Found Deceased TN - Unnamed Sheriff's Deputy Disappeared While Transporting Female Passenger, Meigs County, 2/14/24

[fsngruv]

I'm about an hour from Birchwood, so I'm not really familiar with that area, but it looks like both ends of Blythe Ferry Road run right into the water. I assume it's named that because there may have been a ferry in use at one time. I'm not sure which boat ramp it was, since the Google map shows ramps at both ends.

Does anyone more "local" than me know where the jail is? So far I haven't been able to find it, but I'm still looking. It seems odd that he would've been on that road in the first place, when Hwy 60 is literally right there, and the arrest was the result of "a possible disorder on the Highway 60 bridge". (from here: Update: Body recovered in back of missing deputy's vehicle in Meigs County ) Why be on a relatively small backroad that goes nowhere? A wrong turn?

View attachment 483571

This is actually a fishing spot of mine, it's also a great place to bird watch, the sand cranes migrate to this area this time of year and put on quite a show. From my understanding the jail is a good bit away, on river road near Decatur TN. I'm not sure about any back roads or why he would be traveling around the area. He might've gotten turned around or missed a turn? I'm also not sure if he was heading to another jail, perhaps in Bradley county? I've never been out there at night so I'm not sure how hard it is to see, but during the day it is pretty easy to see the river, the many signs stating the road ends and rumble strips. Imo.

 

[mst]

i wonder if the dash cam info will still be viewable?

 

[fsngruv]

i wonder if the dash cam info will still be viewable?

There was a live stream presser early on and a reporter asked that question and I believe the response was there was no recording device on the vehicle, maybe there was a recording device inside? I'm pretty sure there would be a "black box" in the vehicle that could determine things like speed and the time of impact.

 

[favoritesong]

“The deputy . . . appeared to be texting and radioing while driving in a poorly lit area he was unfamiliar with.”

It’s disturbing that the deputy is focused on while the poor woman who died as possibly a result of his negligence is barely mentioned.

 

[LeahBee]

^ is this headline based on the one text he sent his wife saying "arrest" ? Do we even know he was driving when he sent that? And "radioing" ... something all officers have to do to stay in communication- especially if they are transporting an arrestee or telling someone their car is sinking... I'll wait to reserve judgment until it's actually revealed that this deceased victim was being careless or not.. imo

 

[Rolypolyoly]

“The deputy . . . appeared to be texting and radioing while driving in a poorly lit area he was unfamiliar with.”

It’s disturbing that the deputy is focused on while the poor woman who died as possibly a result of his negligence is barely mentioned.

Thankyou for saying this, I was going to post the same thing.
This poor woman is hardly acknowledged at all and that is a terrible way to die.

 

[Mack the Knife]

Absolutely horrible, the way this woman has been treated so far. The early reports treated her like cargo, as if her presence was only relevant to describe what the deputy was doing, not like her life had value of its own.

I understand that authorities would not have known if she was still with him until they found him, but at the very least that makes her missing as well and worth a proactive mention.

 

[Megnut]

I'll withhold judgment.

Water.

He may have drowned taking time to try to save her.

I hope LE can reconstruct what happened.

JMO

 

[iamshadow21]

I'll withhold judgment.

Water.

He may have drowned taking time to try to save her.

I hope LE can reconstruct what happened.

JMO

She certainly wouldn't have been able to save herself, if she was cuffed behind herself. She would have been completely helpless.

MOO

 

[Nfagundes14]

I'll withhold judgment.

Water.

He may have drowned taking time to try to save her.

I hope LE can reconstruct what happened.

JMO

he prob did in my opinion. The doors only open from the outside in cruisers! both of them had to of been horrified.

 

[FrankieT]

It might be possible the female passenger's family does not want anything released about her. I'm local to the area but have no inside information at all. There is a pronounced air of sadness around this whole thing though, that I can say. He was a brand new officer, fresh out of the academy and not from the area. Just terribly sad.

 

[Jade]

Blythe Ferry Lane Boat Ramp.

Road safety in Meigs County questioned after patrol car with deputy and arrestee went off boat ramp

So the boat ramp on the south side by the Cherokee Removal Memorial:

Blythe Ferry Lane Boat Ramp


[...]

“Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had cars come and go off there," said Meigs County resident David Johnson.

[…]

“The ones that go off, they don’t know the roads. They come in here too fast, and the next thing you know they’re in the river," said Johnson.

Road safety in Meigs County questioned after patrol car with deputy and arrestee went off boat ramp


[...]
Leonard responded to a call at 9:48 p.m. after reports of a man and a woman fighting on a bridge over the Tennessee River near Birchwood. Another report indicated there may have been a man jumping in and out of traffic in that area.

Three minutes later, Leonard said he was taking someone into custody and heading to the Meigs County Jail, Johnson said. It appears he may have turned around sometime after that, Johnson said.

[…]

There is a right curve in the road that can be easily missed in the dark, Johnson said.

“We’re operating under the theory that it was an accident, he missed his turn, he wasn’t familiar, he was doing other things that might have caused him to go in the water,” Johnson said. “There’s skid marks and some scratch marks, too, so there’s some indication he was on the brakes at least trying to stop.”


UPDATE: Body of missing Meigs County deputy found Thursday evening | Chattanooga Times Free Press


Turned around to go to the other call about the guy jumping in and out of traffic and got confused, going too fast, not paying attention?
Its real dark and often very foggy out there.

imo

 

[GuyfromCanada]

This is vey unfortunate and sad. I can't even imagine the horror, especially for the arrested woman because she was handcuffed and helpless. May they both rest in peace. Could anything be done to prevent this from happening in the future?

 

[Chosen Angel]

This is one of the worst accidents I have ever seen if this was an accident. Because the person arrested in the back of the car. If this was an accident the deputy would not have had time to save the arrestee. He would have felt compelled to though and likely died in the panic of trying to do that. Humans do not act the same while drowning keep that in mind. Would have been easy for him to leave the vehicle though and let the person drowned. He should have had plenty of metal on him to break a window to exit the vehicle while it was sinking. The woman in the back not so much and likely her hands will still be behind her back. It would be odd if he was found in the front seat not having broken a window or trying to exit. I feel as if there is a denial of ones circumstances at first. I have studied how to exit a sinking vehicle many times to make sure I knew. I really just do not see enough time to save the passenger in this. Hundreds to over 1000 lbs of water would pour in through your window if you broke it. You'd want to wait until the car was full to exit. How does he get into the back when the cars full of water already? I don't think he could. I do hope this turns out to be a Hero situation though and in the end I hope he did what he could. This one will bother me until its solved.

 

[Rolypolyoly]

It might be possible the female passenger's family does not want anything released about her. I'm local to the area but have no inside information at all. There is a pronounced air of sadness around this whole thing though, that I can say. He was a brand new officer, fresh out of the academy and not from the area. Just terribly sad.

She doesn't need to be identified to be acknowledged though.

 

[Caring1]

So tragic. My heart goes out to both the families. The woman arrested has been named as Tabitha Smith

February 16, 2024

Leonard went missing after arresting a woman, identified by the Knoxville Medical Examiner’s Office as Tabitha Smith.

Woman who died in Meigs County deputy crash identified by Knoxville Medical Examiner

The Knoxville Medical Examiner has identified the body of a woman who died after being detained by a Meigs County deputy.

www.wvlt.tv

 

[TaylorJ4]

I am local- cell service is spotty out there. He may not have been able to use GPS

 

[Ladyotm]

Absolutely horrible, the way this woman has been treated so far. The early reports treated her like cargo, as if her presence was only relevant to describe what the deputy was doing, not like her life had value of its own.

I understand that authorities would not have known if she was still with him until they found him, but at the very least that makes her missing as well and worth a proactive mention.

The entire situation is tragic.
And this was his very 1st arrest.
I absolutely agree with what you said. I have yet to see where condolences were offered by the sheriff's office to this woman's family. Did I miss it somewhere?
Earlier reports stated that Deputy Leonard was texting and driving. As a result, he and Ms.Smith lost their lives.
I hope that this doesn't happen again as well as any improvements to the road (if warranted) are made.

 

[Chosen Angel]

I saw part of the video of them removing the car from the water and the report that he was found outside of the car under some mud. I do not know why they included the mud part but it took awhile to find his body. The drivers side window was down when they were pulling it out and I believe what I suspected happened that he tried to save his passenger and died trying. He had 5 children and a wife. This is truly tragic.

 

[LadyL]

Just took a Google walk down blythe ferry road, no signage whatsoever to say it's a boat ramp, looks like a normal straight road right to the water. Scary.

wow another boat ramp tragedy
they need gates! and signage!