Sheriff's Reports 9-6-24: Cleaning company employee arrested after marijuana found inside elementary school

A man who supposedly worked for a cleaning company was arrested after marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found inside a school.

On Sept. 3, Cherokee County Sheriff's Deputy Dustin Tannehill received a call from a staff member at Briggs Elementary School who said individuals, who were not supposed to be there, were in the school. That staff member took Tannehill to a building where a classroom, that was no longer in use, was in. Tannehill noticed articles of clothing scattered on the floor, a grinder, and a smoking device. There was a clear bag that contained marijuana on a bookshelf and a wallet that had an Arkansas ID card with the name Brent Dowdy. Tannehill was told Dowdy and a woman worked for a cleaning company and were seen on video entering that section of the school over Labor Day weekend. The deputy was also told that Dowdy and the woman were staying in the woods south of the school. The property owner told Tannehill that no one had permission to be on his property and he wanted them trespassed. The manager of the cleaning company advised that Dowdy's mother texted her, asking why authorities were looking for her son. Deputies attempted to make contact with Dowdy and the woman, but they were told the two had left in a vehicle. On Sept. 5, Tannehill was patrolling the area of State Highway 51 and Rocky Top Lane when he observed Dowdy and the woman walking down the road. Dowdy was arrested and asked what the reason was. The deputy explained marijuana was found in the room at the school. Dowdy claimed everything found by deputies belonged to him and not the woman. Dowdy was transported to jail and booked for possession of a controlled dangerous substance within 1,000 feet of a school and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Deputy Jacob Phelps was dispatched to U.S. Highway 62 Sept. 3 in reference to a welfare check after dispatch received multiple calls of someone honking and yelling as if they were in distress. One caller said the man was honking and yelling for approximately one hour. Another caller said Billy Cooper was intoxicated and crashed into a pole before getting the vehicle stuck. She said Cooper got the vehicle unstuck and was attempting to drive off. Phelps arrived a minute later and saw Cooper allegedly strike a lawn mower with the vehicle. Cooper began walking toward the residence when Phelps told Cooper to come to him. Phelps said objects that appeared to be drug paraphernalia fell out of Cooper's pockets when he pulled his car keys out. Cooper was detained and reportedly told the deputy, "I'm sorry man. I drank too much, I'm a little high, and I was being stupid." Cooper was arrested and booked for public intoxication, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

On Sept. 2, Deputy Justin Richardson was patrolling the area of State Highway 82, near Big Hollow Road, when he observed the driver of a vehicle fail to dim its headlights while passing him and several other vehicles. The deputy turned his vehicle around and conducted a traffic stop. Richardson said he could smell an odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. The driver, James George Doner, denied consuming alcohol but the passenger said he had and that's why Doner was driving. Doner was arrested after a field sobriety test and the passenger told Richardson that Doner consumed five or six beers. Doner was booked for driving while impaired and failure to dim headlights. The passenger was free to leave with a sober driver.