Oak Ridge Today

Ridenour, an ORPD officer & former chief deputy, running for sheriff

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Lewis Ridenour

Lewis Ridenour

 

Lewis Ridenour, an Oak Ridge Police Department officer and former chief deputy of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, is running for sheriff in the 2018 election.

In a press release, Ridenour, a Republican, pledged to only serve two terms if elected as Anderson County sheriff. He cited “great concern” over career politicians when announcing his term-limit pledge.

Ridenour pledged to use his community and law enforcement experience, sound judgment, and “know-how” in office, the press release said.

“During my over 20 years of law enforcement experience in this county, I have gained an understanding of the complexities of city and county government, including its capabilities and limitations,” Ridenour said. “Most importantly, the primary role for the sheriff should be to be to make our entire county safe, while also being an advocate for the taxpayers. There are real issues facing our county relating to drugs and crimes against persons and property. There are also many financial issues that will come before us in the years to come. We need a sheriff with extensive experience as an administrator as well as law enforcement.” [Read more…]

Fundraiser this evening for family of firefighter who died Tuesday

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Robert RL Braden Spaghetti Supper Flyer

Robert “R.L.” Braden, 44, a firefighter with the Medford Volunteer Fire Department, died at his home on Tuesday after a courageous battle with cancer, but a Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser will still take place at Anderson County High School this evening (Saturday, November 11).

The fundraiser is scheduled to start at 5 p.m., and the “Light The Night” event will be held in Braden’s memory at 8 p.m.

Braden’s funeral arrangements are available here: http://www.holleygamble.com/obituary/robert-rl-braden.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends,” said Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy.

For additional information, please contact Ambrea Peters at ambreapeters@gmail.com. [Read more…]

Preliminary information: Man dies after firing at officers & officer returns fire

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The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation responded to a shooting involving an officer on East Drive in Clinton, the TBI said late Wednesday night, Nov. 8, 2017.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation responded to a shooting involving an officer on East Drive in Clinton, the TBI said late Wednesday night, Nov. 8, 2017.

 

A man fired a weapon at officers on East Drive in Clinton on Wednesday night, and one of the officers fired back, hitting the man, who died, according to preliminary information from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

The three Clinton Police Department officers were not injured, the TBI said. The three officers were at the home in the 1000 block of East Drive after receiving information that a male subject with outstanding warrants was at the residence, the TBI said.

“Upon arrival, officers confirmed the individual was at the home and attempted to take him into custody,” the TBI said. “The subject attempted to evade officers by climbing out a window. At some point during the encounter, the subject fired a weapon at officers, which resulted in one of the officers returning fire, striking the subject. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The officers were not injured.” [Read more…]

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department helping churches with safety, security

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Anderson County Sheriff's Department Church Safety Security Seminar

After yesterday’s tragedy at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department said it offers its sympathy and prayers for the families of the victims, and prayers for the recovery of the survivors.

“Every house of worship, no matter how large or small, and no matter the location, must prepare for this type of attack,” a press release said. “For the last several years, we have sponsored Church Safety & Security seminars for area worship centers. Our Church Safety & Security Seminar presents up-to-date information to assist congregations in church safety and will assist those that are just beginning to prepare or those seeking to improve readiness. [Read more…]

Man pleads guilty to homicide in fatal crash

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Justin Lee Seeber

Justin Lee Seeber

 

An Anderson County man pleaded guilty on Monday to criminally negligent homicide in the death of a 19-year-old woman in a single-vehicle crash on US 25W in May 2013.

Justin Lee Seeber, 28, also pleaded guilty in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton to reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon.

The crash on May 28, 2013, killed Amber Elaine Smith of Knoxville, a graduate of Hardin Valley Academy who attended Roane State Community College.

Seeber’s two-year sentence was suspended, and he was placed on state-supervised probation. As a standard offender, his release eligibility was set at 30 percent. If he successfully completes probation, he will not have to go to prison. But if he violates probation, he will have to serve prison time, authorities said. [Read more…]

Woman pleads guilty in fatal car-pedestrian crash on Clinton Highway

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Destany Lynn Cotner

Destany Lynn Cotner

 

A Clinton woman has pleaded guilty in a fatal car-pedestrian hit-and-run crash on Clinton Highway in March.

Destany Lynn Cotner, 25, pleaded guilty in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton on Friday to two charges of leaving the scene of an accident involving death and driving under the influence (first offense).

As part of the plea agreement, two other charges were dismissed. Those charges were driving with a suspended or revoked license (first offense) and possession of contraband in a penal facility.

It was a plea by information, meaning Cotner had not yet been indicted by the Anderson County Grand Jury.

Cotner initially told the Tennessee Highway Patrol that she was the driver the night of the crash, but she later changed her story to say her co-defendant Isaac Irwin, 26, also of Clinton, was the driver, according to a narrative filed in the case and attached to warrants.

Cotner received a two-year prison sentence on the conviction of leaving the scene of an accident involving death. As a standard offender, her release eligibility is 30 percent. Her sentence on this felony conviction was suspended, and she will be placed on supervised probation. [Read more…]

TBI: Clinton man indicted, accused of threatening three judges

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Ronald Taylor

Ronald Taylor

A Clinton man indicted by a grand jury this week is accused of threatening three judges, authorities said.

The indictment was announced Friday by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. An investigation by TBI special agents led to the indictment, a press release said.

The investigation started in November 2016 at the request of Seventh District Attorney General Dave Clark, the TBI said.

“TBI special agents began investigating threats made against three Anderson County judges,” the press release said. “The investigation revealed that Ronald Jennings Taylor, 52, wrote letters and mailed them to numerous individuals. In the letters, Taylor threatened to harm the judges.” [Read more…]

Updated: Homicide charge in drug-related fatality could be a first in Anderson County

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Troy Andrew Venable

Troy Andrew Venable

 

This story was last updated at 5:30 p.m.

The reckless homicide charge filed against an Oak Ridge man in a grand jury indictment after a drug-related fatality could be a first in Anderson County, a law enforcement official said.

Troy Andrew Venable, 29, was indicted in April on a reckless homicide charge in the death of Lauren Alexandra Fritts, 26.

Seventh Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark said it is, as far as he knows, the first time in Anderson County that someone has been indicted on a homicide charge in a drug-related fatality. [Read more…]

Resident escapes when fire destroys outbuilding, damages home

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The resident escaped when an outbuilding and part of a home burned on Old Edgemoor Lane in Claxton on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A resident escaped when an outbuilding and part of a home burned on Old Edgemoor Lane in Claxton on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

CLAXTON—A resident escaped when a fire destroyed a storage building and damaged a home on Old Edgemoor Lane in Claxton late Sunday morning.

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department reported that the fire call came in to the 911 center a little before 11:30 a.m. Sunday. When deputies arrived, they found the storage building engulfed in flames, along with the portion of the home closest to the outbuilding, according to WYSH Radio in Clinton.

Deputies reported that the homeowner, Kathrine Lively, told them she had just finished using her lawn mower and put it back in the shed when she went inside to take a shower. A few minutes later, she heard someone at her door yelling at her that she needed to come outside. [Read more…]

THP: Charges pending in fatal motorcycle-pickup crash in Claxton

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Charges are pending in a fatal collision between a motorcycle and pickup truck on Blockhouse Valley Road in Claxton on Tuesday, authorities said.

The crash, which killed a motorcyclist, was reported at about 7 a.m. Tuesday, September 26, at the intersection of Blockhouse Valley Road and Lost Ridge Road, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said in a fatality report.

The report said Joshua Williams, 29, of Clinton, was riding a 2015 Suzuki GXS motorcycle west on Blockhouse Valley Road when a 2004 Nissan Titan pickup truck driven east by Travis Darwin, 35, of Oak Ridge, turned left onto Lost Ridge Road in front of the motorcycle. The motorcycle ridden by Williams hit the front right side of the truck driven by Darwin, and Williams was thrown off the motorcycle, the THP said.

Williams was wearing a helmet, but he was killed, the report said. [Read more…]

Meth, heroin thrown out car window, patrol cars hit, THP says

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Clarissa Sharee Tindell

Clarissa Sharee Tindell

 

Sixty-three grams of methamphetamine were thrown out of a car window and two patrol vehicles were hit during a police chase that started in Clinton and ended in Rocky Top on Sunday, July 30, authorities said. The vehicle occupants also threw out about one-half gram of heroin, and the car they were in almost hit two Anderson County patrol vehicles head-on, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said.

That afternoon, THP Trooper Isaiah Lloyd tried to stop a black Honda sedan for failure to yield the right of way and a turn signal violation at the intersection of State Route 61 (North Charles G. Seivers Boulevard) and Longmire Road in Clinton, near the Clinch River and Anderson County Detention Facility, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Clinton.

The 1992 Honda Accord had cut off a red pickup truck at the intersection, Lloyd said.

But the car refused to stop after he activated his emergency equipment, Lloyd said.

While the Honda was traveling down Longmire Road, the car occupants threw two items out the window, according to Lloyd:

  1. a baby formula can that contained a jar with about 63.93 grams of methamphetamine, and
  2. a black metal box that contained a set of scales, 0.53 grams of heroin, and multiple plastic bags.

[Read more…]

Man pleads guilty to homicide in fatal crash, but not clear if he had heart attack

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Pictured above during a plea agreement hearing in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, are Danny Lee Bean, right, and Tom Marshall, public defender in the Seventh Judicial District (Anderson County). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Pictured above during a plea agreement hearing in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, are defendant Danny Lee Bean, right, and Tom Marshall, public defender in the Seventh Judicial District (Anderson County). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

CLINTON—A Marlow man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to two charges of vehicular homicide in a fatal crash on Oliver Springs Highway in Marlow in November 2012, but it’s not clear if he might have had a heart attack, possibly before the crash.

Danny Lee Bean, 59, received an effective 10-year sentence for his guilty pleas in the head-on three-vehicle crash that killed Alberta Farrer, 56, and Pat Smith, 62.

Bean’s sentence was suspended, and he was placed on supervised probation. He had to surrender his driver’s license, and he can’t drive.

Bean had hydrocodone and alprazolam in his system, but he had prescriptions for those medicines at therapeutic levels, attorneys said at a plea agreement hearing in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton on Wednesday morning. Hydrocodone is a narcotic pain-reliever, and alprzazolam can be used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. It’s not clear whether a doctor had advised Bean to not drive after taking either medication.

Before the plea, a question had been raised about whether Bean had experienced a heart attack around the time of the crash, possibly before it. [Read more…]