Tabby Smith, a 35-year-old mother of two, had just been detained by Deputy RJ Leonard on February 14 when the deputy accidentally drove his patrol car into the Tennessee River. Deputy Leonard, who graduated from the police academy in December, had just texted his wife about making his first arrest. Smith was found covered in mud and still handcuffed in the submerged vehicle. Deputy Leonard’s body was recovered later outside the car. Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber breaks down the terrifying story with Brookford, North Carolina Police Chief Will Armstrong.
#Tennessee #TrueCrime #LawAndCrime
Listen to Law&Crime’s Sidebar Podcast on Apple & Spotify:
Apple: https://apple.co/3wMgRgB
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3wITe7b
Host:
Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweber
LAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:
Head of Social Media, YouTube – Bobby Szoke
Podcast Director – Sam Goldberg
Senior Director of Social Media – Vanessa Bein
Senior Digital Producer – Savannah Williamson
Video Editing – Michael Deininger
Guest Booking – Alyssa Fisher
STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:
Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3y
Where To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5
Sign Up For Law&Crime’s Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletter
Read Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2Iqo
For Advertising Inquiries, Please Contact: [email protected]
For Licensing Inquiries, Please Contact: [email protected]
LAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetwork
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrime
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetwork
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrime
LAW&CRIME NETWORK PODCASTS: https://lawandcrime.com/podcasts/
SUBSCRIBE TO ALL OF LAW&CRIME NETWORK YOUTUBE CHANNELS:
Main Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz8K1occVvDTYDfFo7N5EZw
Law&Crime Shorts: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVXOqoOCYbi-iXChKAl6DTQ
Channel B: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXCLaaClAWQiTkl3pw9ZdLw
Channel C: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMV3pzWIhJGLYzoHyxBjjNw
source
audio always tweaking bro
SMH don't make no sense
Stop calling Her a suspect, she was a person, a human, say her name…!!! she had absolutely zero chance to help herself. That’s infuriating.
Nah. "Accident" its not an accident its completely reckless endangerment. If this was a civillian that did this they'd be getting dogged and ragged and talked horribly about. He was texting and driving? If that's the case then he is at fault. He KNEW he could have crashed be it in a river on pavement into another vehicle etc and he was STILL negligent. Not okay. Rest in peace to both but if we're being real that was not accident. They're covering it up as such because he's one of their own.
How a phone is ringing during the press conference. SMH can't make this stuff up sad story
Bottom line He broke the law he was texting and because of it that woman is dead period
I don't feel sorry for him at all, her life was ended traumatically with no way to save herself. And why is this deputy smiling?
There was only 1 victim!! The girl in back seat!!
Another thing if you look on the map there's no reason for him to go that way! The river goes all the way. Ferry lane is not a way to get back to jail!
Why are they making excuses for the cop? He was doing something illegal an not paying attention, an a innocent woman ends up dead? No excuses!!!
Just ask yourself how they would treat you if you stupidly drove in a river and killed another person. I guarantee you wouldn't be portrayed as a hero.
SHE had a family too. Her life was just as important. I’m blown away by the level of coldness. Those cops made it clear that they see criminals as subhuman.
People are so quick to call these idiots "heroes"🙄
The poor woman deserves some respect. Say her name
😬
Did that chief just say the person in the back seat of a cop car is handcuffed for their safety? How is it more safe to be handcuffed? Please explain that. The reason they handcuff people is just to over power someone. This is one of the reasons a person should not be hand cuffed in a car. The other is it could be a woman with a crooked cop that sexually assaults them. So many reasons not to have handcuffs and just 1 or 2 to have the handcuffs.
Imagine thinking the cop is not 100 percent guilty of manslaughter.
Just because we have dreams doesnt mean we should just get to be what we want. They still give drivers licenses out to people that have no business and clearly they still give out badges to the same people smh
This was my nephew, and its tragic all the way around. He was an awesome person in life and we are sure he was also trying to save her. So please no hate comments. Our prayers go out to her family as well.
Remembers me of the woman put handcuffed into the back of a police car which stood on train tracks.
They found him outside the vehicle. I hope he was trying to get the woman out.
So sad for both families.
I would have to assume, a daily driver and especially someone with driver training in the police Academy.. wouldn't be so distracted by a ONE word text. He was obviously trying to Be responsible as possible, just sending a one word text as to not distract himself. I don't live far away from these people and it's just a terrible tragedy.
Fortunately having that badge makes the simpleton immune to any and all laws of the land.
Her family should hire a great attorney to sue the crap out of the department and the officer family or what ever he had
I wanna know who takes the charge of murder due to negligence
That guy i met two months ago is part Of my family …. What is the name of the"suspect" ?
So cops are just allowed to kill?
I have relatives by marriage up there the nearest town in Georgetown. My brother-in-law worked for the sheriff's department for years and at least one of his sons still works for them Their name is Andrews. It is my understanding that the guy was texting while driving and that is what caused the wreck. I don't know any other details. They live in an area called Brittsville but their address is actually Georgetown. I think but I'm not sure that they live very near the bridge, I'm trying to pinpoint what bridge it was.
Sounds like something f only Houdini Could escape!and did he say drowned to death? Is there another possible outcome?
Sad situation
If he got his window down then he got away
When a cop goes out even has g she knew where he was going
This day an time thers no cell phone down
Why he was not paying attention because he was playing with his self
Wrongful death suit on the department without a doubt. There was a water patrol officer who lost a handcuffed DUI suspect in Lake of The Ozarks.
2 kids lost mom cause officer was texting what is he 10 and excited he arrested someone?? This poor woman god bless her and her children may she rest in peace
Wow 😮😢
That detainees family bouta get PAID
So, he celebrates his first arrest while engaging in unlawful activity himself. And i bet he didn't even see the irony.
Cops have never been accused of being too smart or too honest….
Who trained him.poor woman .
These people didn’t even care about that poor woman 😭😭😭😭😭
lawsuit lawsuit lawsuit
The cops will happily and rightfully ticket you for driving while texting but it's ok when they do it.
It’s so awful and terrible…. So let’s talk about it🤦🏻♂️
Sounds like he was texting “arrest” at the same time they went over. Since his phone never received his wife’s text. No offense I feel sorry for the girl. She’s the victim. And died horribly.
They didn't mention her but they will when that Lawsuit come
Perhaps the circumstances of this incident are unique. But a YouTube channel showed where a leo with a handcuffed prisoner in the back of his patrol car parked on a train track. A freight train, not at reduced speed, hit the patrol vehicle. The leo was outside the car talking to other Leo's. The handcuffed prisoner was in the car when the train hit. She survived with serious injuries.
Sheriff just can’t get his words together
🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾YOUND ANGEL 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Omg