Oak Ridge Today

ORPD to be at ORHS Tuesday after lockdown Monday

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The Oak Ridge Police Department will have an increased presence at Oak Ridge High School on Tuesday following a lockdown on Monday, Oak Ridge Schools said.

The lockdown came after a shooting threat on social media that school administrators learned about on Monday.

“After learning of this threat, we immediately placed ORHS on a Level 3 lockdown and contacted the Oak Ridge Police Department,” Oak Ridge Schools told families Monday evening. “The ORPD will ‘continue to investigate and keep students safe’ during this situation. As the City of Oak Ridge press release stated, we too ‘appreciate the seamless coordination and efforts between the school system, city, and ORPD as this investigation continues.'”

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ORHS students to be released at normal times

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Oak Ridge High School was on lockdown on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, after administrators were made aware of a shooting threat posted on social media. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Police Department is still investigating a shooting threat that was made on social media and led to an hours-long lockdown at Oak Ridge High School starting Monday morning.

Monday afternoon, the City of Oak Ridge said students will be released from school at their normal times, and the Oak Ridge Police Department is taking precautions to continue to investigate and keep students safe during dismissal.

“We appreciate the seamless coordination and efforts between the school system, city, and ORPD as this investigation continues,” the city said.

The lockdown was reported at about 11 a.m. Monday after administrators said they were made aware of a shooting threat posted on social media.

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Man charged with vehicular homicide after fatal hit-and-run

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Dannon Ray Cole, 50, Clinton, has been found, arrested, and charged with aggravated vehicular homicide after he allegedly hit a 39-year-old man, Jordan Pitts, riding a motorized bicycle on Clinch Avenue (Clinton Highway) early Saturday, November 20, and then fled. (Photo courtesy Clinton Police Department)

 

A 50-year-old Clinton man has been found, arrested, and charged with aggravated vehicular homicide after he allegedly hit a 39-year-old man riding a motorized bicycle on Clinch Avenue early Saturday, November 20, and then fled.

No one witnessed the fatal hit-and-run crash between the pickup truck allegedly driven by Dannon Ray Cole, 50, and the motorized bicycle carrying Jordan Pitts, 39, and the Clinton Police Department did not immediately have a suspect vehicle. The 3:30 a.m. crash near Portwood Road, a short drive from downtown Clinton on Clinton Highway, killed Pitts.

The person who called 911 found Pitts in the road, the CPD said. Pitts died later.

But when investigators responded, they found evidence at the crash site that helped them identify the hit-and-run vehicle, according to Anderson County court records. The evidence included vehicle parts: a portion of a front grill and red markings including the letter “G” and half of the letter “M”.

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Dannon Ray Cole, 50, Clinton, has been found, arrested, and charged with aggravated vehicular homicide after he allegedly hit a 39-year-old man, Jordan Pitts, riding a motorized bicycle on Clinch Avenue (Clinton Highway) early Saturday, November 20, and then fled. (Photo courtesy Clinton Police Department)

Note: This story was updated at 9:20 a.m. Nov. 30.

A 50-year-old Clinton man has been found, arrested, and charged with aggravated vehicular homicide after he allegedly hit a 39-year-old man riding a motorized bicycle on Clinch Avenue with a pickup truck early Saturday, November 20, and then fled.

Dannon Ray Cole, 50, Clinton, has been found, arrested, and charged with aggravated vehicular homicide after he allegedly hit a 39-year-old man, Jordan Pitts, riding a motorized bicycle on Clinch Avenue (Clinton Highway) early Saturday, November 20, and then fled. (Photo courtesy Clinton Police Department)

 

A 50-year-old Clinton man has been found, arrested, and charged with aggravated vehicular homicide after he allegedly hit a 39-year-old man riding a motorized bicycle on Clinch Avenue early Saturday, November 20, and then fled.

No one witnessed the fatal hit-and-run crash between the pickup truck allegedly driven by Dannon Ray Cole, 50, and the motorized bicycle carrying Jordan Pitts, 39, and the Clinton Police Department did not immediately have a suspect vehicle. The 3:30 a.m. crash near Portwood Road, a short drive from downtown Clinton on Clinton Highway, killed Pitts.

The person who called 911 found Pitts in the road, the CPD said. Pitts died later.

But when investigators responded, they found evidence at the crash site that helped them identify the hit-and-run vehicle, according to Anderson County court records. The evidence included vehicle parts: a portion of a front grill and red markings including the letter “G” and half of the letter “M”.

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Oak Ridge, TN 37831

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Ohio woman dies in I-75 crash

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An Ohio woman died after her vehicle ran off the roadway, went airborne, and crashed into the median on Interstate 75 in Anderson County on Friday morning.

The driver who died was Sherry Driggers, 67, of Hamilton, Ohio, according to a preliminary crash report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The one-vehicle fatal crash occurred at about 9:53 a.m. Friday at mile marker 126 north of the Norris exit.

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Vehicle located in fatal Clinton hit-and-run

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Dannon Cole

The Clinton Police Department has located the vehicle they believe was involved in the fatal hit-and-run crash on Clinch Avenue in south Clinton early Saturday, November 20.

The CPD announced Tuesday the were searching for the hit-and-run vehicle, which they thought could be a 2000-2006 extended-cab GMC pickup truck with heavy front-end damage.

They said they found the vehicle Wednesday.

The CPD then asked for public help locating Dannon Ray Cole, 50, of Clinton, who is a person of interest.

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Clinton police searching for driver in fatal hit-and-run

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The Clinton Police Department is searching for the driver of an unknown vehicle that hit and killed a 39-year-old man riding a motorized bicycle on Clinch Avenue early Saturday.

The crash was reported at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday near Portwood Road, the Clinton Police Department said. That intersection is in south Clinton, a short drive from downtown Clinton on Clinch Avenue (Clinton Highway).

The person who called 911 found the victim, Jordan Pitts, in the road, the CPD said. Pitts died later.

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Investigators find human remains in vehicle pulled from lake

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Human remains have been located inside a vehicle pulled from Melton Hill Lake on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021. The vehicle belonged to Miriam Ruth Hemphill, who was reported missing in Oak Ridge in July 2005, the Oak Ridge Police Department said. (Submitted photo)

Human remains have been located inside a vehicle pulled from Melton Hill Lake on Wednesday. The vehicle belonged to Miriam Ruth Hemphill, who was reported missing in Oak Ridge in July 2005, the Oak Ridge Police Department said.

“At this time, Oak Ridge Police Department investigators and the medical examiner’s office are working together to process the vehicle,” a press release said. “The medical examiner’s office is also working to identify the remains. It’s unclear how long it will take to identify them.”

It is not clear whether the remains found in the vehicle are Hemphill’s, the press release said.

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Divers find vehicle linked to missing person

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Divers found a vehicle in Melton Hill Lake on Wednesday afternoon that has been confirmed to be linked to a missing person case from July 2005, Miriam Ruth Hemphill, the Oak Ridge Police Department said.

The ORPD said the car was pulled out of the water Wednesday evening, and the investigation continues.

“There is no confirmation of a body being in the vehicle,” the ORPD said Wednesday evening. “Crews will not be able to access the inside of the vehicle tonight.”

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Temporary road closure for Halloween House

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A temporary road closure is planned along part of Nebraska Avenue for Sunday, October 31, between 4 p.m. and 12 a.m. for the annual Halloween House.

“The closure is necessary to create a safer environment for drivers and pedestrians expected to visit the annual Halloween House residential attraction on Nebraska Avenue, between Newridge Road and Newhaven Road,” a press release said.

The small stretch of road will be blocked to through traffic. However, residents will still be able to get to and from their homes during this time.

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Georgia man died in Monday crash

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One person died after a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Oak Ridge Turnpike at Wisconsin Avenue late Monday afternoon, Oct. 18, 2021. (Submitted photo)

Steven D. Hinson of Georgia has been identified as the person who died in the Monday afternoon crash on Oak Ridge Turnpike at Wisconsin Avenue.

The Oak Ridge Police Department said the two-vehicle crash remains under investigation and no other details will be released at this time. However, the police department is asking anyone with information that may help investigators to call ORPD at (865) 425-4399. Crime tips can also be submitted online at http://oakridgetn.gov/department/ORPD/Home. Information can be given anonymously, the ORPD said.

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One dies in two-vehicle crash

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One person died after a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Oak Ridge Turnpike at Wisconsin Avenue late Monday afternoon, Oct. 18, 2021. (Submitted photo)

One person died after a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Oak Ridge Turnpike at Wisconsin Avenue late Monday afternoon.

The crash was reported shortly after 4:15 p.m. Monday, the Oak Ridge Police Department said.

The cause of the crash wasn’t immediately available, and neither was the condition of any other drivers or passengers involved in the crash.

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Two men charged with abuse of corpse

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Two Oak Ridge men have been charged with abuse of a corpse and failure to report a death in Anderson County after a woman’s body was allegedly found covered by blankets in the back seat of a vehicle in east Roane County in February.

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Carlos Bell

Two Oak Ridge men have been charged with abuse of a corpse and failure to report a death in Anderson County after a woman’s body was allegedly found covered by blankets in the back seat of a vehicle in east Roane County in February.

The charges have been filed against Carlos Lavern Bell, 44, and Michael Dewayne Partin, 56.

Two Oak Ridge men have been charged with abuse of a corpse and failure to report a death in Anderson County after a woman’s body was allegedly found covered by blankets in the back seat of a vehicle in east Roane County in February.

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

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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!