Oak Ridge Today

Man charged with homicide in crash that killed 3-year-old boy

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Jason Robert Braden

Jason Robert Braden II

 

An Anderson County man has been charged in an 11-count indictment that includes vehicular homicide by intoxication after a crash that killed a three-year-old boy and injured at least three other people in Oak Ridge last year.

Jason Robert Braden III, 3, died in the two-vehicle crash, which was considered a mass casualty event. It was reported at about 5:20 p.m. Friday, January 13, 2017, at the intersection of Emory Valley Road and Lafayette Drive.

Charged in the 11-count indictment is Jason Robert Braden II, 24, of Bush Road in Marlow. The charges against Braden include vehicular homicide by intoxication, vehicular homicide by recklessness, four counts of reckless aggravated assault, reckless endangerment when a deadly weapon (a motor vehicle) is involved, driving under the influence, driving without a license, speeding, and violation of the child restraint law.

The Anderson County Grand Jury in Clinton indicted Braden on February 27. He was arrested March 4. His bond has been set at $125,000, and he was released from the Anderson County Detention Facility on Monday, March 19. He has an arraignment set for Monday morning, March 26, in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton. [Read more…]

Attempted murder charge sent to grand jury in Claxton shooting

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Jacob Lynn Rutherford

Jacob Lynn Rutherford

 

CLINTON—An attempted first-degree murder charge has been sent to the grand jury in a case involving an Oak Ridge man accused of shooting and injuring two men and shooting near a woman but not hitting her.

Two charges of reckless endangerment were also bound over, or sent to the grand jury. Those charges had initially been filed as attempted first-degree murder.

A preliminary hearing for Jacob Lynn Rutherford, 23, was held Wednesday, March 7, in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Clinton.

Rutherford had originally been charged with a total of three counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of reckless endangerment. One count of reckless endangerment was dismissed during the preliminary hearing last week, meaning Rutherford faces the one attempted first-degree murder charge and the two counts of reckless endangerment that were originally attempted murder. [Read more…]

Two charged in alleged robbery that started with car sale

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Michael Sharp

Michael Rodney Sharp

 

Two people have been charged in an alleged robbery that started with a car sale, court records said.

The robbery was reported to have occurred on Bolin Road on the west side of Rocky Top on Thursday, February 22.

The two people charged with aggravated robbery in the case are Michael Rodney Sharp, 50, and Stephanie Jean Hoskins, 29, who both live on Bolin Road, according to Anderson County jail records.

The victim reported going to Bolin Road to buy a car from Sharp, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Clinton by Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Gregory Stanley.

While she was talking to Sharp, the victim said, Hoskins hit her in the back of the head with a stick, knocking her unconscious, according to the affidavits. The victim said she was unconscious for about five minutes. [Read more…]

Clinton High School student charged after threatening notes

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Anderson County Sheriff's Department Badge

A Clinton High School student is in custody after an investigation into threatening notes found in a classroom on Monday afternoon, authorities said.

An investigation by school resource officers and investigators with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department and Clinton High School officials led to the identification of the 15-year-old female student responsible for leaving the notes, which made false threats of a school shooting, according to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department.

Charges will be filed in Anderson County Juvenile Court for felony false reports and disorderly conduct, according to the information, provided by Chief Deputy Mark Lucas. The girl is currently being held in the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Detention Center in Knoxville pending a detention hearing. [Read more…]

Warrant: Gun fired as shooting victim tried to grab it during argument

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Christopher Lee Roberts

Christopher Lee Roberts

 

The defendant in a fatal shooting near Clinton on Thursday pulled out a gun during an argument, and it fired when the victim tried to grab it, according to court records.

After the shooting, the defendant, Christopher Lee Roberts, 45, who has been charged with criminal homicide, repeatedly said “I just f****d up” or “I messed up,” according to home owner Martin “Chris” Alsop and resident Michael Carroll.

The shooting, which killed Bradley Charles Bivens, 48, was reported at 611 Sinking Springs Road in Anderson County at about 9 p.m. Thursday. [Read more…]

Sheriff’s Department asks for help finding shooting suspect

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Christopher Lee Roberts

Christopher Lee Roberts

 

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help finding a suspect who is wanted for criminal homicide after a fatal shooting on Sinking Springs Road near Clinton on Thursday evening.

Deputies responded to the shooting at 611 Sinking Springs Road at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday. When they arrived, they found Bradley Charles Bivens, 48, of Clinton, had been shot and killed, said Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy.

Sheriff’s investigators have obtained an arrest warrant for criminal homicide on Christopher Lee Roberts, 45, of Clinton, Lucas said. [Read more…]

Clinton man killed in Thursday night shooting

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A Clinton man was killed in a Thursday night shooting in Anderson County, authorities said.

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department responded to the shooting at 611 Sinking Springs Road near Clinton at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

When they arrived, they found that a 48-year-old Clinton man had been shot and killed, said Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy. [Read more…]

Clinton High School student charged with threats

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A Clinton High School student is in custody after an investigation of a social media threat, authorities said.

The 15-year-old female student sent messages to a male student on a social media site that ultimately led to threats, according to Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy.

The threat was investigated by Anderson County school officials and school resource officers and detectives from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Lucas said.

The female student was identified and arrested this morning, Lucas said. She is currently being held in juvenile detention pending a hearing. [Read more…]

Updated: Fisherman finds body of missing man at Bull Run Park

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The Anderson County Rescue Squad and Anderson County Sheriff's Department helped retrieve a body found under water in Bull Run Creek at Bull Run Park in Claxton on Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 21, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Anderson County Rescue Squad and Anderson County Sheriff’s Department helped retrieve a body found under water in Bull Run Creek at Bull Run Park in Claxton on Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 21, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 10:45 a.m. Feb. 22.

CLAXTON—A fisherman found a body under about four feet of water at Bull Run Park in Claxton on Wednesday afternoon, and it has been identified as the man reported missing from Karns in Knox County on Sunday morning, authorities said.

The body of Freddy Shultz, 66, was located on the slope of the bank of Bull Run Creek at Bull Run Park at about 3:48 p.m. Wednesday, according to information from Anderson County Sheriff Paul White and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. The body was located near the New Henderson Road bridge after four days of searching.

Divers from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department and a boat with personnel from the Anderson County Rescue Squad assisted in the recovery, said Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy.

White said identification in the man’s wallet identified him as the missing man. His black pickup truck had been found parked alongside New Henderson Road across the creek from Bull Run Park at about 12:45 p.m. Sunday. [Read more…]

Anderson County Rescue Squad to resume search for missing man

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Rescuers in an Anderson County Rescue Squad boat search for a missing man in the water at Bull Run Park in Claxton, authorities said Sunday afternoon, Feb. 18, 2018. At center is Rescue Squad Chief Terry Allen. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Rescuers in an Anderson County Rescue Squad boat search for a missing man in the water at Bull Run Park in Claxton, authorities said Sunday afternoon, Feb. 18, 2018. At center is Rescue Squad Chief Terry Allen. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Anderson County Rescue Squad was going to resume searching Monday afternoon for a missing man whose pickup truck was found parked on the side of the road near the water at Bull Run Park in Claxton on Sunday, authorities said.

The man, reported to be 66, was reported missing in Knox County on Sunday morning.

Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said the man’s black pickup truck was located on the side of road across Bull Run Creek from Bull Run Park. The keys were in the truck, and a suicide note was in the truck, White said. The vehicle was parked alongside New Henderson Road at Tracy Allison Lane. Deputies found it near Bull Run Park at about 12:45 p.m. Sunday.

But rescuers aren’t certain that the man is in the water, said White, who was among those on rescue boats searching the cold water on Sunday.

“We don’t know where he’s at or if he’s here,” White said. [Read more…]

Rescuers search for missing man in water at Bull Run Park

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Rescuers in an Anderson County Sheriff's Department boat search for a missing man in the water at Bull Run Park in Claxton, authorities said Sunday afternoon, Feb. 18, 2018. Anderson County Sheriff Paul White is at left in the boat. In front is Knoxville Police Department search and rescue volunteer Candy Stooksbury with K-9 Barnabas, a bloodhound. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Rescuers in an Anderson County Sheriff’s Department boat search for a missing man in the water at Bull Run Park in Claxton, authorities said Sunday afternoon, Feb. 18, 2018. Anderson County Sheriff Paul White is at left in the boat. In front is Knoxville Police Department search and rescue volunteer Candy Stooksbury with K-9 Barnabas, a bloodhound. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11:15 p.m.

CLAXTON—Rescuers searched for a missing man in the water at Bull Run Park in Claxton on Sunday afternoon and evening, but they were not able to locate him.

The search was called off as daylight faded just before 7 p.m. Sunday, more than six hours after the missing man’s pickup truck was located near the park. It’s not clear when the search might resume.

The missing man is reported to be from Knox County, said Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy. The identity of the man, reported to be 66, was not immediately available Sunday.

Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said the man left his black pickup truck on the side of road across Bull Run Creek from Bull Run Park, The keys were in the truck, and a suicide note was in the truck, White said. The vehicle was parked alongside New Henderson Road at Tracy Allison Lane.

But rescuers aren’t certain that the man is in the water, White said. [Read more…]

AC Schools having town hall to discuss school safety

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Tim Parrott

Tim Parrott

Anderson County Schools will have a town hall to discuss school safety on Thursday.

“In response to the tragedy in Florida this week, we would like to address our community’s concerns regarding the safety of our schools,” said Tim Parrott, director of Anderson County Schools.

The town hall is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Thursday, February 22, in the auditorium at Anderson County High School.

“All interested parents and community members are invited to attend,” Parrott said. [Read more…]