Oak Ridge Today

WYSH: Two weekend fires deemed suspicious

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Information from WYSH Radio

Two weekend fires in Anderson County are being investigated as suspicious.

The first occurred late Sunday night at a mobile home on Hillvale Road. Deputies reported that the trailer was engulfed in flames upon their arrival at around 11:30 p.m. Sunday. Crews from the Claxton and Andersonville Volunteer Fire Departments arrived and doused the flames, after which the on-scene commander told Deputy Matthew Landis that he suspected the cause of the fire was arson.

Neighbors told deputies that the property owner had passed away several years ago and they did not know who owns it now. Neighbors said that they had seen a woman and two men at the house earlier in the evening, and said they suspected that the trailer was being used as a meth lab.

With the cause of the fire deemed suspicious, the case was turned over to the Criminal Investigation Division for follow-up. [Read more…]

Storm damage delays opening of city pool in Clinton

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Information from WYSH Radio/Oak Ridge Today

Strong storms that rolled through the area over the weekend caused widespread damage and power outages across East Tennessee.

While this area appeared to escape the brunt of the storm’s damage, there were numerous reports of trees and power lines down. In Clinton, a tree fell across the fence at the Municipal Swimming Pool at Jaycee Park, damaging the fence and dropping limbs, branches and leaves in the pool itself. A second tree crushed the gate at the park’s main entrance as well.

The pool had been scheduled to open for the summer today (Tuesday, May 30), but that opening date has been pushed back to tomorrow. City crews will spend today removing the trees and repairing the damage.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said public safety agencies were very busy during the Saturday evening storm. The Sheriff’s Department handled 37 storm-related calls Saturday evening through Sunday, mostly due to trees and power lines blocking roads, Lucas said. [Read more…]

Briceville man charged with murder in fatal shooting at Clinton Walmart

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Robert Keith Myers

Robert Keith Myers

 

A Briceville man has been charged with murder and attempted murder in two separate violent incidents this year, one a fatal shooting at Walmart in Clinton in April and the other a serious alleged beating and shooting in February that left a woman with cuts, broken bones, and a brain injury, authorities said Thursday.

Robert Keith “Robbie” Myers, 32, was indicted during a special grand jury session Tuesday. He was arrested Wednesday night by the Clinton Police Department.

In the first case, Myers has been indicted on a second-degree murder charge in the death of Marshal Pinsly, 23, of Blaine, from a single gunshot wound in the parking lot of the Walmart in Clinton on Friday, April 28. Pinsly was married to the the ex-wife of Myers.

“The two are believed to have been involved in a disagreement over child visitation,” Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark said in a Thursday afternoon press release. “Mr. Pinsly approached Mr. Myers’ vehicle in the Walmart parking lot, and Mr. Myers is accused of shooting Mr. Pinsly without legal justification.” [Read more…]

Man killed in single-vehicle crash in Marlow on Wednesday

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A 41-year-old Heiskell man was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Marlow Road near Dutch Valley Road early Wednesday night, authorities said.

Kenneth R. Roberts was going around a slight left curve while driving south on Marlow Road at about 9:18 p.m. Wednesday when he lost control, veered right, and went off the roadway, according to a fatality report filed by the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The 1991 Dodge Dakota pickup truck that Roberts was driving continued at an angle off the roadway until it struck a tree stump with its front end, the THP report said.

The pickup stopped at the tree stump, facing south, the report said. [Read more…]

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department celebrating National Police Week

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The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department will join law enforcement agencies across the nation in celebrating National Police Week, May 14 through May 20, a press release said.

May 15 is National Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week containing May 15 has been National Police Week, since President John F. Kennedy signed Public Law 87-726 on October 1, 1962. It was not until May 15, 1982, that the first National Peace Officers’ Memorial Day service was held.

Activities during National Police Week now include the annual Candlelight Vigil at the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial in Washington, D.C. The National Peace Officers’ Memorial Day Service on May 15 draws thousands from across the nation.

The Sheriff’s Department has lost eight officers in the line of duty. Seven were killed by gunfire, and one died in an automobile accident, the press release said. [Read more…]

CodeRED alert helps to locate missing child

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CodeRED Logo

Anderson County authorities said a CodeRED alert helped locate a missing child on Friday. The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department explains in the press release below.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department deputies were called to a home on Hinds Creek Road on Friday, May 5, shortly before 11 a.m. on a report of a missing child. A four-year-old boy had wandered away from home, apparently with the family dog. An intensive search began using Sheriff’s K-9 teams including bloodhounds, law enforcement officers from the Sheriff’s Department and other local police agencies, and emergency personnel from several area fire and rescue agencies.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Communications sent a CodeRED alert to residents living in the area to inform them of the missing child. This alert went to all landline telephones within a five-mile radius of where the child went missing. It also would have been sent to anyone who lived in that area and had signed up for CodeRED for their wireless telephone or text messages. [Read more…]

Missing four-year-old boy found with family dog after four-hour search

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Note: This story was updated at 12:50 p.m. May 7.

A four-year-old boy reported missing with a family dog was found Friday afternoon after a four-hour search and help from a CodeRED alert, authorities said.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a report of a missing child at a home on Hinds Creek Road shortly before 11 a.m. Friday, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said.

“A four-year-old boy had wandered away from home apparently with the family dog,” Lucas said. “An intensive search began using Sheriff’s Department K-9 teams, including bloodhounds. A Blount County Sheriff’s K-9 bloodhound also responded to assist.”

Emergency personnel from the Andersonville Fire Department, Norris Fire Department, Claxton Fire Department, Clinton Fire Department, Clinton Police Department, Anderson County Rescue Squad, Anderson County Emergency Management, and Anderson County EMS came to the scene and helped with the search, both on foot and by using ATVs, Lucas said. [Read more…]

Power poles replaced, Clinton Highway re-opened early Tuesday

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Clinton Highway Power Lines Down 2 May 1 2017

Clinton Highway (US 25W) south of Clinton between Foust Carney Road and East Wolf Valley Road was temporarily closed starting Monday because of trees and power lines that had fallen, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said Monday afternoon, May 1, 2017. (Photo courtesy Anderson County Sheriff’s Department)

 

After four large power poles were replaced, all four lanes of Clinton Highway, both the northbound and southbound lanes, re-opened at about 6 a.m. Tuesday, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said.

Earlier, both northbound lanes and one southbound lane had re-opened at about 3:45 a.m. Tuesday, Lucas said.

A section of Clinton Highway had been closed south of Clinton between Foust Carney Road and East Wolf Valley Road starting Monday because of trees and power lines that fell when strong winds blew through East Tennessee on Monday afternoon. The highway was completely blocked, and both northbound and southbound lanes were closed.

“The Clinton Utilities Board did an outstanding job of replacing four large power poles, repairing a fifth, and re-installing all the lines as quickly as they did considering all the damage,” Lucas said. [Read more…]

Part of Clinton Highway closed due to fallen trees, power lines

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Clinton Highway Power Lines Down 2 May 1 2017

Clinton Highway (US 25W) south of Clinton between Foust Carney Road and East Wolf Valley Road is closed because of trees and power lines that have fallen, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said Monday afternoon, May 1, 2017. (Photo courtesy Anderson County Sheriff’s Department)

 

Clinton Highway (US 25W) south of Clinton between Foust Carney Road and East Wolf Valley Road is closed because of trees and power lines that have fallen, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said Monday afternoon.

“The highway is completely blocked, and both northbound and southbound lanes are closed,” Lucas said. “The road is expected to be shut down for at least eight hours or more.” [Read more…]

Anderson County judges will dedicate plaque in memory of deceased attorneys on Monday

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The judges of Anderson County will dedicate a plaque in memory of deceased Anderson County practicing attorneys on Monday, May 1, “Law Day.” The presentation will take place at noon May 1 on the third floor of the Anderson County Courthouse, in the Circuit Courtroom.

The public is welcome to attend.

Flooding, fallen trees, road closures reported in Anderson County during storms

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The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department had a busy weekend after the rain started on Friday, Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said.

Flooding occurred throughout the county, Lucas said. There were trees that had fallen on homes but no reports of injuries. High water forced the closure of several roads. Many of those were still closed Monday morning.

“The water is receding, but drivers are urged to continue to use caution,” Lucas said. “Due to all of the flooded roads, Anderson County Schools were closed today (Monday, April 24).”

Deputies responded to 25 traffic hazard reports from Friday through Sunday. These included fallen trees and other debris in the roadway. Mudslides were also reported on at least two roads, Lucas said. [Read more…]

Trees fall, roads flood, driver escapes floodwaters as rains continue

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Airport-Road-Flooding-Oliver-Springs-Storms-April-22-2017

The driver was reported to have made it out of floodwaters before emergency responders arrived on Saturday afternoon, April 22, 2017, but her black Nissan Altima remained partially submerged on Airport Road near Oliver Springs on Sunday. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

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

Roads flooded and trees fell—sometimes on homes, power lines, and roads—as rain continued to fall in East Tennessee on Sunday. One driver was reported to have escaped from her car in floodwaters on Airport Road near Oliver Springs on Saturday afternoon, but the black Nissan Altima remained partially submerged in the water on Sunday.

There appeared to have been at least 10 reports of fallen trees in Oak Ridge during the severe thunderstorms that started Saturday afternoon and continued with rain showers on Sunday. Most of those trees were reported to have fallen on homes, power lines, across roadways, or on personal property such as an automobile. There were five reports of fallen trees between about 3 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, including a tree that fell across both lanes of Melton Lake Drive near Calhoun’s restaurant, causing a temporary closure of that two-lane road.

There were more reports of trees that had fallen but not damaged anything.

Large trees are falling due to excess rain, the City of Oak Ridge said Sunday. Electric crews have been out all night, and backup is on the way, the city said, but it may be tomorrow (Monday, April 24) before all power is back.

At various times on Sunday, there were reports of flooding or flood watches across Oak Ridge, including on Vermont Avenue, near Heritage Center (the former K-25 site), on California Avenue, and at Jefferson Avenue and North Jefferson Circle.

There were also reports of trees down and road closures in Clinton. Briceville Highway was reported to be closed in Briceveille due to sinking pavement on Sunday afternoon. Earlier Sunday, State Route 71 in Anderson County was closed for several hours at Norris Dam State Park because trees were blocking the road, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

Some school districts have announced they will be closed Monday. Roane County Schools said it will be closed due to “concerning road conditions throughout the county.” Anderson County Schools said it will be closed because of dangerous conditions with flooded roads and trees being down.

The National Weather Service in Morristown said a record for daily rainfall was set at Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Airport on Sunday. The NWS said 1.89 inches had fallen as of 5 p.m. Sunday, breaking the old record of 1.63 inches in 1977.

[Read more…]