Oak Ridge Today

Family displaced, but no one injured in Rocky Top fire

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

A house fire displaced a Rocky Top area family on Wednesday night, but no one was injured, authorities said.

Firefighters from the Rocky Top and Medford fire departments responded to the fire, which was reported shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday in Cumberland View Estates in Rocky Top.

Anderson County Sheriff”s Department deputies arrived on the scene as well and were told by the resident, Jennifer Hutchins, that she was getting ready to take a shower when she heard a popping noise from the kitchen. When she went to investigate, she saw the microwave and the oven on fire. Hutchins immediately grabbed her two children and got out of the house, authorities said. [Read more…]

Updated: Truck driver flown to hospital after semi overturns on I-75 in Anderson County

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

FedEx-Truck-Overturned-I-75- March-10-2016

A FedEx truck overturned in the median of Interstate 75 in Anderson County early Thursday, and the driver, who was pinned and had to be extricated, had to be flown by medical helicopter to a hospital. (Photo by Terry Allen/Anderson County Rescue Squad)

 

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

An injured truck driver was flown by medical helicopter to a hospital after a semi overturned into the median of Interstate 75 in Anderson County early Thursday, authorities said.

The crash was reported at about 12:15 a.m. Thursday near mile marker 127. Authorities said the injured driver was trapped in the cab of the FedEx truck and had to be extricated. Rescuers were able to remove the driver in 16 minutes.

A University of Tennessee Lifestar medical helicopter flew to the crash site and landed on the interstate at about 12:55 a.m. to pick up the driver, Harrold E. Daniels Jr., 55, of Wilmore, Kentucky, authorities said. Daniels was flown to the UT Medical Center in Knoxville. [Read more…]

Sheriff’s Department, Clinton Police locate runaway juvenile

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Christina-Nicole-Day

Christina Nicole Day

Investigators from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, with help from the Clinton Police Department, have located a runaway juvenile, Christina Nicole Day.

“She was found safe and will be picked up by her family,” said Mark Lucas, chief deputy of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department. “Thanks to everyone for their help.”

The Sheriff’s Department had asked for help on Monday. Authorities said then that Day, 15, had last been seen at her home in the Frost Bottom community late Friday evening, March 4, and had not returned.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Copyright 2016 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Clinton fire injures firefighter, heavily damages home

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

A Sunday morning fire caused significant damage to a home on Park Avenue and sent one Clinton firefighter to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

The fire was reported at around 7:30 a.m. Sunday by homeowner Ralph Foster. Foster told authorities he had smelled a strange odor when he woke up and saw fire and smoke coming out of the attic vent and the chimney to his woodburning stove. Foster tried to fight the fire with his garden hose until the first Clinton Fire Department units arrived, and he was uninjured.

As firefighters tried to make entry into the home, an explosion most likely caused by a backdraft blew Firefighter J.C. Townsend backward about eight feet, resulting in a trip to the emergency room. Townsend was released about two and a half hours later and is back at work Tuesday, according to CFD Chief Archie Brummitt. [Read more…]

Traffic could be affected by large electric condensers being moved from ETTP

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

K-27-ETTP-Switchyard-Oct-20-2015

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded at $2.1 million fixed-price contract to a small business based in Michigan, CTI and Associates, to perform asset recovery and demolition work at the old electrical switchyard at ETTP. (DOE photo by Lynn Freeny)

 

Traffic on Highway 58 and Highway 95 could be affected for two weeks starting Thursday by large, slow-moving equipment removing parts from a former electrical switchyard at the East Tennessee Technology Park in west Oak Ridge.

The work is being done by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management. It’s part of the ongoing cleanup work at ETTP, the former K-25 site.

Workers are removing, disposing, and recycling components from a former ETTP electrical switchyard, known as K-732 Switchyard.

“For the next two weeks, this project requires the use of a specialized trailer on public highways to transport three large condensers that each weighs approximately 110 tons,” a press release said. “Motorists transiting the area during this time should be alert for slow-moving vehicles and expect occasional delays.” [Read more…]

ACSD asks for help finding runaway juvenile

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Christina-Nicole-Day

Christina Nicole Day

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a runway juvenile.

Christina Nicole Day, 15, ran away from her home in the Frost Bottom community late Friday evening, March 4, and has not returned, authorities said.

Here is a description of Christina Nicole Day: [Read more…]

Runaway juvenile located

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Briana-Phillips

Briana Hailey Lynn Phillips

The runaway juvenile who had last been seen on Tuesday has been located, authorities said Friday.

Briana Hailey Lynn Phillips, 15, was located by investigators with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department and detectives from the Clinton Police Department, authorities said.

“Thanks to everyone for their help,” said Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department asks for help locating runaway juvenile

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Briana-Phillips

Briana Hailey Lynn Phillips

 

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department is asking for help finding a runaway juvenile, Briana Hailey Lynn Phillips, 15. Phillips was last seen on Tuesday, March 1, and she has not returned home, authorities said.

Here is a description of Briana Hailey Lynn Phillips:

  • White female
  • Age: 15
  • Height and weight: 5’5″, 126 pounds
  • Blond hair
  • Blue eyes
  • Navel piercing with silver clear crystal gem

[Read more…]

Trucks overturn in Anderson, Knox early Wednesday; roadways have re-opened

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

I-640-Overturned-Tanker

The I-75 South ramp to I-640 East was closed Wednesday morning due to an overturned tractor trailer. (Photo courtesy TDOT/Mark Nagi via Twitter)

A tractor-trailer and a tanker truck overturned in Anderson and Knox counties on Wednesday morning, causing some temporary closures on roadways that have since re-opened.

The tanker truck crash was reported in Anderson County shortly after 5 a.m. Wednesday on Interstate 75 at Mile Marker 120, authorities said. The truck went into the median and was leaking fuel from the tanker.

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department responded along with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Anderson County EMS, Anderson County Rescue Squad, and Andersonville Fire Department. Anderson County Emergency Management was called to the scene to assess the fuel spill, and the Tennessee Department of Transportation also brought resources to contain and clean up the spill, authorities said. [Read more…]

Maine man pleads guilty in armed bank extortions, including at Y-12 Credit Union

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Brian Witham

Brian Witham

Note: This story was last updated at 5:40 p.m.

A Maine man charged in several armed bank extortion plots, including at Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge, pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday, authorities said.

Brian Scott Witham, 45, of Waterville, Maine, pleaded guilty to the charges contained in a 15-count indictment from December 2015 involving armed bank extortions of the Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge, SmartBank in Knoxville, and Northeast Community Credit Union in Elizabethton, said Nancy Stallard Harr, acting U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Tennessee. Witham is one of two people charged in the bank extortion scheme.

As part of his plea agreement, Witham agreed to plead guilty to similar charges from three other federal jurisdictions including the Western District of North Carolina, the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the District of Connecticut, authorities said. Witham, U.S. attorneys, and a federal judge all agreed to transfer the similar charges to U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Tennessee, a press release said. Those charges include being a felon in possession of a firearm in Haywood County, North Carolina; armed robbery of an Ingles in Arden, North Carolina; armed robbery of the Peoples Security Bank and Trust in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania; and attempted armed bank extortion of the Achieve Financial Credit Union in New Britain, Connecticut, authorities said. [Read more…]

Updated: Gunshot victim, 19, in stable condition at UT Medical Center

Posted at
By 14 Comments

UT-Lifestar-Methodist-Medical-Center-Feb-26-2016

A 19-year-old Oak Ridge man was dropped off at Methodist Medical Center with a gunshot wound Friday night, Feb. 26, 2016, and flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville by a UT Lifestar medical helicopter, authorities said. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 3:25 p.m. Feb. 29.

The 19-year-old Oak Ridge man flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center with a gunshot wound on Friday night is in stable condition, the hospital said Monday afternoon.

Elijah Malik McDowell was driven to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge around 8:20 p.m. Friday because of injuries to his thigh, groin, and abdomen, the Oak Ridge Police Department said. He was dropped off at the hospital by a friend who left before police arrived, authorities said.

He was airlifted to the UT Medical Center in Knoxville about an hour later by a UT Lifestar helicopter, the ORPD said. [Read more…]

Norris man allegedly fights officers, grabs lieutenant’s gun; now faces charges

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Donald-Berry

Donald Berry

NORRIS—A Norris man who allegedly fought public safety officers, resisted arrest, and tried to grab a lieutenant’s gun from its holster on Thursday is facing charges of aggravated assault and resisting arrest, authorities said.

Donald Howard Berry Jr., 25, has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault and two count of resisting arrest, according to court records.

The Norris Department of Public Safety responded to a reported disturbance on Oak Road on Thursday afternoon. Berry’s stepsister told police that he was upstairs in a bedroom behaving erratically and possibly trying to harm himself, arrest warrants said.

Norris Officer Rick Roach and Lieutenant Carl White entered the home and made contact with Berry, the warrants said. But after the bedroom door was opened, Berry charged White and grabbed him around the waist, according to the warrants.

Roach tried to restrain Berry, but he resisted the officer and the lieutenant, the warrants said. [Read more…]