Oak Ridge Today

State releases information on weekend crashes that ended high-speed chase

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The Tennessee Highway Patrol has released information on the Saturday night crashes in Oak Ridge that ended a high-speed chase, caused one vehicle to overturn, and sent two people to a hospital.

The chase started in Kingston late Saturday night after the suspect, Austin Cody Burns, 21, of Tellico Plains, nearly collided head-on with a vehicle driven by a deputy, the Roane County Sheriff’s Office reported. Burns allegedly fled from Roane County and Kingston Police Department officers at speeds that exceeded 90 mph. [Read more…]

TBI Study: Simple assault the most frequent domestic violence offense, females more likely to be victims

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NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday released a report focused on domestic violence that occurs between family members entitled “Family Violence Study 2012.” The study is based on offenses reported by law enforcement agencies to the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System in 2012, where approximately 14.5 percent of all crimes reported were domestic in nature.

Of the 2012 domestic violence offenses, 41,708, or 50 percent, were reported as having a familial victim-to-offender relationship. It is important to note that the parameters of the study did not include certain valid domestic violence relationships particularly boyfriend and girlfriend, which was the most commonly reported domestic violence relationship in 2012. The study also gives insight into the influence of drugs and alcohol in familial violence. [Read more…]

WYSH: Nephew allegedly assaults uncle, steals pills

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Information from WYSH Radio

A Clinton man reported that he had been assaulted and robbed by his nephew late Saturday night, according to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department.

An ACSD deputy was sent to Tennova North Medical Center in Knoxville early Monday morning, where he spoke with the victim, William Scarbrough, 53. Scarbrough told the deputy that at around midnight Saturday, his 30-year-old nephew Joseph Allen Huskey—who lives with him—had come in to his bedroom and hit him several times with a baseball bat before stealing his prescription oxycodone and Xanax pills and fleeing the scene. [Read more…]

Secret City Festival announces new concert security measures

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James T. Akagi

James T. Akagi

The Secret City Festival will have tighter security at the Friday and Saturday night concerts this year, and visitors could experience a few delays as organizers try to make the shows safer, a press release said.

No backpacks or coolers will be allowed into the concert site, and all bags will be subject to search, the release said.

“In light of recent events, we’re being extra vigilant in our protection of our attendees, staff, and the community during the festival concerts,” Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi said. [Read more…]

Man allegedly flees from Kingston to Oak Ridge, tries to run officers off road, crashes into cars

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Note: This story was last updated at 1:28 p.m. June 18.

KINGSTON—A Tellico Plains man driving a Ford pickup truck allegedly almost had a head-on collision with a Roane County deputy in Kingston on Saturday night, fled from officers at speeds over 90 mph, aggressively drove toward patrol cars trying to box him in on Gallaher Road, and crashed into several vehicles in Oak Ridge, causing significant injuries to passengers in one vehicle, authorities said.

The suspect has been identified as Austin Cody Burns, 21, the Roane County Sheriff’s Office said. An incident report said Burns’ ex-girlfriend had broken up with him earlier in the day, and he allegedly stole her pickup truck. [Read more…]

Two from Clinton apply for Appeals Court seat

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Information from WYSH Radio

Several people, including two from Clinton, have applied to fill an anticipated 2014 vacancy on the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals. The opening is the result of an announcement by Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Joseph Tipton that he will not seek re-election in August 2014, creating a vacancy effective Sept. 1, 2014.

Because the statutory provisions for the Judicial Nominating Commission expire June 30, the commission will meet this month to select a slate of candidates for Gov. Bill Haslam to choose from. The Court of Criminal Appeals opening is for the Eastern Tennessee Grand Division. [Read more…]

Four AC units swiped from OR church

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Information from WYSH Radio

Oak Ridge Police are investigating the thefts of four air conditioning units from a church in two separate incidents.

Three Sundays ago, members of the West Village Christian Church discovered that the lines to a pair of AC units on one side of their building had been cut when they went to see why the air wasn’t working. The next day, those two units were stolen. [Read more…]

Young boy hit by car, taken to UT hospital

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A 20-month-old boy ran out in front of a car on New Clear Branch Road south of Lake City on Thursday morning and was hit by a car, authorities said.

The boy, who had run out from his home on New Clear Branch Road, had no broken bones, but he was taken by ambulance to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Joseph Lindsay said. [Read more…]

ORUD ‘near miss’: Light fails, fixture overheats, insulation paper ignites

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Oak Ridge Utility District Fire

Oak Ridge firefighters investigate a report of smoke at Oak Ridge Utility District on Thursday morning. They found a hot ceiling tile and determined a light ballast had apparently failed, causing a fixture to overheat and igniting insulation paper. (Submitted photos)

The Oak Ridge Fire Department called it a “near miss.”

Firefighters responded at about 6:40 a.m. Thursday to a report of smoke at the Oak Ridge Utility District office building on South Jefferson Circle. The source of the smoke was initially believed to be a motor on a heat and air unit that had failed, but fire crews using a thermal imaging camera located a hot ceiling tile in an office, an ORFD press release said.

“It appears that a light ballast had failed, causing the fixture to overheat, which ignited the paper backing on the insulation lying directly on top of the recessed light,” the release said. “The paper burned along the insulation for approximately five feet until the insulation came into contact with a sprinkler pipe, where it self-extinguished. There was no damage, smoke or water, to the building, and the burned insulation was removed by the firefighters.” [Read more…]

Deck fire apparently caused by charcoal ashes discarded in trash bag

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Golfcrest Lane Fire

The Oak Ridge Fire Department responds to a trash fire apparently started by charcoal ashes on Golfcrest Lane on Wednesday. Pictured above are Oak Ridge Fire Department Capt. Kerry Osborne on top of ladder, and firefighters Joe Brackins, left, and Seth Burnett.
(Photo by Tom Scott)

Charcoal ashes discarded in a trash bag on a deck apparently started a Wednesday afternoon fire on Golfcrest Lane, the Oak Ridge Fire Department said Thursday.

Firefighters responded to a report of smoke at 119 Golfcrest Lane at 12:49 p.m. Wednesday. A neighbor threw water on the flames before the Fire Department arrived and the small fire was out, an ORFD press release said.

The only damage to the home was a small hole in two boards in the deck. [Read more…]

Storm knocked trees onto homes, woman reports possible lightning strike

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Tree on Delaware Avenue Home

A tree fell on a vacant Delaware Avenue home during a severe Monday night storm. (Photo by Brad Jones)

A strong storm that blew through Oak Ridge on Monday knocked two trees down onto homes. One fell onto a firefighter’s house and caused several thousand dollars worth of damage, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said.

Firefighters also responded to a call from a woman who called 911 and said she thought she had been struck by lightning during the 7 p.m. storm.

“Upon arrival, the fire department found her in the living room of her home complaining of chest pain,” Kerley said. “She stated she was standing looking out the window when lighting hit in front of her, and she began experiencing chest pain. She was transported to Methodist Medical Center for evaluation.” [Read more…]

Now ex-ACHS teacher nabbed in Knox prostitution sting

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Information from WYSH Radio

An Anderson County High School teacher was arrested this past weekend in an online prostitution sting.

Brian Dean Justice, 40, also a former assistant principal at Clinton Middle School, was arrested by Knox County Sheriff’s Department deputies Friday after he allegedly contacted a person he thought was a prostitute after answering an online ad on a website called backpage.com and arranging to meet the person at a motel in Knox County. That person turned out to be an undercover deputy, and Justice was arrested and charged with patronizing prostitution. [Read more…]