32-year-old Dearco Smith was jailed after refusing to comply with officers on December 31st. Officers made contact with Smith, who was in his personal vehicle dropping off a shooting victim from a prior incident at Tennova Medical Center. Officers informed Smith that his vehicle was now considered a crime scene and that he could not move or retrieve anything from it. Smith was emotional and refused to comply with any commands given by officers. Smith then proceeded to get inside the vehicle and retrieve his cell phone despite being told not to several times. Smith was informed he would be detained for this action. Despite this, he continued refusing to cooperate. He began to actively resist arrest by pulling his arms away from officers as well as making threats of violence towards them. The shooting victim would be deceased moments later. Dearco Smith was taken into custody and charged with tampering with evidence and resisting arrest.
