A Lebanon man was killed in a single-vehicle accident early Sunday morning in which alcohol was believed to have played a part. The incident occurred about 5:30 a.m., Feb. 17, near 1201 Academy Road, Lebanon.

Trooper Chad Bilbrey said in his report that Tyler B. McChurch, 29, of Lebanon, was driving a 2002 Chevy Tahoe SUV and was headed westbound on Academy Road when he crossed over the eastbound lane, overcorrected and went off the north side of the roadway.

A ladder on Interstate 40 in Mt. Juliet caused a chain reaction crash and scary situation for motorists, all of which was captured on a Mt. Juliet Police Officer’s in-car video camera.

An officer was dispatched to Interstate 40 West around the 224 mile-marker in regards to a ladder in the roadway at about 8:15 a.m., Monday.

As the officer arrived on the scene, a 26-year-old female driver of a Toyota RAV4 struck the ladder in the road. After striking the ladder, the driver lost control of her vehicle and struck the concrete barrier wall. After striking the wall, the Toyota RAV4 hit a tractor-trailer driven by a 40-year-old male and an Oldsmobile sedan driven by a 68-year-old male. The Toyota RAV4 came to a final rest against the concrete barrier wall.

There were no serious injuries reported with this crash, and all drivers were wearing seat belts. The 26-year-old female was treated and released by medics on the scene, and the 68-year-old man was transported by ambulance to Summit Medical Center in Hermitage with a minor injury. The 40-year-old driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured.

Sgt. Tyler Chandler, community policing director of the MJPD, said “Seat belts are certainly the number one protection device for all motorists. The dash cam video certainly shows how dramatic and dangerous a crash can be, and the safest place to be during a crash is strapped to your seat with a seat belt.” 

Watch the dashcam video here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x7njigCig8&feature=youtu.be

By SABRINA GARRETT
The Wilson Post

Historic Lebanon has a new place to call home and officially opened their office Tuesday, Feb. 12 with a ribbon-cutting event.

“It is all about telling our story,” Historic Lebanon – A Partnership with Cumberland University Executive Director Kim Parks said of the organization’s goal to preserve historic buildings and promote tourism.

Parks, along with Cumberland University President Dr. Harvill Eaton, invited the community to celebrate their new location on West Spring Street during the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Parks, who has loved historic homes and sites since childhood, served on Historic Lebanon’s all-volunteer board since 2009. “I was Chairman in 2011, until I was hired as Executive Director,” she explained, adding that the new role came with the non-profit’s collaboration with Cumberland.

“The house that we are using now was offered to us by Dr. Eaton. It was a sudden thing and we are grateful to them for providing that,” she said.

The partnership and new office will hopefully help Historic Lebanon in their goal to become a Main Street community. “Now we qualify and hopefully our application will be accepted. Being a Main Street community adds validity to your cause. They will show you ways to have economic restructuring and historic preservation,” she explained.

“Our role is to educate people on Lebanon’s history and its importance. We are cheerleaders for tourism to our town – trying to bring in tax dollars and make it economically viable to preserve these buildings and make people want to come see it.”

Staff Writer Sabrina Garrett may be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

In an effort to educate and inform the community, the City of Lebanon, in partnership with the Lebanon Police Department, provides its residents and business owners a voluntary police academy.

The city and LPD also offer a similar Youth Police Academy.

The six-week Citizen’s Police Academy program entails lectures, presentations, as well as hands-on activities to teach and inform its participants the many facets of law enforcement and introduce the police department that serves them.

Police Chief Scott Bowen said this stimulating and informative program will give each enrollee a better sense of the LPD and the issues concerning everyday operations. Citizens will also have a better understanding of their role in the Community Oriented Policing philosophy.

The purpose of the Citizen’s Police Academy is to foster better communications between citizens and police through education. A well-informed citizen is more likely to share their experiences with the community as the opportunity arises. Everyone benefits from enhancing citizen's understanding of the role and function of their police department, he added.

Modeled after the Citizens’ Police Academy, the Youth Police Academy is a week-long program that also includes lectures, presentations and hands-on activities. It is designed to give young people a clearer understanding of police work and dispel the unrealistic world of crime-fighting portrayed in movies and on television.

“Our hope is that students attending the program develop a strong rapport with our department and learn how to become an engaged and active member of our community,” Bowen said.

Although future police officers and aspiring criminal justice professionals are certainly encouraged to apply, students who have a general interest in civics, government and the community may also benefit from the varied experiences in the academy. Participants must have an interest in the curriculum and be willing participants.

“The program is not designed for children with disciplinary problems or ‘at risk’ children,” he emphasized. “Although we have a training camp atmosphere, we are neither designed for nor are we clinically trained to deal with troubled youth.”

Anyone interested in applying is encouraged to do so by March 18. There is no cost for the academy. The Youth Police Academy will be held Monday through Friday, March 18-22. This is during week two of Lebanon Special School District’s and Wilson County Schools’ Spring Breaks.

Academy times are 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Details and schedules will be included in the AWP (Application and Waiver Packet). Class size is limited to 40 students. To qualify, you must:                  

• Be between the ages of 12 and 18 (still in school)
• Be in good academic standing with your school
• Have written consent form signed by a parent or legal guardian
• Not have been convicted of any crimes

To receive your AWP, come by the police department at 406 Tennessee Blvd., Lebanon. It can also be downloaded from www.lebanonpd.org. Deadline for the AWP is Friday, March 8.

All applications will be reviewed and approved by the Chief of Police. For further information, contact Officer PJ Hardy, CPA coordinator, at 453-4398 or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

            You are also encouraged to apply for the next Citizen’s Police Academy, which begins Thursday, March 21. The academy meets every Thursday from 6 p.m.-9 p.m., in the courtroom of the LPD. There is no cost to participants. Deadline to register for the academy is Friday, March 15.

To qualify, you must be:

• At least 18 years old
• A resident, business owner, employed, or volunteer within the city of Lebanon
• Without any felony convictions

To apply in person, come to the police department at 406 Tennessee Blvd., or apply online at www.lebanonpd.org. For further information, you may also contact Hardy at the same number and email listed above.

Lebanon City Council will hold a public hearing prior to its regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

The public hearing will be at 5:55 p.m. in the Town Meeting Hall, City of Lebanon Administration Building at Castle Heights.

The purpose is rezoning part of the property at 508 North Cumberland Street from R-2 (Medium Density Residential) to B-4 (Highway Business).

The regular meeting will follow at 6.