Oak Ridge Today

Fire flares on Decatur Road back porch

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Decatur Road Fire

Oak Ridge firefighters quickly extinguished a fire at a Decatur Road home on Monday afternoon.

Oak Ridge firefighters quickly extinguished a fire that briefly raged at a Decatur Road home on Monday afternoon, including on the back porch.

Neighbors reported smoke at the home at about 2:45 p.m. Monday.

The Oak Ridge Fire Department appeared to bring the fire under control within a few minutes and later entered the home, which is at the intersection with Delaware Avenue. Firefighters remained on the scene more than 90 minutes afterward.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Two industry fires reported in Clinton

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

ORFD Tower Truck

The Oak Ridge Fire Department responded with a tower truck and personnel to a Thursday evening fire at Rexnord Link Belt Plant on J.D. Yarnell Industrial Parkway in Clinton. (Photos by Tom Scott)

Two fires were reported Thursday night and early Friday morning at businesses in Clinton.

The first fire broke out Thursday night at Rexnord, and the second one occurred early Friday at Eagle Bend Manufacturing, according to WYSH Radio in Clinton. In both fires, no injuries were reported, and they are not believed to be suspicious in nature.

[Read more…]

Man pleads guilty in woman’s death

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

A man pleaded guilty on Wednesday in Knoxville to killing a former Anderson County Jail employee during an armed robbery outside a Knoxville credit union in December 2010.

Brandon Johnson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, aggravated robbery, and other charges and was sentenced to 45 years in prison with no early release in the shooting death of 46-year-old Davida Nicholson.

[Read more…]

SUV stolen, pickup vandalized at Clinton dealership

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

A Clinton auto dealer reported that one vehicle was stolen from his lot over the weekend and another vandalized.

David Worthington called the Clinton Police Department to Worthington Motor Company on South Seivers Boulevard Monday morning and told officers that he had discovered the theft and the vandalism when he arrived at work.

[Read more…]

Woman accused of pulling knife on man, trying to run him over

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

An Oak Ridge woman charged with two counts of aggravated assault is accused of hitting a man in the head, pulling a knife on him, and then trying to run over him early Thursday morning, court records said.

Karol Ann Allred, 40, allegedly hit the man in the left side of the head during an argument on Lancaster Road at about 3:10 a.m. Thursday, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court. Allred also allegedly pulled a knife on the man and got into her vehicle and tried to run over him as he left the home, the records said.

[Read more…]

Woman has possible injuries after Lansing Road rollover crash

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Latimer Road Crash

An Oak Ridge woman was injured in a rollover accident on South Lansing Road on Sunday night. (Photo by Tom Scott)

An Oak Ridge woman suffered possible injuries in a rollover accident on South Lansing Road on Sunday night.

Terry Beth Matthews, 48, was using her shoulder and lap belt and was not ejected, but she was taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center after her 2004 Toyota Camry rolled near Latimer Road at about 8:55 p.m. Sunday, an Oak Ridge Police Department crash report said.

Matthews was outside the vehicle, which was on its roof, when police and fire units arrived. Her passenger, Richard L. Sweeden, 48, of Kingston, was not injured, but he had left the scene.

[Read more…]

Family withdraws lawsuit over fatal 2010 Oak Ridge police shooting

Posted at
By 2 Comments

Note: This story was last updated at 9:15 a.m. Jan. 17.

The family of a man fatally shot by Oak Ridge police after he allegedly threatened officers with a knife and stabbed a police dog has withdrawn a lawsuit against the city, municipal officials, and four police officers.

The voluntary withdrawal of the lawsuit, a stipulation of dismissal, was filed in U.S. District Court in Knoxville on Nov. 16.

The plaintiffs—the estate of Rodney Eugene Harris, 48, and his wife, Patricia Harris—have one year to refile the civil lawsuit, which sought an unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages.

A Feb. 4 trial had been scheduled before Senior U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell.

[Read more…]

Houston brothers indicted on federal firearms charges

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted two brothers who were tried twice but never convicted in the 2006 shooting deaths of a Roane County Sheriff’s Department deputy and his ride-along partner, authorities said.

A 14-count indictment was returned against Rocky Houston, 52, charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms, according to the office of U.S. Attorney William C. Killian in the Eastern District of Tennessee.

A one-count indictment was also returned again Leon Houston, 54, for possessing firearms while being an unlawful user of controlled substances, a press release said.

[Read more…]

WYSH: Clinton store robbed

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

Clinton Police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred at the AT&T store in Tanner Place on Saturday night.

Police were called to the store at around 7 p.m. Saturday by a contract sales associate for AT&T, who told investigators that she had been packing up her belongings to leave for the night when she heard the front door open. When she turned around, she spotted a white man with a pistol approaching her. The man laid the gun on the counter facing her and demanded money.

[Read more…]

Houston brothers face federal firearm charges

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

Two brothers who were tried twice but never convicted in the 2006 shooting deaths of a Roane County Sheriff’s Department deputy and his ridealong partner are now facing federal charges.

Rocky and Leon Houston were both arrested Friday on federal firearms charges at the family’s home in the Ten Mile community after agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Roane County Sheriff’s Office; and other agencies executed search and arrest warrants.

U.S. Attorney Bill Killian says that Rocky Houston is charged with being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and that Leon Houston is charged with possession of firearms while being an unlawful user of controlled substances.

[Read more…]

Father shoots son after Sunday dispute in Roane County

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Note: This story was last updated at 5:59 p.m.

A Roane County man apparently acted in self-defense when he fatally shot his son once after a dispute on Sunday afternoon at a home on Old Harriman Highway, north of Oak Ridge and west of Oliver Springs, authorities said.

Michael Brown, 36, was dead when deputies arrived at about 4:16 p.m. Sunday, the Roane County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement posted on its website.

[Read more…]

Vehicle rolls, injuries reported in Oak Ridge Turnpike crash

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Turnpike Crash

Four people were injured, three ejected or partially ejected, and two extricated after a two-vehicle collision on Oak Ridge Turnpike on Sunday afternoon. (Photos by Tom Scott)

Four people were injured, three were ejected or partially ejected, and firefighters had to extricate two after two vehicles collided on Oak Ridge Turnpike on Sunday afternoon.

The crash occurred east of Laboratory Road near the entrance to Home Depot at about 3:08 p.m. Sunday.

An Oak Ridge Police Department crash report said the two drivers and two passengers—Charles E. Brooks, 83; Derick S. Coapman, 22; Faith M. Goncalves, 22; and Daniel W. Coapman, 27—were reported in stable condition at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville at the time of the report.

[Read more…]