The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help identifying a person who died in an apparent suicide.
The Sheriff’s Office responded to Bacon Springs Lane in Marlow, just north of Oak Ridge, at 3:52 p.m. Sunday.
A family had been walking in the area when they found a human skull, said Tyler Mayes, ACSO spokesperson and director of administrative services.
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As of Tuesday, Anderson County Emergency Medical Services had responded to more than 40 suspected COVID-19 calls since mid-March, Director Nathan Sweet said last week.
As of Tuesday, only one patient transported by Anderson County EMS had tested positive for COVID-19, Sweet said.
The suspected COVID-19 calls have come from across Anderson County: Oak Ridge, Norris, Clinton, Rocky Top, Marlow, Medford—”really just about anywhere in the county,” Sweet said.
The suspected COVID-19 calls are being screened by 911 emergency call centers in Anderson County, Clinton, and Oak Ridge to better prepare emergency responders before they arrive at the call site.
“If they meet any of the screening criteria, our crews are responding in appropriate personal protective equipment as a precaution for safety,” Sweet said.
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The number of inmates at the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton has fallen significantly, mostly due to COVID-19, a law enforcement official said last week.
On Wednesday, there were 297 inmates at the jail, which was more than 100 inmates below the average, said Tyler Mayes, director of administrative services for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.
“This is predominantly a result of COVID-19,” Mayes said. COVID-19 is a contagious respiratory illness that can be deadly.
No one had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Wednesday, Mayes said.
He said local jails across Tennessee are seeing similar reductions in the number of inmates as low risk, non-violent offenders are being placed on pre-trail supervision or being released on a low bond.
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The Oak Ridge Police Department and Police Chief Robin Smith are offering a $1,000 reward for information that helps investigators identify the baby boy found dead near the river bank along Melton Lake Greenway on Thursday, March 26.
The reward includes $500 from the ORPD, and Smith will match that with another $500.
Wyatt’s race has not been determined. Police officers have not been able to tell from his physical appearance. His umbilical cord was still attached before he was placed in the water, Smith said in a Facebook video Thursday. A piece of clothing was with Wyatt, although it’s not being described for investigative reasons.
The baby boy is being called Wyatt, or “little warrior,” Smith said.
[Read more…]The Oak Ridge Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a newborn boy found dead along the Melton Lake Greenway in March.
The newborn’s body was found Thursday, March 26, Investigators continue to ask for tips and information that could identify him.
The Oak Ridge Police Department has named the baby boy “Wyatt,” which means “little warrior,” according to a press release from the City of Oak Ridge.
On Thursday, April 2, ORPD officers and the Oak Ridge Fire Department gathered to set up a memorial in baby Wyatt’s name near the parking area on Melton Lake at Edgemoor Road, the press release said.
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Oak Ridge Police Chief Robin Smith on Wednesday said the temperatures of employees are being checked each day as they arrive for work, and the Oak Ridge Police Department is still enforcing laws.
When possible, police reports are being taken by phone to avoid personal contact, Smith said. It’s part of the police department’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Oak Ridge Police Department is “on the job to deter crime and enhance the safety of our citizens,” Smith said in a social media post.
“During this time of social distancing, we are looking for ways to reduce personal contact with others while continuing to perform our jobs effectively,” Smith said. “Let me tell you what we are not doing. We are not decreasing our enforcement efforts.”
[Read more…]The Oak Ridge Police Department is investigating after a newborn’s body was found near the bank along Melton Lake Greenway just north of the Edgemoor Road bridge on Thursday.
The body was reported by a resident at about 12:46 p.m. Thursday, and officers arrived at 12:53 p.m.
ORPD, Oak Ridge Fire Department, and Anderson County EMS, and the medical examiner’s office all responded.
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Hoping to prevent the infection or spread of COVID-19, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office said it is checking the temperature of everyone entering the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton and is using a hospital-grade disinfectant to clean the jail and patrol cars.
If a person has a fever and symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the Sheriff’s Office said it will make a decision on whether to admit them on a case-by-case basis while talking to the office of Seventh District Attorney General Dave Clark.
The Sheriff’s Office said its maintenance staff is cleaning the cells, walls, and floors of the Detention Facility more frequently than normal using a hospital-grade disinfectant that will help kill germs.
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Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Corporal Kim Lay was named the National L.E.A.D (Law Enforcement Against Drugs) Instructor of the Year on Tuesday at the National L.E.A.D Conference in New Jersey, a press release said.
In addition to her national award, Lay was named Instructor of the Year for the state of Tennessee. She received notice of the state award prior to attending the conference, but she was surprised when the L.E.A.D president called her name for the prestigious national award, the press relief said.
“Words cannot express how honored I am to receive these awards,” Lay said. “The L.E.A.D program has changed many lives, and I am grateful to play a small part in the process.”
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Note: This story was updated at 8:35 a.m. Feb. 24.
No injuries were reported in a fire that destroyed a home on Outer Drive near Ogden Lane early Friday.
The cause of the fire, reported at about 2:19 a.m. Friday, is under investigation.
“The first arriving unit was on scene within minutes and found heavy smoke and fire coming from the residence,” the City of Oak Ridge said. “The resident was not home at the time of the fire.”
Outer Drive was closed at Ogden Lane on Friday morning as the Oak Ridge Fire Department watched for hot spots and continued to spray water on the charred home, which appeared to have a second story that had collapsed. The road re-opened shortly after 3 p.m. Friday.
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An Oak Ridge firefighter was injured in a fire in a vacant house on Artesia Drive early Friday, February 14.
The fire was reported at about 3:20 a.m. February 14.
When the Oak Ridge Fire Department arrived, firefighters found heavy smoke and fire coming from the windows and eaves of the home, a press release said.
“The fire crew entered through the front door and quickly extinguished the fire in the kitchen area,” the press release said.
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The Lunch with the League program on Tuesday, February 18, will feature Melissa Miller, site coordinator of the new Anderson County Family Justice Center, and Detective Wendy Zolkowski of the Oak Ridge Police Department.
The Anderson County Family Justice Center will open in July 2020, a press release said.
“Miller and Zolkowski are working together to set up a world-class center that will provide a combination of services and interventions available in one location to help victims of child abuse, elder abuse, and domestic violence,” the press release said. “The Center will help victims break the cycle of violence and become thriving survivors by providing access to onsite professionals who will assist them in making this transition. The Center will be a free and confidential resource for clients.”
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