Public Tips Lead to Arrests in Greenbrier Lake Boat Dumping Case
GREENBRIER, TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – Greenbrier Police have made two arrests following the abandonment of a boat at Greenbrier Lake off Distillery Road, an incident first discovered by the Greenbrier Parks and Recreation Department on Wednesday morning.
According to Detective Joseph Chelini with the Greenbrier Police Department, the suspects were identified as 31-year-old Robert Swisher and 27-year-old Mary Keaton. Both are facing charges of aggravated criminal littering, due to the weight of the dumped property, and allegedly making a false statement to law enforcement.
Police say Swisher obtained the boat for free in Dover, Tennessee, then attempted to resell it online for $300. When no buyer was found, investigators say the boat was allegedly dumped at Greenbrier Lake, and the trailer was sold to a scrapyard for $40. Detectives say the suspects initially claimed the boat had been sold to someone else, a story that was later disproven.
Greenbrier Police credited assistance from the community in helping move the investigation forward. After Smokey Barn News published its initial report on Facebook, a reader sent police a Facebook Marketplace listing that led authorities to the suspects. Investigators say that information played a key role in confirming what happened.
Both suspects are from Adairville and were taken to the Robertson County Jail. Both Swisher and Keaton have bonds set at $15,000 each. Greenbrier Police thanked the public for their help and cooperation. All suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Drake’s Auto Repair & Towing handled the recovery.
