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October 10, 2018
TALLASSEETRIBUNE.COM
VOL. 119, NO. 41
Former Tallassee police officer indicted
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
A federal grand jury unsealed an indictment Oct. 1, charging former Tallassee police officer Michael Brandon Smirnoff, 25, after he allegedly “slammed” and tased suspects while they were in handcuffs. Smirnoff is formally charged with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of obstruction of
The Guest House will soon be on the market
justice. Smirnoff tased a man who had The indictment alleges Smirnoff already been placed in handcuffs twice used unlawful force on and was not physically resisting. arrestees and submitted a false As a result of these unjustified report to cover up one of the uses of force, both victims incidents. sustained bodily injuries. In the first incident on March The indictment also claims 29, 2016, Smirnoff slammed a Smirnoff obstructed justice by handcuffed man to the ground and submitting a false report about the Smirnoff then used unreasonable force while second incident. placing him into a police vehicle. The alleged assault occurred when In the second incident on July 5, 2015, Smirnoff assisted other officers in the
pursuit of a suspect who was attempting to elude police on an ATV. “The vehicle was eventually stopped and the driver was taken into custody,” then-police chief Jimmy Rodgers said in a statement to The Tribune. “It was at this point, while the individual was being transported back to a patrol vehicle, that he alleges that Brandon Smirnoff used force which exceeded that which was necessary.” If convicted, Smirnoff could face up to 10 years in prison.
‘SHOWCASE THE CITY’
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Have you ever wanted to own a piece of history? If so, you could soon have an opportunity to do so as the city of Tallassee will soon open the sealed bidding process for the Guest House, which was built by Tallassee Mill carpenters in 1941 to accommodate company visitors. Now that the historic property has been declared as surplus, the city can move forward with the sale of the property. The decision to sell comes after mayor Johnny Hammock approached the council to explain the financial burdens of owning and operating the historic property. “The city is not in the business of property management,” Hammock said. “The city loses money every year just to keep the doors open for weddings, parties and other special events.” The Guest House recently appraised for $340,000. See HOUSE • Page A2
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Carmen Rodgers / The Tribune
Cyclist Mitchell Askew stops at the Tallassee Rotary Club’s rest stop to refill his water during the 2018 Dam Century Ride that was held in Tallassee early Saturday morning.
Third annual Dam Century Ride in the books By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
More than 30 cyclists from around the state set their eyes on Tallassee Saturday morning for the third annual Dam Century Ride. Registration began at 6 a.m. and courses opened at 7 a.m. To accommodate all skill levels, cyclists had three
courses to choose from: 18 miles, 67 miles or 101 miles. “We had 38 register and 36 riders,” Tallassee Chamber of Commerce director Jerry Cunningham said. The event was a community affair with several volunteers from around the area joining forces to See RIDE • Page A3 Readers across America now have the chance to read Tallassee’s Willie Moseley as his new book, ‘The Atlanta Rhythm Section: The Authorized History’ has been recently published.
Moseley publishes a book about the Atlanta Rhythm Section By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Each week Tallassee Tribune readers are offered a glimpse into the mind of Willie Moseley in his column. Readers across America will soon have that opportunity to read Moseley now that his new book, “The Atlanta Rhythm Section: The Authorized History” has been published. This book is the authorized chronicle of the Atlanta Rhythm Section, the legendary Southern rock band that created such memorable hits as “Champagne Jam,” “So Into You,” “Imaginary
No loss of life at public boat ramps since ordinance went into place
Lover,” “Spooky,” and “Doraville.” Moseley became involved with the southern rock group through another well-known publication he also pens for. “One of the Atlanta Rhythm Section’s former roadies wrote for the guitar magazine for which I’ve been writing for over 29 years,” Moseley said. “He was urging the magazine to interview the A.R.S.’s founding lead guitarist, Barry Bailey, who’s now retired. The story was assigned to me, and it sort of snowballed.” Through his correspondence See MOSELEY • Page A2
Submitted / The Tribune
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It has been just over a year since the Tallassee City Council passed an ordinance that allows law enforcement to issue a citation to anyone found not wearing a personal flotation device while in the Tallapoosa River from Thurlow Dam to 1 mile downstream from the boat ramp on Highway 229 south. This misdemeanor charge also carries a fine of $250, plus court costs and a possible 180-day jail sentence. In addition to the risk of hefty fines and a potential jail stay, signs also went up in the area of public boat ramps to warn everyone in the area of potentially dangerous water currents. “I think this has been a good deterrent,” Tallassee police chief Matthew Higgins said. “People are more aware of the dangers in See ORDINANCE • Page A2
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