Tenn truck driver, Corbin mother indicted on manslaughter charges

A Whitley County Grand Jury returned manslaughter indictments Monday morning against a Tennessee truck driver in connection with a fatal accident, and a Corbin mother for the drug death of her three-month-old son.
The grand jury indicted Bruce Goforth, 40, of Whitwell, Tenn., with second-degree manslaughter in the Sept. 28 death of Vincent Garris.
According to his indictment, Goforth was operating his motor vehicle “while under the influence of methamphetamine and amphetamine, which manifested an extreme indifference to human life, striking Vincent Garris with his vehicle and killing him.”
Prosecutors noted amphetamine is a common stimulant, which is often used in diet pills, and that methamphetamine is an illegal substance.
“It occurred close to the state line early in the morning. Goforth was driving a tractor-trailer truck, which struck the victim’s vehicle,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Allen Trimble. “The victim’s vehicle had stopped, and had problems.
“This was an area where they were doing construction, and the victim pushed the vehicle over just past the cones. Goforth struck him, and didn’t stop. He was under the influence. This occurred a mile or so north of the state line. He didn’t stop, and there was substantial damage to his vehicle. He knew what had happened.”
Goforth’s attorney, David Hoskins, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf Monday afternoon.
Judge Paul Braden set a $50,000 bond in the case. Goforth’s father agreed to put up $10,000 cash, and a signature bond will cover the remainder of the amount. A signature or surety bond means someone agrees to pay that amount of money if the defendant doesn’t show back up for court.
Goforth was initially charged with leaving the scene of an accident following the wreck.
Whitley County Attorney Paul Winchester said prosecutors agreed to dismiss the leaving the scene of an accident charge without prejudice Monday afternoon.
Winchester said the indictment essentially merges the two cases together into one.
By law, a sentence for leaving the scene of an accident, which is a misdemeanor, would have to be served concurrently or at the same time as any sentence Goforth might receive on the manslaughter charge, which is a felony.
Hoskins declined to comment on the case Monday afternoon.
The grand jury also charged Sarah Jane Davenport, 24, of Corinth Road, with second-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of her son, Jeremiah Nathaniel Davenport, who died late last year.
On Nov. 19, Sarah Davenport took her son to the emergency room at Baptist Regional Medical Center about 7:30 a.m. after she discovered that the child wasn’t breathing, officials said.
According to her indictment, Sarah Davenport “wantonly caused the death of her infant child when she allowed the infant child to ingest cocaine and Dextromethorphan.
Davenport’s public defender, Ron Findell, entered a not guilty plea on her behalf during her arraignment Monday afternoon.
Braden set a $50,000 bond for Davenport, who had initially been charged with murder and was held without bond since her arrest Jan. 9.
“Based upon the facts we can prove at trial, we believe we can prove manslaughter second rather than murder,” Trimble noted.
Second-degree manslaughter carries a possible sentence of five to 10 years in prison as opposed to murder, which carries a penalty ranging from 20 years to life in prison.
Davenport’s parents will be allowed to put up $5,000 worth of property they own in Jellico Creek, and sign a surety bond for the remainder of the bond.
As part of her bond conditions, Davenport will be placed on home incarceration at her sister’s residence rather than her parent’s home because they currently have custody of her oldest child.
Davenport is expected to be released from custody after her sister gets a telephone installed in her home, which is needed for the home incarceration system.
In addition, the grand jury indicted Randy Hamlin, 35, of Siler, for criminal attempt to commit murder, and first-degree assault.
On Dec. 3, 2005, Hamlin allegedly tried to kill Wanda Carter by shooting her, which caused her serious physical injury, according to his indictment.
When Kentucky State Police Trooper David Lassiter, Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Prewitt, and another state trooper arrived on Bennett’s Branch Road on Dec. 3, they discovered Carter walking around with a large gunshot wound to her neck.
Carter reportedly told police that she and Hamlin had been arguing most of the day, and that after he allegedly shot her, she left him in a trailer on Bennett Branch.
Carter pleaded not guilty Monday morning.
According to its monthly report, the grand jury issued 13 other indictments against 20 people Monday, including:
• Belvie Bennett – first-degree bail jumping.
• James Cassidy – receiving stolen property over $300, and obscuring the identity of a machine.
• Ernest L. Nichols – second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.
• Carl L. Anderson and Scott A. Cox – second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.
• Jennifer Ivey – theft of a controlled substance.
• Doyle S. Fritts and Jason W. Taylor – theft by unlawful taking over $300. Fritts was also indicted for being a first-degree persistent felony offender.
• Walter Wayne Rose – bribing a witness.
• James Wagers, William Johnson, Donna Storms, and Debra Barnes – manufacture of methamphetamine and first-degree possession of a controlled substance. Barnes was also indicted for being a second-degree persistent felony offender.
• Dewey Chambers – cultivating marijuana over five plants.
• Joey L. Siler Jr. – first-degree possession of a controlled substance.
• Brian Kidd and Michael Vanover – receiving stolen property over $300.
• Phillip P. Shupe Jr. and James A. Poe – second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.
• Harold Canada – third-degree criminal mischief and fourth-degree assault.