm off and stated that she heard a man and female arguing in the woods beside her house, according to the arrest warrant. She then stated that she heard what sounded like an ATV start up and drive off, according to the arrest warrant.
Around this time, Deputy Nick Campbell arrived at the location. Gregory and Campbell drove up the road a bit and parked.
The officers walked down to a trailer and looked around it but didn’t see anything out of place. They then started walking down the road a bit farther and saw the red Jeep start up and drive a short piece into the woods.
Per the arrest warrant, Gregory described the Jeep as being “kind of loud” and that it could be mistaken for an ATV.
The officers crossed the cable at the building and started walking toward a wooded area.
When Gregory and Campbell were about 25 to 30 yards from the Jeep, a flash and gun shot came from the other side of the vehicle, according to the arrest warrant.
Gregory announced themselves as being with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and for those in the Jeep to come out with their hands up, but they took off running into the woods, according to the arrest warrant.
Dispatch was alerted of shots fired and the SRT Team (Special Response Team) was activated and sent to the officers’ location.
While waiting for the entire team to show up, Gregory heard the Jeep start up. He got on his PA and stated that “this is the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, come out with your hands up,” according to the arrest warrant.
Two male individuals, Joshua Spurlock (25, Silver Point, Tennessee) and Richard Davidson (23, Smithville), walked out of the wooded area and were taken into custody. They stated they had been working on a truck, according to the arrest warrant.
When the rest of the team showed up, they started clearing out vehicles as they came to them. Along the way, they came into contact with a camper on the property, which they advanced to.
While searching the camper, Martha Hale (37, Smithville) was found hiding under a bed with a rifle beside her, according to the arrest warrant.
Hale was taken into custody and then taken back to the staging area with the weapons.
At the point, the search turned to Steve Mabe (44, Smithville). The officers cleared the building behind the camper and then started down some trails.
As they were going through the woods, the came into a clearing where marijuana plants were growing.
Gregory and Lt. Jenkins stayed behind at the camper to guard the plants. While they were waiting, the heard movement behind them.
The officers eased back to the patch, and when they turned on their flashlights, they saw Mabe standing over a bundle of marijuana.
Mabe was told to freeze, and he took off running. As he was running, he turned to the right and fell, according to the arrest warrant.
When Jenkins and Gregory made it to the area where he fell, they looked for him.
According to the arrest warrant, Mabe had put on a ghillie suit and was hiding in the weeds.
Mabe was then taken into custody, and Deputy Silcox and Sgt. Gregory took him to the staging area. According to the arrest warrant, a Kel Tec .9 mm fell from Mabe’s waistband.
They went back to the Jeep and found the casing that had been fired earlier, according to the arrest warrant.
When they got Mabe back to the staging area, he was searched again, and a metal box with five oxycodone 15 mg was found in his pocket along with a blue plastic container with 27.3 g of meth in it. They then went back and harvested the marijuana and brought it out.
Units from Gordonsville, South Carthage and Carthage P.D. responded for backup initially and helped set up a perimeter and transport suspects.
Mabe is charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder, possession of weapon by a felon, possession of firearm during commission of a felony, felony possession of drug paraphernalia, evading arrest, two counts of reckless endangerment and three counts of manufacture/deliver/sell of a controlled substance.
Hale is charged with two counts of accessory after the fact, evading arrest, possession of schedule VI and possession of weapon by a felon.
Spurlock and Davidson were held for investigation and then released.
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Steve F. Mabe
Martha Conger Hale
