Oak Ridge Today

In child abuse case, police allegedly find drugs, knives; dog urine, feces; roaches, dirty dishes

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Jordan Tyler Etheridge and Honey Lee Hook July 2016

Jordan Tyler Etheridge, left, and Honey Lee Hook are pictured above. (Photos by Anderson County Sheriff’s Department)

 

An Oak Ridge man and woman were charged with aggravated child abuse and neglect after police conducting a welfare check on North Hollywood Circle on Saturday allegedly found drugs, paraphernalia, and several knives lying where a small child could reach them; dog urine and feces in several spots on the floor; roaches and dirty dishes with mold and bugs throughout the home; no running water that an officer could find; and a large bucket of dirty water in the middle of the floor, court records said.

The bathroom toilet was full of human waste, and there was a “foul odor throughout the residence,” according to arrest warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge.

There were several small individual wrapped plastic baggies lying in plain sight on the living room floor, and some had a green leafy substance inside that looked and smelled like marijuana and several had a white powdery substance inside them, packaged for resale, Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Sherrill Selby said in the warrants. There were two spoons with a white powder substance on them lying on a television stand, Selby said.

The home is within 1,000 feet of the playground of the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, making it a drug-free school zone, the warrants said. [Read more…]

Alleged hit-and-run crash sends two to hospital; suspect charged

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An alleged hit-and-run crash on East Tennessee Avenue injured two women on Monday afternoon, authorities said.

The crash was reported at about 1:30 p.m. Monday, the Oak Ridge Police Department said.

The women were struck by a vehicle on East Tennessee Avenue near Town Road as several pedestrians were crossing the road from Gallo Loco restaurant, which is on the south side of East Tennessee, to the north side of the road, the ORPD said.

Officers said a black truck had stopped for the pedestrians while they crossed the street. A beige Toyota Corolla, which was traveling behind the black truck, drove onto the sidewalk, passing the black truck, and struck two women, a press release said. The Toyota Corolla then allegedly fled the scene. [Read more…]

Georgia man, woman indicted in Check Into Cash robbery

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Check Into Cash

The Oak Ridge Police Department reported that a robbery was reported at Check Into Cash at 361 South Illinois Avenue at about 3:15 p.m. Friday, June 26, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

CLINTON—A Georgia man and woman have been indicted in a robbery at Check Into Cash in Oak Ridge in June 2015.

Arvenzio Clyde Miles, 24, and Kianna Denise Hill, 22, were indicted by the Anderson County Grand Jury on July 6, 2016. They had arraignments in Anderson County Circuit and Criminal Court in Clinton on Friday.

Miles and Hill are both charged with three counts of aggravated robbery, a Class B felony; especially aggravated kidnapping with a gun, a Class A felony; and aggravated assault while displaying a firearm, a Class C felony.

Hill and Miles are accused in an armed robbery at Check Into Cash at 361 South Illinois Avenue at about 3:15 p.m. Friday, June 26, 2015. They were arrested less than two weeks later in East Point, Georgia, southwest of Atlanta, on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.

The indictments allege that Hill and Miles confined Calvin Murray, a store manager, and employees Morgan Gist and Joy Jennings, and took their cell phones while displaying a firearm. All three were forced into a restroom at gunpoint against their will, and they were held captive there until the robbery was complete, according to arrest warrants filed in July 2015. The warrants alleged that the cell phones were taken to prevent the victims from calling the police. [Read more…]

Harriman man killed in Roane County crash

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A Harriman man died in a single-vehicle crash on Highway 61 in Roane County on Friday, authorities said.

Martin J. Palenski, 37, was not wearing a seat belt, and he was ejected when the car he was driving rolled after hitting an embankment at about 12:36 p.m. Friday, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said.

The THP said Palenski was driving a 2002 Ford Taurus west on Highway 61. While going around a righthand curve, the Taurus went off the left side of the road, a crash report said. Palenski overcorrected and hit an embankment on the right side of the road, the THP said. The Taurus then rolled, and Palenski was ejected, the THP said. [Read more…]

DA’s office also recused from July 4 fatal crash case because of liens filed by defendant

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Anderson County Criminal Court Lee Cromwell Jim Scott July 25 2016

Lee Cromwell, right, who has been charged with vehicular homicide and 16 other charges after a fatal parking lot crash at Midtown Community Center after fireworks on July 4, 2015, huddles with his family and defense attorney James Scott, left, after an arraignment in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton on Monday, July 25, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 11:47 a.m. July 27.

CLINTON—First the judge recused himself and now the district attorney general’s office has been recused in a homicide case filed against an Oak Ridge man after a fatal crash in the crowded parking lot of Midtown Community Center after fireworks on July 4, 2015.

Both recusals were because of liens filed by the defendant, Lee Harold Cromwell, 66. The recusals mean another judge has already been appointed, and another DA will have to be appointed. A lien is a claim that one person owes something to another person.

Anderson County Criminal Court Judge Donald R. Elledge recused himself during a June 3 arraignment because of an $8 million lien filed against him by Cromwell.

“It was upsetting that he filed a frivolous lien against me,” Elledge said Monday. “I’m going to do everything I can legally, morally, and ethically to prosecute him criminally and civilly to the full extent of the law.”

Then, during a rescheduled arraignment on Monday, defense attorney James K. Scott asked for Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark and the DA’s office to also be recused. That was because of liens that Cromwell filed against the DA and another member of his office in “misplaced mindset” in a “misguided effort, out of desperation, to advocate for his innocence without the knowledge or advice of counsel,” Scott said in a motion to recuse. [Read more…]

One driver possibly injured when SUV rolls in two-car crash on Turnpike

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Oak Ridge Turnpike Illinois Avenue Crash July 21 2016

One driver was possibly injured and had to be extricated by the Oak Ridge Fire Department after a two-car crash on Oak Ridge Turnpike near Illinois Avenue on Thursday, July 21, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A driver was possibly injured when his sport utility vehicle rolled after colliding with another SUV on Oak Ridge Turnpike on Thursday afternoon, authorities said.

The crash was reported in the westbound lanes of Oak Ridge Turnpike just east of Illinois Avenue at about 1:38 p.m. Thursday.

Authorities said Charles W. Rhoads, 70, Oak Ridge, was driving west in the left lane in a 2002 GMC Envoy SUV when he tried to move over to the right lane, hitting the left side of a 2005 Ford Escape SUV driven by Carla F. Wheeler, 48, of Kingston.

The Envoy driven by Rhoads turned over onto its driver side after the collision, a crash report said. Rhoads was trapped, and the Oak Ridge Fire Department used power tools and a crew to remove him before he was taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Spontaneous combustion sparks small fire in warehouse

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Spontaneous combustion from oily rags discarded in a waste container appear to have started a Thursday morning fire at an Oak Ridge warehouse on July 21, 2016, authorities said. (Submitted photo)

Spontaneous combustion from oily rags discarded in a waste container appear to have started a Thursday morning fire at an Oak Ridge warehouse on July 21, 2016, authorities said. (Photo by Tom Scott)

 

Spontaneous combustion from oily rags discarded in a waste container appear to have started a Thursday morning fire at an Oak Ridge warehouse, authorities said.

The Oak Ridge Fire Department responded to the fire after a sprinkler system activated at a warehouse at 342 Warehouse Road at about 6:50 a.m. Thursday, July 21.

Firefighters found heavy smoke coming from the windows and doors of the building when they arrived, a press release said.

“The fire crew entered through the front door and quickly extinguished a fire in a waste container,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Two injured, one picked up by medical helicopter after head-on crash on Mahoney Road

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Two-Car Crash on Mahoney Road July 21 2016 Slider

Two people were injured and one was picked up by a medical helicopter after a head-on two-vehicle crash on Mahoney Road in Oliver Springs on Thursday, July 21, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 12:30 a.m.

OLIVER SPRINGS—Two drivers were injured and one was picked up by a medical helicopter after a head-on two-vehicle crash on Mahoney Road in Oliver Springs on Thursday afternoon, authorities said.

The crash was reported at about 12:30 p.m. Thursday near New Mountain View Baptist Church. Charges are pending against one of the drivers, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The THP said a 1997 Cadillac STS driven by Blake Brakins, 33, of Oak Ridge, was traveling south on Mahoney Road when it crossed over the center line and crashed head-on into a 2016 Ford Fusion traveling north on Mahoney Road and driven by Isabel Cates, 80, of Oliver Springs.

Brakins and Cates were both injured, the THP said. Cates was wearing a seat belt, while Brakins was not, authorities said. [Read more…]

Three charged after robbery reported at Family Dollar in Oliver Springs

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Steven Scruggs

Steven Scruggs

Note: This story was last updated at 7:40 p.m.

Three people have been charged after a robbery was reported at Family Dollar in Oliver Springs on Wednesday night, authorities said.

The robbery was reported at about 10:04 p.m. Wednesday at the store, which is at 51 Edmonds Drive in Oliver Springs.

When they arrived, Sergeant Kevin Armes and Patrolman Nathaniel Nelson of the Oliver Springs Police Department were told that, after closing and while the cashiers were doing the money count, a masked man came from the back of the store and ordered both employees to the floor and demanded all the money and cell phones, a press release said. After receiving all the cash from the register and safe, he reportedly left the store through the back, the release said. [Read more…]

Black bear spotted in Clinton

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A black bear is pictured above in this file photo from Oak Ridge Today from October 2015.

A black bear is pictured above in this file photo from Oak Ridge Today from October 2015.

Information from WYSH Radio

A black bear was spotted in Clinton on Wednesday afternoon.

Police were called at around 4:10 p.m. Wednesday after a person reported seeing a black bear behind a building at 711 South Charles Seivers Boulevard. The bear was reportedly going down into a creek bed when it was seen. The caller told dispatchers that he got into his car and followed the animal until he lost sight of it when it disappeared into the woods near Susanne Drive. There was no contact between the bear and people before it trundled off into the woods.

Bears travel a lot this time of the year searching for food and new territory. [Read more…]

Chief Deputy Lucas thanks community for support of Sheriff’s Department

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Mark Lucas

Mark Lucas

To the Anderson County community:

These are difficult times for the law enforcement profession. Since July 1, 10 officers have lost their lives in shootings. Two others died from vehicular assaults and two more from car crashes. Many others have been hurt or injured while performing their duties. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of all officers that have died or been injured in the line of duty.

Our deputies are reminded to always be vigilant as they go about our duties—perhaps even into harm’s way—something they do every day without hesitation. Being safe and going home to their families at the end of the shift must remain foremost in their thoughts.

We have received many messages from our community extending their support for us, thanking us, and praying for our deputies. We are blessed to have a good relationship such as this in Anderson County. This is a direct result of what our deputies do—and how they do it—every single day. Our community supports us, and we support them. [Read more…]

Aggravated robbery charge dismissed, Oak Ridge man will get gun back

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Xyrius Jaeren Dickerson

Xyrius Jaeren Dickerson

An aggravated robbery charge filed against an Oak Ridge man in June was dismissed on Tuesday, and the man will get his gun back, court records said.

A hearing had been scheduled for Xyrius Jaeren Dickerson, 21, in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge on Tuesday afternoon.

But the charge was dismissed, attorney David Stuart said. The alleged victim has refused to appear, he said.

Prosecutors had no choice but to not oppose the motion to dismiss, Stuart said.

The defense also got an order to get Dickerson’s gun back, Stuart said. The gun had been placed into evidence at the Oak Ridge Police Department. Its return to Dickerson is subject to a few conditions, including proof of ownership and compliance with city rules and regulations. [Read more…]