Meigs County’s press conference on Deputy Leonard and Tabitha Smith

MEIGS COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — Today, General Russell Johnson conducted a press conference detailing the Deputy RJ Leonard and Tabatha Smith incident from February 14, 2024.

The district attorney who represents Meigs County has provided updates on the death case of Deputy Robert Leonard and Tabatha Smith.

On February 14, Deputy Leonard went missing while on a call near the Tennessee River.

Authorities later found his patrol car in the river, with Smith in the back seat.

They then found Leonard’s body in the river.

Today, after presenting the report to the grand jury, Johnson held a press conference, giving new information about Leonard and Smith’s case, including audio from a witness who called 9-1-1, and the last transmission between Leonard and Meigs County Dispatch.

It has been confirmed Leonard and Smith died as a result of drowning.

“This case is heartbreaking,” said Attorney General Russell Johnson. “Deputy Leonard was simply doing his job, trying to keep someone safe, and it ended in tragedy.”

He continues, “Smith couldn’t have escaped from the sinking car, as there are bars on the windows in a patrol car. It had to be a horrific situation for her as well.”

Deputy Leonard responded to a 911 call about a person walking into traffic on the Highway 60 bridge.

The 911 call said, “A man just tried to walk out in front of our car on the bridge going toward Dayton.

The “man” was described as wearing a gray jacket or hoodie and thought to be in their mid-20s or 30s.”

Dispatch then radioed Leonard, saying, “807, I need you to check on a male in a gray hoodie, mid-20s or 30s, seen walking into traffic on Highway 60.”

His last recorded message was, “I’ve made contact about halfway across the bridge. It’s a female party and seems to be on something.”

Johnson then plays Deputy Leonard’s last 911 call, after realizing he was trapped in deep waters at 10:03 p.m.

“Water,” was the only word he was able to utter.

The Key Timeline of Events from the summary report is listed below:

“1. 9:30 PM – A 911 call is received about an individual walking into traffic on Highway 60.

2. 9:47 PM – Deputy Leonard arrives on the scene and arrests Tabatha Smith, noting possible signs of drug impairment.

3. 9:58 PM – Deputy Leonard begins transporting Smith to the Meigs County Jail.

4. 10:03 PM – Deputy Leonard’s vehicle veers off Blythe Ferry Road and enters the Tennessee River. His final radio transmission is a single word: ‘Water.’”

The report states that the recovery efforts had to be postponed until it was light out and then spent hours recovering the vehicle.

Smith’s body was found inside the vehicle, as it appeared she had no way of escape.

Deputy Leonard’s body was found in the river, not too far from where the vehicle was originally found.

The report said, there were many factors that may have played into the reason behind the tragic incident.

The summary report discussed or implied the following:

“Lack of the deputy’s familiarity with the area, reliance on technology that may not have worked effectively in an area with probably poor signal service, rural roads under nighttime darkness and foggy conditions, a person in custody whose historical conduct with law enforcement and her known drug condition may have led to behavior that caused driver distraction.

But no one can say definitively why it happened.”

While the report on the incident was shared with the grand jury, both Deputy Leonard and Tabatha Smith are deceased, so there is no one to charge criminally.

Johnson says he hopes this will provide context and answers to some questions surrounding the incident.

If you would like to learn more about this case, you can click here.