Clinton residents face several charges after incident, arrests in Overton County, Tennessee

Posted July 6, 2017 at 2:07 pm

A trio of Kentucky individuals–two of whom allegedly did not pay for their $67 meal at Livingston’s Huddle House restaurant–reportedly attracted the attention of local law enforcement Friday, June 23.

According to a report filed by Livingston Police Department Officer Melissa Young, the Huddle House manager called police after the individuals allegedly stole two salt shakers and two pepper shakers from the restaurant and left the establishment without paying their $67.57 tab. The manager gave police a tag number and description of the pickup truck in which the suspects and two small children left the property.

Shortly thereafter, the report said, a 911 call reported a reckless driver heading northbound on Highway 111.

The report said officers caught up with the truck on Byrdstown Highway and observed the driver, later identified as Bobby J. Amonett, of Albany, driving in the oncoming lane. Officers reportedly initiated a traffic stop at Big Springs Market.

In addition to Amonett, the report said officers identified Maranda Bowers, also of Albany, and Jeff Ragen as the front seat occupants of the truck.

The report said Amonett had noticeably slurred speech and appeared disoriented. Officers also reportedly noticed Bowers was “extremely fidgety, nervous, and irritated,” while the other passenger, Ragen, appeared “almost passed out in his seat with his sunglasses on.”

The report said officers performed a sobriety test on Amonett and obtained consent to search the vehicle. It was then the report said the officers found two salt shakers and two pepper shakers under the driver’s seat.

Amonett was taken into custody and transported to Overton County Jail, the report said. It was then that he told officers Bowers had hidden his Xanax and Oxycodone pills “on her person.” The report said officers then asked Bowers several times if she had any drugs on her person, and she answered no each time.

Having the information from Amonett, the officers reportedly prepared to search Bowers, at which time she allegedly admitted having two pill bottles hidden in her underwear. She said Amonett had asked her to hide the pill bottles when he noticed police presence before the traffic stop.

Bowers was taken into custody for simple possession, the report said.

Bowers reportedly told officers that she witnessed Amonett and Ragen take multiple Xanax and Oxycodone pills on the drive back from Nashville where the individuals said they had been earlier in the day. The report said that she told the officers that Amonett and Ragen were “taking them like candy.”

Meanwhile, she reportedly admitted to taking one Oxycodone pill, for which she allegedly did not have a prescription, “because of the pain in her back.”

The report said Ragen was not being charged because he was not driving and because he was cooperative with the officers throughout the duration of the traffic stop. Witnesses at the Huddle House reported he paid for his part of the meal, as well. Officers reportedly advised Ragen to call someone to drive him home.

The two small children were reportedly released to the care of their grandparents.

[Editor’s note: Information from the precedsing article was gathered from an article that appeared in the Overton County News, Livingston, Tennessee, Tuesday, June 27, 2017.]