Vienna Sausages are vandal’s weapon of choice

Cans of the sausages used in vandalizing vice- mayor’s home

JACKSBORO, TN. (WLAF)- On July 11, Jacksboro Vice-Mayor Jimmy Snodgrass was awakened by a loud thumping noise on his house.

Campbell County Sheriff’s Deputy Sgt. Tosha Tackett responded to the call.

Snodgrass alleged he had been in bed and was awakened sometime between 10:45 pm and 11 pm when he heard several loud thumps on the side of his residence. After looking around outside, he didn’t see anyone, the report said.  However, the vice-mayor did find two of his windows had been broken. Near the broken glass and around the home, he allegedly found several cans of Vienna Sausages.

Tackett collected three cans of Vienna Sausage from around the home. She learned the snacks were sold at Wal-Mart so she went to the store to gather more information.

When she arrived at Wal-Mart, she spoke with the cashier at self-checkout and asked her if any information could be retrieved through the barcode on the cans. The cashier told Tackett she remembered throwing away a receipt earlier in the morning from the night before reporting that there were several cans of Vienna Sausage on the receipt, the report said. Tackett left Wal-Mart but received a call for her to come back. When she returned, she was given the receipt from the purchase with a time stamp of 10:44 pm; the store staff had also pulled camera footage, according to the arrest warrant.

On the footage,Sgt. Tackett saw Joseph Weaver allegedly driving into the parking lot in a dark-colored van which was identified as belonging to a female. Tackett saw Weaver in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. The female got out of the vehicle and began shuffling in the back seat and then reentered the van. On the footage Tackett saw Weaver entered Wal-Mart by himself and purchase the cans along with a black t-shirt.

Weaver only scanned seven cans but allegedly took 15 cans. Tackett was able to pull footage from Eagle Mart of the same vehicle traveling on Eagle Bluff Road at 10:49 pm. Minutes later, the Snodgrass residence was struck with the cans of Vienna Sausage, the report said.

During the investigation it was discovered that another male was also present in the vehicle.

CCSD Lt. Mikey Owens interviewed the other male and learned he was present in the vehicle along with the female, another male and Weaver. The male said while eating and drinking numerous alcoholic beverages at a local marina Weaver grew agitated, according to records. He was allegedly upset about an incident in which he resigned his position with the Jacksboro Police Department. When the four people left the marina, Weaver was driving. He told them he needed to stop at Wal-Mart but offered no further explanation, the report said.

When Weaver returned to the vehicle, the trio questioned why he had purchased so many cans of Vienna Sausage. “It was going to be funny,” Weaver allegedly said.

The van then headed to the Snodgrass home with the cans of sausage. When they arrived, Weaver and one of the men headed for the home armed with the sausages.

As Weaver began throwing the cans at the home, his would-be accomplice headed back to the van.

Jacksboro Police Chief Daniel Smith later spoke with Weaver who took sole responsibility for the incident, according to the warrant.

Joseph Taylor Weaver, 26, 185 Flatwood Rd, Jacksboro is charged with theft of property under $999 and vandalism over $2,500. He turned himself in on Monday night and was later released.

(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED 7/17/2024- 6AM)