Oak Ridge Today

Clinton woman dies one week after three-car, head-on collision

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Three Car Collision on Oliver Springs Highway

Alberta Farrer, a 56-year-old Clinton resident and one of three drivers in a Nov. 1 head-on collision on Oliver Springs Highway, died Thursday morning at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. (Photo by Tom Scott)

A Clinton woman died early Thursday, one week after a head-on collision that involved three cars on Oliver Springs Highway, authorities said.

Alberta Farrer, 56, died at 4 a.m. Thursday at University of Tennessee Medical Center, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said.

Charges and citations are pending against one of the drivers, 55-year-old Danny Bean of Clinton, the THP said.

Bean allegedly crossed the center line while driving southbound in a Toyota 4-Runner on Oliver Springs Highway at Thursday, Nov. 1, causing a head-on collision with a Hyundai Elantra driven by Farrer, the THP said.

A Chevrolet pickup driven by Travis Gallaher, 19, of Oliver Springs, was behind Farrer, headed toward Oliver Springs. Gallaher braked and swerved left to avoid the crash, but the collision between Bean’s SUV and Farrer’s car pushed the two vehicles toward Gallaher’s truck and the pickup hit Farrer’s Elantra on the driver’s side.

Farrer and a passenger, Pat Smith, a 62-year-old Clinton resident, were flown by medical helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, according to an accident report last week. Bean was taken by ambulance to the UT hospital, and Gallaher was taken to a local hospital by a personal vehicle.

The accident occurred at 5:53 p.m. Nov. 1 near Marlow Circle and Anderson Memorial Gardens on Oliver Springs Highway, which is also known as State Route 61.

Emergency responders from several local agencies responded. The accident is being investigated by THP Trooper Anthony Lay.

Detectives will investigate mobile home fires on Oliver Springs Highway

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A Tuesday morning fire that damaged two mobile homes off Oliver Springs Highway has been ruled suspicious, and detectives from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department will investigate, a report said.

The fire was reported at two mobile homes at the end of Joann Lane, just west of Anderson Memorial Gardens, at about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Anderson County Sgt. Mark C. Hobbs said one of the mobile homes was unoccupied and used to store parts, including doors, cabinets and paint. It is owned by Ben Graves of Ben’s Home Center and located next to a fenced-in storage area.

Graves estimated the home’s value at about $18,000. The value of the items stored inside was unknown, the Sheriff’s Department report said.

There was a second “very old” mobile home behind the first one, and it appeared to be the source of the fire, the report said.

Neither mobile home had power. The report estimated the total damage at about $21,000.

Magic Wok damaged by smoke, could be closed few days

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Oak Ridge Fire Department at Magic Wok

Oak Ridge firefighters check for “hot spots” on the roof after responding to a fire alarm at the Magic Wok restaurant on Tyler Road on Thursday night.

The Magic Wok restaurant could be closed a few days after food was left cooking on a stove unattended Thursday night, causing minor damage to the building, mostly smoke damage, Oak Ridge Assistant Fire Chief Josh Waldo said.

The Oak Ridge Fire Department responded to a possible fire call at the popular restaurant on Tyler Road at 10:46 p.m. Thursday. Firefighters didn’t see any flames, but they found smoke and high temperatures.

They used water cannons—fire extinguishers filled with water—to cool the restaurant’s interior. They also checked the roof for hot spots, including by cutting a corner of the roof.

Firefighters stayed at the scene for about two hours and ensured the temperature of building materials dropped below 80 degrees and there was no more smoke, a fire report said.

Waldo said 15 firefighters responded, and no one was injured. Damage was estimated at about $7,000 to property and contents.

Waldo said the Magic Wok, which is owned by Betty and Jim Wong, will be closed for minor repairs and general cleanup, and the restaurant will have to be re-inspected by code enforcement officers and health department inspectors before it can re-open.

Council considers new police cars, take-home vehicles

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Five Oak Ridge police officers who moved into the city this year were motivated to do so at least in part by a program that allows them to take their police cars home.

Now, the Oak Ridge Police Department has five officers who are eligible for assigned vehicles under that program, but there are no vehicles available.

So, the Oak Ridge City Council tonight will consider buying eight patrol vehicles, including several new take-home cars as well as a few replacement vehicles.

The Take Home Vehicle Program started in September 2011. Oak Ridge Police Chief James T. Akagi said it increases officer visibility in the city and the neighborhoods where they live, allows quick response times, improves productivity, and boosts employee pride in department vehicles, resulting in better maintenance.

He said the ORPD fleet includes 43 vehicles. Twenty-one of them are assigned, and they last longer and get more miles, Akagi wrote in an Oct. 26 memo to Oak Ridge City Manager Mark S. Watson. He said the eight new cars, either Ford Interceptors or Dodge Chargers, could cost up to $340,000.

Tonight’s Oak Ridge City Council meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Building Courtroom. The agenda is available here.

More information could be added later.

Three taken to UT hospital after three car, head-on collision

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Three Car Collision on Oliver Springs Highway

Three people were taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center after a three-car, head-on collision on Oliver Springs Highway on Thursday evening, and a fourth person was taken to a local hospital. (Photo by Tom Scott)

A head-on collision that involved three cars on Oliver Springs Highway on Thursday evening sent two drivers and a passenger to the University of Tennessee Medical Center and a third driver to a local hospital, authorities said.

The accident occurred at 5:53 p.m. Thursday when a Toyota 4-Runner driven by Danny Bean, 55, of Clinton, crossed the center line, causing a head-on collision with a Hyundai Elantra driven by Alberta Farrer, 56, of Clinton, according to information from the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

A third vehicle driven by Travis Gallaher, 19, of Oliver Springs, was behind Farrer, headed toward Oliver Springs. Gallaher swerved left to avoid the crash but collided with Farrer’s car.

Farrer and a passenger, Pat Smith, 62, also of Clinton, were flown by medical helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, the accident report said. Bean, the first driver, was taken by ambulance to the UT hospital, and Gallaher was taken to a local hospital by a personal vehicle.

The accident occurred near Anderson Memorial Gardens on Oliver Springs Highway, which is also known as State Route 61.

Emergency responders from several local agencies responded. The accident is being investigated by THP Trooper Anthony Lay.

No one injured in small home fire on Cove Lane

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Cove Lane Fire

Firefighter Gary Williamson, left, and Capt. Jason Benjamin of the Oak Ridge Fire Department respond to a call for help at a Cove Lane home north of Oliver Springs on Wednesday morning. (Photos by Tom Scott)

No one was injured in a small fire in a two-story home on Cove Lane north of Oliver Springs on Wednesday morning, said Josh Waldo, Oak Ridge assistant fire chief.

Oak Ridge Fire Department responded to the fire at about 11 a.m. Wednesday after receiving a call for help, but the Oliver Springs Fire Department had extinguished the flames by the time Oak Ridge firefighters arrived.

The home is in the Marlow Volunteer Fire Department district, and Marlow firefighters responded, as did emergency responders from several other local agencies.

Waldo said no one was home at the time of the fire, which was in the home’s dining room.

Oak Ridge Fire Department at Cove Lane

Oak Ridge Assistant Fire Chief Josh Waldo, left, and Oliver Springs Assistant Chief Justin Bailey, right, meet with Oak Ridge firefighters Andrew Murray, left center, and Steven Hales, right center. Murray and Hales started with the Oak Ridge Fire Department on Monday.

Woman arrested for punching Clinton cop

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A Lake City woman was arrested late Saturday night after she allegedly punched a Clinton police officer in the face, according to WYSH Radio in Clinton.

Clinton Police Department Officer Shawn Fritz was on patrol Saturday night at around 10:15 p.m. when he spotted a woman later identified as 28-year-old Ashley Bullock walking down North Charles Seivers Boulevard wearing only a T-shirt and blue jeans even though temperatures were only around 50 degrees, WYSH said.

Fritz conducted an unrelated traffic stop a short distance away and when he was finished there, doubled back to check on the woman to make sure she was OK. He located her standing in front of the Git N Go on North Seivers and attempted to make contact with her, the radio station said.

However, as he approached, she started walking away.

According to the arrest report, Fritz followed her, and Bullock stopped in the middle of the parking lot and turned to him, saying that she had just gotten out of jail and would not go back. At that point, she allegedly swung at Fritz, hitting him on the left side of his face near the eye with her fist, WYSH said.

Fritz took her to the ground and placed her under arrest on a charge of assault, the radio station said. She was taken back to the Anderson County Jail, from where she had been released less than half an hour before Fritz first saw her walking along the side of the road.

The incident was witnessed by two people and statements were obtained, WYSH said. Bullock has a lengthy arrest record dating back to 2004.

This story brought to you through an agreement between Oak Ridge Today and WYSH. See more local news headlines on the WYSH website at http://www.wyshradio.com/local_news.html.

Trio charged with aggravated robbery after alleged pistol-whipping

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Three Oak Ridge men have been charged with especially aggravated robbery after a Kingsley Road man was allegedly beaten in the head with a pistol during a drug deal and robbed of $250 on Tuesday afternoon, court records said.

Two of the men were buying Oxycontin at the Kingsley Road home when Nathaniel Tyhiene Johnson, 24, of Bettis Lane, allegedly attacked the victim and beat him in the head with a Raven .25-caliber pistol, Oak Ridge Police Officer Leslie A. Miller said in affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court.

The victim was treated for serious injuries at Methodist Medical Center and released.

Police found the pistol and a black hoodie and bandana used during the robbery in a black Cadillac on Hillside Road, the affidavits said.

The affidavits said the robbery and attack were allegedly planned by Andre Dominique Fritts, 26, of Wabash Lane, and Bobby Joseph Winn, 25, of Highland Ave., dropped off Johnson near the home “in order to commit the assault and robbery,” court records said.

Fritts, Johnson, and Winn remained jailed in the Anderson County Detention Facility on Thursday morning. Bond has been set at $250,000 for Johnson, and at $500,000 for Fritts and Winn.

Initial court appearances have been set for Nov. 8.

Andersonville Fire Department to become subscription-based

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The Andersonville Volunteer Fire Department says it will switch to a subscription-based operation beginning Jan. 1 due to a lack of funds, according to WYSH Radio in Clinton.

Fire Chief Jeff Bagwell says that a financial analysis of the department showed that if it did not change its operating plan, it would have to close down within three years, the radio station said.

The AVFD serves about 9,000 residents in a 68-square-mile area that also includes almost 60 businesses, four schools, several marinas, and an industrial park, WYSH said.

Memberships will be voluntary, and the subscription cost will be based upon the size of the home or business at a rate of eight cents per square foot. Officials estimate that the annual subscriptions will range from $150 to $200 but will be tax-deductible.

Currently, a very small percentage of homes and an even smaller percentage of businesses contribute to the department, WYSH said. After March 1, 2013, the department will begin charging non-subscribers for responding to the scene of a fire or an emergency medical call.

WYSH said Bagwell is scheduled to be a guest on the radio station’s “Ask Your Neighbor” show in a couple of weeks, and they plan to discuss the issue with him.

Andersonville is an unincorporated community in northeast Anderson County.

This story brought to you through an agreement between Oak Ridge Today and WYSH. See more local news headlines on the WYSH website at http://www.wyshradio.com/local_news.html.

Sheriff’s Department offers Halloween safety tips

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Today is Halloween, and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department has recommended safety tips for families and drivers, particularly for trick or treating tonight.

The goal is to make Halloween more enjoyable and safer, Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said.

Here are the tips:

  • Face paint is preferable to masks for children’s costumes. Trick or treaters should wear reflective clothing, carry a bright orange bag, and also carry a flashlight or glowstick to make it easier for passing cars to spot them. Always walk on the left side of the road facing traffic. Parents and children alike should watch for cars at all times.
  • An adult should always accompany young children. A parent or older child should stay close all times and never let children walk by themselves. Wait in the driveway or by the door until they return.
  • Older children should travel in pairs or in groups at all times while trick or treating. Parents should know the route their children are following. Children should always walk together to the front door of each house and never run across the road. Dark, unlighted houses should be avoided.
  • Children should save all their candy until they get home. Parents should closely inspect all candy. Throw away all unwrapped candy or any suspicious looking goodies.
  • Motorists should use extra caution Halloween night. When driving, slow down and be aware. Trick or treaters may dart into the road. Please drive at safe speeds and leave distance from the vehicle ahead of you. They may have to stop suddenly.

Sheriff’s deputies will be actively patrolling neighborhoods throughout the county during Halloween evening, a press release said.

Woman taken to hospital after van rolls over on SR 95

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Highway 95 Rollover Accident

An Oak Ridge woman was taken to the hospital after the van she was driving hit the ditch on Highway 95 on Monday morning and rolled over. (Photo by Tom Scott)

An Oak Ridge woman was taken to the hospital Monday morning after the minivan she was driving hit the ditch on State Route 95 and rolled over, an accident report said.

Lisa Marie Lewis, 47, was not ejected from the 2004 Ford minivan during the 10:30 a.m. accident, but she had possible injuries, an Oak Ridge Police Department report said.

Lewis, who had been driving northbound on SR 95 near Melton Hill Dam, was taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center, the report said.

Safe with cash stolen from Billy’s Time Out Deli

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A safe that reportedly had $3,100 in cash and coins was stolen from Billy’s Time Out Deli this weekend, an Oak Ridge Police Department report said.

Few other details about the alleged burglary were available. The safe was believed to have been taken from Billy’s between about 8 p.m. Saturday and 9:30 a.m. Sunday, the report said.

Billy’s is a popular diner at 202 S. Illinois Ave.

More information will be added as it becomes available.