Day: January 14, 2022

Mother charged with assault & strangulation of her child, cops find her intoxicated & uncooperative — Jess Hager

Jason Steen

37-year-old is free on a $10,000 bond after being charged with the felony assault and strangulation of her young child. After the assault, the juvenile got on his bicycle in West Nashville, flagged down a neighbor and asked to use a phone explaining he had just been assaulted by his mother when she tossed him to the ground, strangled him by the neck, assaulted him, all while telling him she wished she never had him.

The neighbor alerted police and got in touch with the child’s grandmother, and assisted him in getting to her residence, where police also arrived.

The grandmother stated this was not unusual, and the child often sought sanctuary at her home as his mother struggles to manage her life.

Man says he intentionally rammed vehicle into tree after drinking White Claw — Anthony Castiglia

Jason Steen

25-year-old Anthony Castiglia was booked on a citation for DUI this week stemming from a December crash that sent him to the hospital. Court records show Castiglia told officers he intentionally rammed his vehicle into a tree on Ellison Place.
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Officers found several consumed cans of White Claw in both the front and back seats of the vehicle. He was transported to Vanderbilt and admitted due to internal injuries.

DUI: Man blows over double legal BAC limit after I-40 crash — Robert Cade Marklein arrested

Jason Steen

When police responded to a crash on I-40, 24-year-old Robert “Cade” Marklein told officers a car forced him into the guardrail and off the roadway. Officers, however, noticed Marklein appeared to be heavily intoxicated, and after questioning, Marklein admitted to drinking “two beers” earlier in the night.

He eventually blew more than double the legal limit, a 0.185% BAC and was charged with DUI and driving on a suspended license. Cade Marklein is free on a $2,500 bond.

Clarksville mother faked autistic child’s death. School laptop leads to his discovery — Vanessa Blanchard

Jason Steen

From our partner, Clarksville Today: In October of 2021, New Providence Middle School SRO Dwayne James contacted Vanessa Blanchard to inquire why her 12-year-old son was not at school, he was informed the child had died as the result of a seizure two days prior. The school announced the child’s death and had a fundraiser to pay for funeral expenses, which Blanchard said would be at Sykes Funeral Home. When the school contacted the funeral home to donate the money, they had no record of the family or any arrangements.

The school reached out to Blanchard again, and she explained the child’s body was at Tennova, awaiting an autopsy. Two weeks later, the child’s school-issued laptop was realized to be active at the Vacation Motor Motel.

Deputies responded to the location and found the boy in the room, but otherwise alive and well. Vanessa Blanchard admitted to leaving the child there alone and checking on him every other day, or so. Blanchard is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a child, and fraud – false impression of death. She remains jailed on a $5,000 bond.