A 27-year-old Covington woman is facing aggravated domestic assault, child endangerment and drug charges after police say she stabbed her partner inside an apartment complex, then was arrested as officers found a baby crying in a back room and nearly 400 grams of marijuana nearby. Azreial Smith is being held at the Tipton County jail and is scheduled to appear in court on October 20.
Covington police officers responded to a stabbing call at an apartment complex in the 100 block of Peeler Road on October 10, according to WREG. Officers arriving at the scene found a male victim lying on the floor with multiple stab wounds, per police. He was airlifted to Regional One Health in critical but stable condition — a transfer that reflects the severity of his injuries, since the hospital's Elvis Presley Trauma Center is the only designated Level 1 adult trauma center within 150 miles of Covington, according to Regional One Health, with a service area spanning Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas and Missouri.
Police identified Smith as the suspect, and while she was being apprehended, authorities heard a baby crying in a back room, according to Covington police. The child was found unharmed and released to a family member at the scene. Officers also recovered the knife used in the stabbing, along with 377 grams of marijuana found at the scene, the report states.
Chief Describes Rapid Escalation
Covington Police Chief Donna Turner said the incident was an example of a domestic argument turning violent quickly, and that officers quickly got the children to safety. Turner, who serves as 2nd Vice President for the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, urged domestic violence victims or anyone who knows a victim to contact police or WRAP at 1-800-273-8712. That hotline connects callers to the Wo/Men's Resource and Rape Assistance Program, a regional nonprofit offering 24/7 crisis intervention, emergency shelter and victim advocacy across 19 West Tennessee counties, according to the Tennessee Higher Education Initiative.
Investigators say Smith confirmed she was in a relationship with the male victim and allegedly admitted involvement in the assault. She denied the allegations regarding the marijuana, per investigators. Smith was on probation for similar charges at the time of her arrest, according to investigators.
Charges Carry Significant Prison Exposure
Smith is charged with aggravated domestic assault, child endangerment and possession of marijuana with intent. Under Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-13-102, certain intentional or knowing aggravated assaults involving a deadly weapon or serious bodily injury are Class C felonies, while some reckless aggravated assaults involving those factors are Class D felonies, according to Justia Law. Separately, possessing marijuana with intent to manufacture, deliver or sell under Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-17-417 is a felony offense with penalties determined by weight thresholds, per FindLaw.
Smith is scheduled to appear in court on October 20.
Anyone with information on the Peeler Road case is asked to contact the Covington Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at (901) 475-1261, or submit tips through Facebook Messenger or the City of Covington's website.
