Man pistol-whipped, pregnant woman blacks out during home invasion

An Oak Ridge man was allegedly hit in the head and face with a pistol, and a woman who is nine months pregnant blacked out from fear when a suspect pointed a silver revolver at her during a Friday night home invasion on Dewey Road, authorities said.

The suspects allegedly stole a Sentry safe containing $3,000 from a closet and fled in a vehicle before officers arrived.

But the white 2008 Cadillac CTS four-door sedan crashed into a utility pole a few minutes later on Delaware Avenue, less than a mile from the Dewey Road home, an Oak Ridge Police Department crash report said.

Duran Maszae Lee, 29, who was the driver and also a home invasion suspect, allegedly had three plastic baggies in his rear pocket, and they contained a green leafy-like plant substance believed to be marijuana, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court. The baggies contained a total of 21.9 grams of suspected marijuana packaged for sale, ORPD Detective Kevin Craig said.

Police found a silver revolver handgun about 56 feet from the vehicle, and the defendant had been observed near the pistol before police arrived, Craig said. Red liquid on the gun, consistent with blood, was allegedly found just behind the cylinder.

Lee was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of aggravated burglary, one count of aggravated robbery, one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of tampering with evidence, and one count of possession of marijuana with intent to sell. He remained jailed in the Anderson County Detention Facility on Tuesday afternoon.

The two victims were allegedly attacked outside their Dewey Road home between 9:40 and 10:02 p.m. Friday, according to a police report by ORPD Officer Benjamin Higgins. The man, who had minor injuries, said Lee struck him in the face and head with the gun and then ran into the house as a second suspect held him down.

The man said he found the house in disarray when he entered after the suspects fled, and the safe, which included $1,200 in new $100 bills, was missing.

Craig said the safe was located in plain view in the trunk of the Cadillac driven by Lee that crashed on Delaware. A search of Lee found $3,200 in his underwear, Craig said.

The crash report by Officer Matthew Johnston said there were two other passengers in the Cadillac, which went off the right side of Delaware Avenue before hitting a utility pole east of Outer Drive at about 10:06 p.m. Friday.

Craig said Lee has a prior felony conviction from July 2010 for the sale of cocaine.