4/17/15

(Cleveland)-  White County Sheriff Neal Walden said  Friday afternoon that he has requested that Enotah Judicial Circuit  District Attorney Jeff  Langley not pursue the charges filed again Shannon Hamilton.  Hamilton is the father of one of the teens killed in the fatal wreck on March 15th

He was arrested on April 12th when he attempted to install a temporary barrier, a gravel berm,  on the side of the road where the car his daughter Cecily was in ran off the road and plunged into Town Creek.  Hamilton was charged with interference with government property.  

Sheriff Walden said he has written a letter to the DA telling him that they have, “thoroughly reviewed the totality of the events and circumstances in this situation. “  The letter states that, “ this tragedy has affected an entire community, most greatly the Hamilton and Swing families.” 

The sheriff said, “ we recognize Mr. Hamilton acted and chose to violate the law, however, this was extenuating  circumstances  coupled with grief and emotion.”   The sheriff said,  clearly his cause was right, but his method wrong.   

Walden said, for these reasons and the totality of the circumstances the White County Sheriff’s Office offers no objection and would ask that you not pursue charges against Mr. Shannon Hamilton.  The final decision on perusing the charges will be up to the District Attorney.  

Since the fatal accident,  White County Commission Chairman Travis Turner said,  they would place guard rails at the Gene Nix Road bridge. Temporary concrete barriers were installed this past Wednesday and chairman Turner advised Friday morning the guard rail company will be installing the permanent guard rails on Tuesday April 28th.    

Turner met with Hamilton on Wednesday at the bridge after the temporary barriers were put in place, he said following their meeting, it was positive and he hopes it was the first step to a healing process in this situation.