Oak Ridge Today

Police determine death near fitness center was a suicide

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The Oak Ridge Police Department on Sunday morning, April 22, 2018, investigated a death behind National Fitness Center in central Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Police Department on Sunday morning, April 22, 2018, investigates a death behind National Fitness Center in central Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Police Department has determined that the death of a female between two businesses in central Oak Ridge was a suicide.

Police responded to the parking lot of Home Depot at 175 Laboratory Road to conduct a welfare check on a person at 9:12 a.m. Sunday.

When officers arrived, they found Leah Michelle Ray, 49, of Oak Ridge, had died in a grassy area between Home Depot and the National Fitness Center, a press release said.

The Oak Ridge Police Department Criminal Investigations Division and Oak Ridge Fire Department were called to the scene to help. So was the Knox County Medical Examiner’s Office. [Read more…]

Police investigate death behind fitness center

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The Oak Ridge Police Department on Sunday morning, April 22, 2018, investigated a death behind National Fitness Center in central Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Police Department on Sunday morning, April 22, 2018, investigated a death behind National Fitness Center in central Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Police Department on Sunday morning investigated a death behind a fitness center in central Oak Ridge.

Police received a call to perform a welfare check at about 9:11 a.m. Sunday behind the National Fitness Center, near Home Depot. They found a dead adult. The name of the person has not been released, pending family notification.

Investigators hadn’t determined Sunday morning whether the death was a homicide or suicide. [Read more…]

Anderson County Deputy Kim Lay named SRO of the Year

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Anderson County Sheriff's Department Deputy Kim Lay has been named School Resource Officer of the Year for Anderson County Schools by The Education Foundation of Clinton City and Anderson County Schools. (Submitted photo)

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Kim Lay has been named School Resource Officer of the Year for Anderson County Schools by The Education Foundation of Clinton City and Anderson County Schools. (Submitted photo)

 

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Kim Lay has been named School Resource Officer of the Year for Anderson County Schools by The Education Foundation of Clinton City and Anderson County Schools.

Lay is a 16-year law enforcement veteran, and she has served as a school resource officer, or SRO, for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department for the last eight years.

“She is truly a dedicated, experienced law enforcement professional,” a press release said. [Read more…]

Driver seriously injured in crash with train

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A 22-year-old driver was seriously injured in a crash with a train in Anderson County on Saturday, authorities said.

The driver has been identified as Benjamin Sharp. After the crash, he was taken by an Anderson County EMS ambulance to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville with what were reported to be life-threatening injuries. Information on his current condition wasn’t immediately available Monday afternoon.

The crash was reported at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday on Patterson Lane off Old Lake City Highway.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol said Sharp was trying to cross the railroad tracks to a home off Old Lake City Highway when the 2009 Jeep Commander he was driving was hit by the train. [Read more…]

Andersonville man dies after jumping into pond while fleeing from deputies

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Ron Walter Austin

Ron Walter Austin

 

An Andersonville man died after jumping into a pond in Claxton while fleeing from Anderson County Sheriff’s Department deputies on Thursday night, authorities said.

The man has been identified as Ron Walter Austin, 41.

The chase started at about 11:45 p.m. Thursday when Anderson County Sheriff’s Department narcotics investigators observed what was believed to be a drug transaction between people in two vehicles in a business parking lot near North Charles G. Seivers Boulevard in Clinton, Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said Friday night.

Deputies attempted to stop both vehicles as they left the parking lot, Lucas said. One vehicle did stop, but the other fled from North Charles G. Seivers Boulevard onto Interstate 75, where deputies saw the driver throw out an article out of the car window, Lucas said. [Read more…]

ORFD swimmers rescue stranded canoeist

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Two Oak Ridge Fire Department swimmers rescued a man who had fallen out of a canoe near Clark Center Park in south Oak Ridge on Thursday afternoon, April 12, 2018, authorities said. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Oak Ridge Fire Department)

Two Oak Ridge Fire Department swimmers rescued a man who had fallen out of a canoe near Clark Center Park in south Oak Ridge on Thursday afternoon, April 12, 2018, authorities said. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Oak Ridge Fire Department)

 

Two Oak Ridge Fire Department swimmers rescued a man who had fallen out of a canoe near Clark Center Park in south Oak Ridge on Thursday afternoon, authorities said.

The man, who was not identified, cannot swim, but he was wearing a life jacket, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release Friday. He was hanging onto a fence post in the water after falling out of his canoe, but he was cold and could not get himself back into the overturned canoe or to the shore, the press release said.

The Oak Ridge 911 dispatch center had received a call that a canoe had overturned in the cove at the entrance to Clark Center Park at about 3:35 p.m. Thursday.

Oak Ridge Fire Department Captain Jason Benjamin has been training a crew of firefighters to become rescue swimmers during the past 24 months, and their training was put to the test on Thursday, the press release said. [Read more…]

Attempted carjacking charge added in crash that injured officer

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Khristoff Deshawn Lee

An attempted carjacking charge has been added to the eight charges already filed against a man accused of injuring an Oak Ridge officer when he fled from police and crashed on South Illinois Avenue last week.

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Khristoff Deshawn Lee

Khristoff Deshawn Lee

An attempted carjacking charge has been added to the eight charges already filed against a man accused of injuring an Oak Ridge officer when he fled from police and crashed on South Illinois Avenue last week.

Khristoff Deshawn Lee

An attempted carjacking charge has been added to the eight charges already filed against a man accused of injuring an Oak Ridge officer when he fled from police and crashed on South Illinois Avenue last week.

The rest of this story is available if you are a member: a subscriber, advertiser, or contributor to Oak Ridge Today.

Already a member? Great! Thank you! Sign in here.

Not a member? No problem! Subscribe here:

Basic

Pro

Temporary

If you prefer to send a check, you may do so by mailing one to:

Oak Ridge Today
P.O. Box 6064
Oak Ridge, TN 37831

We also have advanced subscription options. You can see them here.

We also accept donations. You can donate here. A donation of $50 or more will make you eligible for a subscription.

Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today. We appreciate your support!

Jail death probed by TBI

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Information from WYSH Radio The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating the death of an inmate at the Anderson County Detention Facility that occurred in March. Preliminary investigations have not turned up anything suspicious, according to the TBI, but their investigation is ongoing. Patricia Jones, 53, of Oliver Springs was booked into the jail on March 17 on charges of forgery and theft filed by the Oliver Springs Police Department. Jones was found dead inside her cell the following day, March 18, by a jailer who checked on her after noticing that she had stopped snoring, and found her unresponsive. [Read more…]

Three arrested after alleged robbery

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The Oak Ridge Police Department arrested three people at Staples on Monday, April 9, 2018, in connection with an alleged robbery at an Oak Ridge residence. (Photo by Oak Ridge Police Department)

The Oak Ridge Police Department arrested three people at Staples on Monday, April 9, 2018, in connection with an alleged robbery at an Oak Ridge residence. (Photo by Oak Ridge Police Department)

 

The Oak Ridge Police Department arrested three people on Monday, April 9, in connection with an alleged robbery at an Oak Ridge residence, authorities said.

Around 5 p.m., Joshua Young, 37, of Oak Ridge, and Benjamin Davis, 27, of Powell, allegedly forced their way into the home of the victim on East Tennessee Avenue, the ORPD said. The victim said that a friend had sold a game console to Davis and that Davis later returned with Young. The victim told officers that Davis claimed the console he purchased was broken and that the victim needed to return his money or he was taking something of equal value, the ORPD said.

The victim said Young and Davis forced him to sit on the couch while they took a tablet computer and an undetermined amount of cash before leaving his residence, officers said. The victim stated that he observed Young and Davis get into a vehicle driven by a woman who was later identified as Hannah Phillips, 27, of Oliver Springs, the ORPD said. [Read more…]

Former probation officer indicted in TBI rape investigation

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Bryant Thomas

Bryant Thomas

 

An investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has led to the indictment of a former probation officer on a rape charge, authorities said Monday.

TBI special agents began investigating allegations of sexual misconduct against Bryant L. Thomas, 30, in February 2017 at the request of Seventh District Attorney General Dave Clark in Anderson County, a press release said.

At that time, Thomas was employed as a probation parole officer with the Tennessee Department of Correction, the press release said. [Read more…]

Mental health evaluation ordered for man charged with terrorism

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Agey Christopher Stamey

Agey Christopher Stamey

 

A mental health evaluation has been ordered for a man who was charged with terrorism in January after allegedly threatening to blow up Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge with dynamite and shoot everyone inside with a shotgun.

The first evaluation for Agey C. Stamey II, 40, of Knoxville,was ordered at Ridgeview Psychiatric Hospital by Anderson County General Sessions Court Judge Roger Miller on January 25. The appointment had been scheduled for February 21, according to court records.

A second order, filed March 6, said Ridgeview had recommended that Stamey be referred to the Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute in Chattanooga for an evaluation. A transport order filed Thursday said Stamey has an appointment scheduled for April 19.

The evaluation is expected to determine Stamey’s competency to stand trial and mental condition at the time of the crime (the insanity defense). [Read more…]

Officer injured in crash released from hospital

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An Oak Ridge Police Department officer was injured in a crash and children were taken to the hospital after a fugitive crashed a car as he fled from police on Wednesday, April 5, 2018, authorities said. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge/Oak Ridge Police Department)

The Oak Ridge Police Department officer injured in a crash allegedly caused by a fugitive who was fleeing from police on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, has been released from the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, a spokesperson said Friday. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge/Oak Ridge Police Department)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:55 a.m.

The officer injured in a crash allegedly caused by a fugitive who was fleeing from police on Wednesday has been released from the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, a spokesperson confirmed Friday.

Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Nathan Gibson was injured while trying to make a traffic stop and serve a warrant on Khristoff Deshawn Lee, 24, of Oak Ridge, on South Illinois Avenue at about 12:37 p.m. Wednesday, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge.

Gibson has been discharged, UT Medical Center spokesperson Susan Wyatt said Friday afternoon. No information is available on his present condition.

It’s not clear what charges might have been in the warrant Gibson was trying to serve on Lee on Wednesday, but a writ of criminal capias had been issued for Lee after he failed to appear at a plea agreement hearing on attempted first-degree murder and robbery charges, among other pending charges, in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton on August 14. [Read more…]