Oak Ridge Today

Update: Lamar Deal dies after accident

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Information from WYSH Radio

A tragic accident Thursday afternoon at Deal’s Small Engine in Clinton killed owner Lamar Deal.

A report from the Clinton Fire Department indicates that while unloading lawn mowers from a tractor trailer at the business at around 1:30 p.m. Thursday, a cable snapped, and Deal was struck in the chest by a hook attached to a forklift pulling a palette.

When emergency responders arrived, they found two people applying pressure to the wound and immediately began lifesaving measures.

Crews called for Lifestar to land at Lakefront Park to transport Deal to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, but as the chopper landed, he became unresponsive. Rescue personnel began CPR and transported him to UT by ambulance.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Lamar Deal, a longtime client and friend of WYSH Radio, especially his wife Barbara. As soon as funeral arrangements are announced, we will pass them along to you.

Accident at Deal’s Small Engine critically injures owner

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Information from WYSH Radio

WYSH has learned that an accident Thursday afternoon at Deal’s Small Engine in Clinton has critically injured owner Lamar Deal.

Preliminary information indicates that while unloading lawn mowers from a tractor trailer at the business, a cable securing the mowers snapped, and Deal was struck in the chest. The Clinton police and fire departments responded to the scene and transported Deal to the football field, where he was airlifted to the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

After two days in hospital, toddler dies from drowning, CPD says

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Anthony Hampton

Anthony Hampton (Photo courtesy Brenda Hood)

The two-year-old boy who apparently fell into a swimming pool at his grandparents’ home in Clinton on Tuesday morning died Thursday morning at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, authorities said.

Anthony Hampton had been in the neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU, at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville, the Clinton Police Department said.

The CPD and Clinton Fire Department responded to the near-drowning on Melton Hill Circle in Clinton at about 8:40 a.m. Tuesday. Hampton was first taken to Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge and then transported to Children’s Hospital. He died at about 4 a.m. Thursday. [Read more…]

Pioneer man faces vehicular homicide charge in fatal crash on Hwy 61

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Shawn Earl Wright

Shawn Earl Wright

A Pioneer man has been arrested on a half-dozen charges, including vehicular homicide, for the October death of an Oneida man in a crash on Highway 61 at the on-ramp to I-75 North in Clinton.

Christopher Strunk, 32, of Oneida, died in the fatal crash on Friday morning, October 4. The Clinton Police Department reported that Strunk was a passenger in a Honda Civic driven by Shawn Wright, now 27, of Pioneer, WYSH Radio in Clinton reported at the time.

Wright now faces six charges: vehicular homicide, criminally negligent homicide, reckless aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, and failure to stop at a red light. He was indicted by an Anderson County grand jury on August 5 and arrested Tuesday. He remained jailed in the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton early Wednesday afternoon. [Read more…]

Toddler hospitalized after apparently falling into swimming pool

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Note: This story was updated at 12:26 p.m.

A toddler who apparently fell into a swimming pool on Tuesday morning reportedly remained in an intensive care unit in Knoxville, authorities said.

The Clinton police and fire departments were dispatched to a home on Melton Hill Circle in Clinton at about 8:40 a.m. Tuesday, the Clinton Police Department said in a statement.

“A 911 caller told dispatchers that a two-and-half-year-old boy had, apparently, fallen into a swimming pool,” the statement said.

The CPD said the boy was first transported to Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge.

“At last report, the child remained in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at East Tennessee Childrens Hospital in Knoxville,” the statement said.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Clinton’s Scarbrough named ‘Police Chief of the Year’

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Clinton Police Chief Rick Scarbrough

Rick Scarbrough

Information from WYSH Radio

Clinton Police Chief Rick Scarbrough has been named the 2014 “Police Chief of The Year” by the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police.

The award was presented Friday night during an awards banquet at the 44th Annual TACP Conference. The event was held at the Marriott Hotel in Chattanooga.

The association is made up of chiefs and command staffs throughout the state.

Scarbrough was selected by his peers to receive the honor.

Sheriff: Aryan Nations member charged in attempted murder of Oak Ridge man

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Cameron Reid Lowry

Cameron Reid Lowry

A Powell member of the Aryan Nations gang has been charged with attempted murder in a gang-related assault on a 31-year-old Oak Ridge man in November, authorities said.

Cameron Reid Lowry, 35, of West Emory Road in Powell, has been charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault, Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said. Lowry was arrested Saturday after he was indicted by the Anderson County grand jury, White said. Lowry’s bond has been set at $100,000.

White said the arrest is the result of an investigation that has been under way for several months and involved cooperation between the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department and the 7th Judicial District Crime Task Force, which includes officers from the Sheriff’s Department, and the Oak Ridge, Clinton, Lake City, and Oliver Springs police departments, as well as the District Attorney General’s Office. [Read more…]

Atlanta burglary suspect jailed after high-speed police chase, CPD says

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Victor Allen Webb

Victor Allen Webb

A 26-year-old Georgia man remained in jail on Saturday after a high-speed police chase on Friday that started in Clinton and ended between Oak Ridge and Oliver Springs, authorities said.

The suspect, Victor Allen Webb of Atlanta, is facing charges in connection with at least two local home burglaries, the Clinton Police Department said in a press release.

On Friday morning, a CPD officer on special neighborhood patrol spotted the suspect vehicle near the scene of burglaries this week, the release said.

“I had asked Patrolman Brian Galloway to keep an eye on homes in the western end of Clinton between Charles G. Seivers Boulevard and the river, due to recent burglaries,” Clinton Police Chief Rick Scarbrough said. “When officer Galloway attempted to stop the white Kia, instead of stopping, the suspect continued on.”

Reports indicate that the pursuit continued through parts of Oak Ridge, finally ending on Oliver Springs Highway (Highway 61), the CPD said. [Read more…]

Knox man indicted on numerous charges in fatal wreck

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Kyle Houston Anthony

Kyle Houston Anthony

Information from WYSH Radio

A Knoxville man has been indicted by an Anderson County grand jury on several charges connected to a December 2013 accident on Lewallen Bridge that killed one person and injured four others.

Kyle Houston Anthony, 22, was indicted last week on charges of vehicular homicide by intoxication and recklessness, drunken driving, driving under the influence of marijuana, three counts of reckless aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, speeding, and tampering with evidence. He is free on $150,000 bond and will be arraigned Aug. 1 in Criminal Court.

The wreck killed 40-year-old Angela Duncan Richardson, who was ejected through the rear window of the 2012 Chevrolet pickup driven by Anthony. [Read more…]

Clinton to receive Municipal League award for police service

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Clinton Police Department Badge

Clinton will receive a Tennessee Municipal League award for police service during a conference in Chattanooga on Tuesday, a press release said.

The 2014 Tennessee Municipal League Achievement Award for Excellence in Police Service will be presented at 8 a.m. Tuesday during TML’s 75th Annual Conference at the Chattanooga Convention Center in Chattanooga.

The award is being presented in recognition of the city’s efforts to provide a model police department to the community, the release said.

“A culture of planning, caring and excellence; it’s what takes a municipal Police Department from ordinary to outstanding,” the release said. “And the Clinton Police Department is all that. A model of efficiency and outreach, officers—several with advanced specialty degrees—strive to provide the utmost in community service and training to area schools and other agencies, while being good stewards of the community resources. An extraordinary focus on communication among the department’s command staff is reflected in the city’s reduction in crime rate.” [Read more…]

Spotlight: Clinton Fire Department trained in advanced vehicle extrication

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Clinton Fire Department Advanced Vehicle Extrication

Submitted

Six Clinton firefighters are now certified in advanced vehicle extrication. Clinton Fire Department Capt. Anthony Braden, Lt. Bradley Allen, Lt. Josh Bray, Firefighter Brad Bittinger, Firefighter J.C. Townsend, and Firefighter Brice Kidwell completed 20 hours of advanced level training in Cookeville, Tenn.

“In addition to being better prepared to handle most any emergecy extrication situation, all six members are now eligible to become trainers in the level of basic vehicle extrication,” Fire Chief Archie Brummitt said. [Read more…]

Clinton Police investigate gas station break-in

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Clinton Police Department responded to a break-in at the Shell gas station at 2180 North Charles Seivers Boulevard early Sunday morning.

The incident report indicated that a Clinton police officer responded to the gas station at around 5:45 a.m. Sunday on a report of a burglary. Investigators determined that someone used a lever of some sort to pry open the dead bolt lock on one of the doors to gain entry and that the thief or thieves had also disabled the store’s security system before damaging the alarm box itself. Several phone lines and other cables were cut during the heist.

The culprits pried open and emptied an ATM machine inside the store as well as the two cash registers and made off with as much as $1,100 in cash.  The case has been turned over to detectives for follow-up and as of press time, there were no suspects.