A Somerville man is facing a stack of charges after police say he drove an SUV through the side of a Covington home while four children were inside, leaving one child with minor injuries and forcing the family to move out temporarily. The crash happened around 7 p.m. on March 8, when the vehicle punched through a wall on the 700 block of Hill Avenue and came to rest in a room right next to where the children had been playing. Authorities say the driver was treated at a local hospital for facial injuries before he was taken into custody.
According to WREG, officers at the scene reported signs of intoxication and found an open alcoholic beverage can outside the driver’s door. Investigators say the driver admitted to drinking before getting behind the wheel. The SUV, a Nissan Xterra, was towed from the scene, and damage to the home was estimated at about $15,000.
Police response and tips
Covington officers secured the crash site, cleared the home and began their investigation, asking anyone with additional information to contact the department. The Covington Police Department lists its non-emergency number as 901-475-1261. Tipton County also provides numbers for the Criminal Investigations Division and corrections on the county website for people who want to share tips or check booking details.
Charges and what happened to the driver
As WREG reports, four children were in the room adjacent to the wall that was struck, and one child suffered minor injuries after a reptile enclosure fell onto him. All four were taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Tipton and released without serious injury. Thirty-one-year-old Dominick Pegues of Somerville was treated for facial injuries at the hospital before being booked into the Tipton County Jail. Officers charged him with four counts of child endangerment (DUI), an eighth-offense driving-while-revoked charge, open-container and vandalism counts, a duty-of-care violation and a financial-responsibility offense. The homeowner who struck Pegues after the crash admitted the assault and was cited for simple assault, police said.
Where the children were treated
Baptist Memorial Hospital-Tipton, at 1995 Highway 51 South in Covington, operates a 24-hour emergency department and serves Tipton County residents in need of urgent care. Local officials said the family’s house suffered structural damage that made it temporarily uninhabitable while repairs are arranged.
Legal implications
The charges carry potential penalties under Tennessee law: driving while one’s license is revoked is governed by state statute and can be enhanced for repeat offenses, and child endangerment statutes may be applied when children are placed at risk during impaired driving. Court proceedings and any eventual sentence will depend on the specific charges and any prior convictions. For official booking, charge or court information, residents can contact the Tipton County Sheriff's Office or the county clerk. Online legal resources such as Justia provide background on how Tennessee courts have handled driving-while-revoked and child endangerment charges.
