Michael Cory Cooper

A one-vehicle accident claimed the life of a 31-year-old McKenzie man Sunday, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

Michael Cory Cooper, 30 May Heights, died after his pickup truck crashed on U.S. 79 in Henry County.

Cory was a 1994 graduate of McKenzie High School and served in the U.S. Navy for five years. He was discharged from the Navy in 2002 and then attended Tennessee Technology Center.

He was a former CSX railroad conductor and was employed at Canadian National Railroad in Fulton.

The driver was southbound on U.S. 79, just north of McKenzie, when his 2000 Ford F-15 pickup truck veered off the right side of the roadway, according to Trooper Martin Tyler. He overcorrected and his pickup went off the south side of the road and into the median, where it overturned.

Cooper was not wearing a seat belt, according to the report. The trooper investigating the accident believes a seat belt would have made a difference.

He leaves his wife, Crystal Cooper, a son, Michael Austin Finley Cooper and a step-daughter, Jayla Peoples.

He is the son of McKenzie Police Chief Harry Cooper and Barbara Cooper, Executive Director of McKenzie Housing Authority. He also leaves two sisters, Shirley Scott of McKenzie and a Daveeda Mason of California.

Funeral arrangements were incomplete at press time with Trinity Funeral Home in Paris is in charge.
 

Three Trezevant men face charges in connection to a Friday, August 24 stabbing incident on Broad Street that left one of the men seriously injured, according to Trezevant Police Chief David Smith.

Jeremy H. Williams, 21, South Broad Street was transported to McKenzie Regional Hospital and then airlifted to The Medical Center in Memphis, said Smith. He has since been released from the hospital.

Roger Dale Chandler, 18, South Broad, is charged with aggravated assault and Joshua J. Johnson, early 20s, Holmes Street, was arrested on charges of aggravated burglary, criminal trespassing, and assault.

Following an investigation, a warrant has also been issued for stabbing victim Jeremy Williams, according to Smith. Although Williams had not yet been arrested at press time, he faces charges of aggravated burglary, criminal trespass and assault.

While on patrol just after 9 p.m., Smith stated he noticed a truck driving at excessive speed north on Highway 79 and passing in a no passing zone. After stopping the vehicle, the driver told the officer that passenger Jeremy Williams had been stabbed. The injured man was placed in the patrol car and transported to McKenzie Regional Emergency Room.

Williams reportedly advised Chief Smith that he and Roger Chandler were involved in an altercation in Chandler’s yard when Chandler stabbed him. The victim had three visible stab wounds, Smith said.

Investigation continued on South Broad Street, where Smith spoke to Roger Chandler and witnesses of the stabbing incident. According to witnesses, which included a Huntingdon man, two men and a woman from Trezevant, and three juvenile females from McKenzie, Williams and Joshua Johnson allegedly went to the Chandler home, where Williams was calling Chandler names and cursing him. Chandler reportedly went into the home and Williams and Johnson remained outside cursing and calling Chandler out.

Williams allegedly then entered the back door of Chandler’s home without permission and began beating Chandler, according to Smith’s report. Johnson entered the home through the front door and allegedly threatened Chandler.

During the encounter, Williams and Chandler reportedly broke several items in the home and according to Chandler, he picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed Williams in an attempt to get Williams off him, said Smith.

Witnesses reportedly advised that Johnson continued threatening Chandler throughout the incident.

Following the stabbing incident, all parties left the home. Joshua Johnson was later arrested at his father’s home on Holmes Street in Trezevant, where he resides.

Crews from three fire departments arrived to fight the Replogle fire.

With conditions as dry as they are in Henry County, even a small brush fire can easily burn out of control at a lumber yard.

That’s why workers at Replogle Enterprises lumber mill at Henry called for help to control what started out as a small fire Tuesday afternoon. Three fire departments in the county responded and soon had the fire extinguished.

Vanessa Dicus at Replogle said the fire started shortly before 2 p.m. behind the mill. “We started to put it out ourselves,” she said, “but because it’s so dry, we thought we better call someone to help, just in case.”

Black smoke roils into the distance as firefighters work to extinguish the blaze.

A call to the Henry Volunteer Fire Department quickly brought units and firefighters, followed by units from the U.S. Forestry Service and Mansfield Volunteer Fire Department, she said.

“They put it out real quick,” Dicus said. “We didn’t have any real damage or injuries or anything. Everything came out o.k.”

Cause of the blaze is not known, she said. “With as dry as it is, it could have been anything that started it,” she said.

HUNTINGDON (August 28) Moments after listening to a myriad of opposing statements posed by a large and vocal audience of non-residents during a public meeting, the Huntingdon Town Council postponed the vote on the second and final reading of ordinance 501, an ordinance proposing annexation of 339.6 acres located along Tate School Road, Skyline Lane and Hillwood Lane.

Bobby Ward, an eight-month resident of Skyline Drive and owner of property within the towns’ municipality, began the meeting by questioning the Town Council’s desire to annex the land.

He said, “Mark Dillahunty purchased 150 acres out of town and wants this area annexed so that he can have sewer ran out there. He has plans on developing a subdivision on the acreage, and discovered after purchasing the property that his soil does not perk.”

He continued, “Why should 34 property owners have to pay for his mistake? Also, I just heard about this (annexation) when I received the letter regarding it last week. When do you (town council) plan on voting for this? I believe there needs to be a referendum regarding this and the study results regarding the soil should be mailed to all the land owners.”

In response, town attorney Robert T. Keeton II said, “This matter does not require a referendum. Carroll County adopted a county-wide growth plan and this annexation was approved by the Huntingdon Municipal Planning Committee." He added, “News of this annexation was published in the newspaper.”

Ward responded, “I don’t read the newspaper.”

Hillwood Lane resident Steve Burgess stated, “This all hit us at once when we got the letter. There are a lot of us against this. Mark (Dillahunty) is not here tonight. I just wish Mark would have drove around and talked about this matter with us (property owners).”

Tate Loop resident Peggy Davis stood and asked, “Dale-why (annexation) now?”

Kelley responded, “No one had made a request until now.”

He continued, “The growth plan was implemented by the state five or six years ago. The planning committee takes its responsibilities to heart. They think that annexing this area for growth was right and proper.”

Justin Williams commented, “From what I am hearing one person wants this and a lot more don’t.”

Tate Loop Road resident B.J. Smith said, “I have city water, gas and cable already. I own 21 acres that I bought myself when I was a teenager and I don’t need to be incorporated.

Ivy Lewelling stated, “I don’t understand how Mark Dillahunty could buy that farm and didn’t know the land would not perk. We shouldn’t pay for his mess and have this (annexation) crammed down our throats.

Kelley responded, “The town is here to help the town’s people. I am not defending Mark, but he is a businessman and is seeking to add sewer and water services for the benefit of developing a subdivision."

Scott Myles, a 20-year resident of Skyline Lane, responded, “We are not residents of Huntingdon and this annexation will mess with our lives. We won’t be able to build buildings on our property without asking anybody. Dillahunty made a mistake and 10 families will have to pay for it.”

Kelley responded, “Sir, you are in the city’s Urban Growth Plan all the way to Foss Lane on Highway 70.”