Oak Ridge Today

Comfort Inn closed for few days after fire on Saturday

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The Comfort Inn in Oak Ridge will be closed for a few days for renovations after a fire on the fourth floor early Saturday, March 19, 2016, officials said. (Photo by Tom Scott)

 

The Comfort Inn in Oak Ridge will be closed for a few days for renovations after a fire on the fourth floor of the five-story hotel early Saturday, officials said.

The fire was reported at 5:15 a.m. Saturday in an air-conditioning unit in a window area at the end of the hallway on the fourth floor.

The 112-room hotel was more than 90 percent occupied with rowers from Oak Ridge Marina and off-road-vehicle riders from Windrock Park north of Oliver Springs, authorities said.

The Oak Ridge Fire Department said the hotel’s sprinkler system turned on automatically and helped keep the fire under control, which likely saved lives and property.

“There’s no doubt the sprinkler system helped keep the fire from getting any larger,” Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley said. [Read more…]

Woman taken into custody after barricading herself in home, throwing pistol out window

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Members of the Oak Ridge Police Department are pictured outside a home on East Tennessee Avenue on Saturday, March 19, 2016.

 

Note: This story was updated at 10:42 a.m.

A 30-year-old woman was taken into custody and to a hospital after barricading herself in a bedroom and mentioning suicide before throwing a pistol out a window while negotiating with police officers on Saturday morning, authorities said.

The Oak Ridge Police Department was on the scene for hours before the situation at 426 East Tennessee Avenue was peacefully resolved.

Police said they found an arsenal inside the home, including more than a dozen high-powered rifles, shotguns, an assault rifle, a pistol, and several boxes of ammunition.

The ORPD responded to a domestic disturbance call at the home at about 2:04 a.m. Saturday.

“Officers arrived and made contact with a male subject, who advised his girlfriend, who was very intoxicated, had locked herself in the bedroom and was in possession of multiple weapons,” an ORPD press release said. “Officers verified a female subject identified as Sara Flynt, 30, was barricaded in an upstairs bedroom of the residence and initiated negotiations utilizing ORPD Crisis Intervention Team members. [Read more…]

Man injured, facing charges after pursuit ends with crash into power pole

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A 32-year-old man was injured and is facing a half-dozen charges after he allegedly went off State Route 62 in a pickup truck while fleeing from Morgan County officials early Sunday, struck a utility pole and broke it in half, and then traveled down an embankment and rolled over in a ditch, authorities said. (Photo by Tom Scott)

 

Note: This story was updated at 8:50 p.m.

OLIVER SPRINGS—A 32-year-old man was injured and is facing a half-dozen charges after he allegedly went off State Route 62 in a pickup truck while fleeing from Morgan County officials early Sunday, struck a utility pole and broke it in half, and then traveled down an embankment, where the vehicle he was driving rolled over onto its top in a ditch, authorities said.

Travis Lyles, 32, of Oliver Springs, was driving east on SR 62 in a 2004 Ford F-250 when his pickup truck went off the westbound side of the road at about 12:35 a.m. Sunday, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said. The crash occurred while Lyles was evading arrest and being pursued by the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, which was trying to stop him for speeding and swerving on the roadway, the THP said.

The crash occurred in the Morgan County portion of Oliver Springs on Winter Gap Road near Lookout Avenue. [Read more…]

Traffic could be affected by large electric condensers being moved from ETTP

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The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded at $2.1 million fixed-price contract to a small business based in Michigan, CTI and Associates, to perform asset recovery and demolition work at the old electrical switchyard at ETTP. (DOE photo by Lynn Freeny)

 

Traffic on Highway 58 and Highway 95 could be affected for two weeks starting Thursday by large, slow-moving equipment removing parts from a former electrical switchyard at the East Tennessee Technology Park in west Oak Ridge.

The work is being done by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management. It’s part of the ongoing cleanup work at ETTP, the former K-25 site.

Workers are removing, disposing, and recycling components from a former ETTP electrical switchyard, known as K-732 Switchyard.

“For the next two weeks, this project requires the use of a specialized trailer on public highways to transport three large condensers that each weighs approximately 110 tons,” a press release said. “Motorists transiting the area during this time should be alert for slow-moving vehicles and expect occasional delays.” [Read more…]

Maine man pleads guilty in armed bank extortions, including at Y-12 Credit Union

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Brian Witham

Brian Witham

Note: This story was last updated at 5:40 p.m.

A Maine man charged in several armed bank extortion plots, including at Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge, pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday, authorities said.

Brian Scott Witham, 45, of Waterville, Maine, pleaded guilty to the charges contained in a 15-count indictment from December 2015 involving armed bank extortions of the Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge, SmartBank in Knoxville, and Northeast Community Credit Union in Elizabethton, said Nancy Stallard Harr, acting U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Tennessee. Witham is one of two people charged in the bank extortion scheme.

As part of his plea agreement, Witham agreed to plead guilty to similar charges from three other federal jurisdictions including the Western District of North Carolina, the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the District of Connecticut, authorities said. Witham, U.S. attorneys, and a federal judge all agreed to transfer the similar charges to U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Tennessee, a press release said. Those charges include being a felon in possession of a firearm in Haywood County, North Carolina; armed robbery of an Ingles in Arden, North Carolina; armed robbery of the Peoples Security Bank and Trust in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania; and attempted armed bank extortion of the Achieve Financial Credit Union in New Britain, Connecticut, authorities said. [Read more…]

Updated: Gunshot victim, 19, in stable condition at UT Medical Center

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A 19-year-old Oak Ridge man was dropped off at Methodist Medical Center with a gunshot wound Friday night, Feb. 26, 2016, and flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville by a UT Lifestar medical helicopter, authorities said. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 3:25 p.m. Feb. 29.

The 19-year-old Oak Ridge man flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center with a gunshot wound on Friday night is in stable condition, the hospital said Monday afternoon.

Elijah Malik McDowell was driven to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge around 8:20 p.m. Friday because of injuries to his thigh, groin, and abdomen, the Oak Ridge Police Department said. He was dropped off at the hospital by a friend who left before police arrived, authorities said.

He was airlifted to the UT Medical Center in Knoxville about an hour later by a UT Lifestar helicopter, the ORPD said. [Read more…]

Trees down, power outages, flooding reported in Oak Ridge, Anderson County

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A tree was down on Nebraska Avenue on Wednesday morning, Feb. 24, 2016. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:15 p.m.

Officials reported that trees were down across Oak Ridge and Anderson County on Wednesday morning, there were several power outages in Oak Ridge, and flooding was reported at some spots in Anderson County.

The flooding, fallen trees, and power outages were reported after a round of storms came through Wednesday morning.

Crews from the city and county are responding. [Read more…]

Fire marshal hired in Oak Ridge

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Travis Solomon

Travis Solomon

A deputy state fire marshal has been hired as fire marshal in Oak Ridge.

The selection of Travis Solomon for the Oak Ridge Fire Department post was announced Monday by Fire Chief Darryl Kerley.

Solomon was an employee of the Tennessee Fire Marshal’s office. For the past 13 years, he has served as the deputy state fire marshal in charge of fire and life safety codes for the buildings and facilities at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, a press release said.

Solomon has a bachelor’s degree in fire science from Columbia Southern University, and he has 17 years of experience in fire, rescue, and emergency medical services, having also served with the New Market Fire Department, the press release said. He is currently a captain with New Market and maintains their FireHouse software for records management and state incident reporting. [Read more…]

Clinton woman dies after two vehicles hit her on Clinton Highway

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The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department closed off Clinton Highway between West Wolf Valley Road in Claxton and Hiway Drive in south Clinton as the Tennessee Highway Patrol investigated a fatal crash between two vehicles and a pedestrian on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:40 a.m.

CLINTON—A Clinton woman walking on Clinton Highway died after two vehicles hit her Sunday evening, authorities said.

Patricia A. Rouse, 50, was walking in the right-hand southbound lane, headed toward Knoxville, when she was hit by two southbound vehicles at about 7:33 p.m. Sunday, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said.

Rouse died at the scene, the THP said. She was apparently walking home, authorities said.

The drivers of the two vehicles were not injured, the THP said. No criminal charges or citations were issued. [Read more…]

ORPD welcomes new police officers, celebrates deputy chief promotion

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Officials and officers celebrated the promotion of Charles Robin Smith, second from left, to deputy chief during a promotions and swearing-in ceremony in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building on Friday, Feb. 19, 2016. Also pictured are, at left, Captain Michael Uher, retired TVA Commander Charles Smith (the deputy chief’s father), second from right, and Oak Ridge Police Chief James Akagi. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

New Oak Ridge Police Department officers were sworn in at the Oak Ridge Municipal Building on Friday, and the department celebrated the promotion of Charles Robin Smith to deputy chief.

Smith has served with the Oak Ridge Police Department since 2012.

Before he joined the ORPD, he served for 17 years with the Tennessee Valley Authority Police. He served the last 14 of those as commander of police operations.

Smith began his law enforcement career with the Sevierville Police Department, where he worked 15 years.

Smith is a 1982 graduate of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy and a 1990 graduate of the FBI National Academy. He has a bachelor’s degree in applied organizational management from Tusculum College and master’s in business administration from Bethel University.

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New Oak Ridge Police Department officers were sworn in at the Oak Ridge Municipal Building on Friday, Feb. 19, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Here is information on the new officers sworn into service, provided by the Oak Ridge Police Department: [Read more…]

ORPD accepting applications for Citizens Police Academy

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Oak Ridge Police Department Cars

The Oak Ridge Police Department is accepting applications for the next Citizens Police Academy, which will begin on Thursday, March 17, and run through May 19.

The Citizens Police Academy allows residents to learn how the Oak Ridge Police Department is organized and how it functions. It also gives an improved understanding of the challenges in serving and protecting the community, a press release said.

“The goal of the Citizens Police Academy is to create well-informed citizens who have an enhanced understanding of the Police Department and how it serves the City of Oak Ridge,” the press release said.

The academy requires a 10-week commitment from participants, and it will be held one night a week, on Thursdays beginning at 6 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m. [Read more…]

Woman escapes kitchen fire, taken to hospital; dog rescued

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A resident of a Scarboro home escaped a kitchen fire on Sunday night, Feb. 14, 2016, and firefighters and police officers rescued a dog from the home. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A resident of a Scarboro home escaped a kitchen fire on Sunday night, and firefighters and police officers rescued a dog from the home.

The kitchen fire was reported at 7:12 p.m. Sunday at 247 South Benedict Avenue. Firefighters were able to extinguish it within about 10 minutes or less.

Marie Woolin, a resident who was home alone at the time, was outside when firefighters arrived, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said. Neighbors helped her to a car, and she was later taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge for evaluation. She was released later Sunday night, Kerley said.

The fire appears to have started on a stove and to be cooking-related, Kerley said. It was reported to have caused significant damage to the kitchen, where it burned cabinets, and there was reported to be smoke and water damage in the rest of the house. [Read more…]