District attorney still awaiting Meigs County deputy autopsy
MEIGS COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — The district attorney who represents Meigs County has provided updates in the death case of Deputy Robert Leonard and Tabitha 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.
Now, Smith’s family has filed a lawsuit against the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office for $10 million.
District Attorney Russell Johnson said he currently has “No comment on the pending federal civil lawsuit.”
He says local authorities are still trying to get the “complete picture” of what happened that night. The district attorney says they are working with the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Critical Incident Response Team (THP CIRT).
He noted that the autopsy results may take a while due to the testing of Leonard and Smith’s blood.
Authorities are looking at what kind of weather conditions may have played a role in the incident. That could include a presence of heavy fog and the route Deputy Leonard took that evening.
“We are trying to determine the role that poor cell phone service may have played, IF he was using his cell phone for navigation. We know his vehicle did not have navigation,” DA Johnson added.
He adds that the deputy did not have an in-car camera or a body camera during the incident. The THP is also looking at the route, including existing and prior warning signage around that area.
The DA’s office has provided 911 calls, dispatch calls and Deputy Leonard’s responses to the THP CIRT. The DA and THP have conducted interviews with Smith’s boyfriend, 911 callers and others who called in with information.
DA Johnson said his team has “done a deep dive into Smith’s prior history relative to arrests, drug use and mental health concerns that MAY have led to her arrest.” He adds that trying to determine her behavior during that night and the arrest would be speculation.
In addition, authorities are waiting on items from the patrol car to complete drying out to see if they can be analyzed. The DA is also awaiting the THP CIRT total investigative file that may provide information on road marks from the patrol car entering the river.
