Oak Ridge Today

Only one serious crash in AC during Wednesday snow; part of I-75 closed for 5 hours

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Anderson County Sheriff Patch

There were nine non-injury traffic crashes and one wreck with injuries in Anderson County during the Wednesday snowstorm, authorities said.

The one crash with injury was on Clinton Highway (U.S. Highway 25W) near White Loop Road at about 6:33 p.m. Wednesday. It was the only serious crash during the snow, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said. The Sheriff’s Department responded along with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Anderson County Emergency Medical Services, Anderson County Rescue Squad, and the Claxton Fire Department.

The THP said the road was covered by snow and slush when a 2005 Ford Freestar driven west by Gregory Brantley, 34, of Detroit, slid sideways across the road into the path of an eastbound 2016 Toyota 4Runner driven by Lauren Holder, 28, of Clinton.

The Freestar driven by Brantley hit the front of the 4Runner driver by Holder, the THP said in a preliminary report. [Read more…]

KCSO identifies 19-year-old killed in Solway crash

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Solway-Road-Crash-Car-Fire-Truck-Jan-20-2016

A 19-year-old man died when a car slid off the road at the intersection of Solway and Guinn roads and hit a tree in Solway on Wednesday morning, authorities said. (Photo courtesy WATE-TV/Knoxville)

 

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office has identified the 19-year-old killed in a Wednesday morning crash in Solway.

The young man was James Cryder, the KCSO said.

His passenger, 20-year-old Jacob Raley, is being treated at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville.

Authorities said that Cryder died after a 1996 Toyota Corolla slid off the road at the intersection of Solway and Guinn roads and hit a tree. Officers on the scene said the car slid off the road due to weather and speeding. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge police advise residents to avoid driving this afternoon

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak-Ridge-Police-Department-Snow-Jan-20-2016

The Oak Ridge Police Department has advised residents to avoid driving on Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 20, 2016. (Photo from Oak Ridge Police Department via Facebook)

 

The Oak Ridge Police Department has advised residents to avoid driving this afternoon.

The police said the following areas are impassable:

  • North Illinois Avenue at West Outer Drive (Hilltop),
  • South Illinois Avenue at Lafayette Drive,
  • South Illinois Avenue at Centrifuge Way,
  • Newport Drive, and
  • Pennsylvania Avenue.

Several inches of snow fell in Oak Ridge on Wednesday, and roads became slipperier as the snow accumulated.

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.

Man dies after car slides off road in Solway

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Knox County Sheriff Badge

A man died after a car slid off the road and hit a tree in Solway on Wednesday morning, authorities said.

The man has been identified, but his name will not be released until relatives have been notified, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office said.

A male passenger is being treated at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, but he has not been identified yet.

Officers on the scene said the car slid off the road due to weather and speeding, the KCSO said. Neither man was wearing a seatbelt. They were in a 1996 Toyota Corolla.

The fatal crash occurred at 9:40 a.m. on Solway at Guinn.

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.

Roads becoming slipperier as snow continues to fall

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Turnpike-Administration-Road-Snow-Plow-Jan-20-2016

Roads in Oak Ridge are becoming slipperier as snow continues to accumulate. Above, an Oak Ridge snow plow is pictured at the intersection of Oak Ridge Turnpike and Administration Road at about 11 a.m. Wednesday morning, Jan. 20, 2016. Heavy snow continued to fall about 1.5 hours later. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 2:30 p.m.

Roads in Oak Ridge became slipperier on Wednesday morning as snow continued to fall.

There were slick spots on well-traveled roads such as New York Avenue, Tyler and Administration roads, and even Oak Ridge Turnpike at about 11 a.m. Wednesday. And a heavy snow continued to fall about an hour later.

Oak Ridge Today drove around central Oak Ridge for about an hour between 10 and 11 a.m. Wednesday while taking pictures, and the roads became noticeably slicker as snow accumulated. We measured about three-quarters of an inch of snow in a parking lot at the Oak Ridge Civic Center at about 10:15 a.m. A few hours later, there was a little more than two inches on the ground on a city side street.

Most people appeared to be driving cautiously Wednesday morning as schools and some government offices and businesses decided to close. [Read more…]

Fire destroys home in Norris, no injuries reported

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Norris-Fire-Department-Logo

A fire destroyed a home in Norris early Monday morning, but a resident escaped and there were no injuries, authorities said.

The fire in the home at 88 Hilltop Lane was reported at 3:25 a.m. Monday.

The resident was able to escape, according to a public safety officer on duty in Norris.

The cause of the fire is not known and is under investigation. [Read more…]

OS man faces charges after head-on collision injures three on Hwy 61

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Harriman-Highway-Crash-Jan-15-2016

An Oliver Springs man is facing charges, including driving under the influence, after a head-on collision injured three people in two vehicles on Highway 61 west of Oliver Springs late Friday afternoon. (Photo by Tom Scott)

 

OLIVER SPRINGS—An Oliver Springs man is facing charges, including driving under the influence, after a head-on collision injured three people in two vehicles on Highway 61 west of Oliver Springs late Friday afternoon, authorities said.

Ryan P. Price, 33, of Oliver Springs, will be charged with DUI, vehicular assault, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a firearm while under the influence, a due care violation, failure to maintain lane, violation of the financial responsibility law, and a failure to carry registration, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The THP said a 2003 Dodge Durango driven by Price was traveling east in the westbound lane on State Route 61 near Scandlyn Hollow Road in Roane County at about 4:55 p.m. Friday.

A 2014 Jeep Wrangler driven west by Rodger Mattox, 66, of Oliver Springs, was also in the westbound lane, which was its travel lane, the THP said. [Read more…]

Four people injured after SUV rolls in two-vehicle crash

Posted at
By 6 Comments

Manhattan-North-Purdue-Crash-Jan-16-2016

Four people were injured in a two-vehicle crash that caused an SUV to roll at the intersection of Manhattan and North Purdue avenues in Woodland on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 16, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Four people were injured and one of them was flown to a hospital by a medical helicopter after a two-vehicle crash caused an SUV to roll at the intersection of Manhattan and North Purdue avenues on Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

The crash behind Food City was reported at about 2:45 p.m. Saturday. It took emergency workers about 30 minutes to remove a passenger trapped in the back seat of the GMC Envoy that rolled onto its top. The other vehicle was a Ford F150 pickup truck.

Three ambulances responded to the scene. So did the Oak Ridge Police Department and Oak Ridge Fire Department. A University of Tennessee Lifestar medical helicopter picked up one patient at Methodist Medical Center and flew that person to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. [Read more…]

No one injured after vehicle rolls in two-vehicle crash

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Athens-Atlanta-Crash-Jan-15-2016

No one was injured in a two-vehicle crash that caused one vehicle to roll onto its top at the intersection of Athens and Atlanta roads on Friday evening, Jan. 15, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

No one was injured in a two-vehicle crash that caused one vehicle to roll onto its top at the intersection of Athens and Atlanta roads on Friday evening, authorities said.

The two vehicles, a white Kia Sportage and a white Chevrolet Equinox, were reportedly traveling in opposite directions on Atlanta Road when the westbound Kia reportedly turned south onto Athens Road in front of the Equinox, authorities said.

The Kia came to rest against a utility pole, but emergency workers said the pole was not damaged. The Kia had to be towed away on a tow truck, while the Equinox was still able to be driven.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Copyright 2015 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Man shot in ear by resident with handgun during burglary early Friday, police say

Posted at
By 3 Comments

Eddie Joe Kimblin

Eddie Joe Kimblin

 

Note: This story was last updated at 6:20 p.m.

A Harriman man was shot in the ear by a resident with a handgun during a burglary on Jefferson Avenue in Oak Ridge early Friday morning, police said.

Police responded to the home at about 12:27 a.m. Friday, January 15, after receiving a report of shots fired.

They leaned that Eddie Joe Kimblin, 47 of Blair Road in Harriman, had attempted to gain entry into the Jefferson Avenue home, an Oak Ridge Police Department press release said.

The resident had heard someone banging on his basement door and went to investigate, the release said. When he opened the door, Kimblin allegedly lunged toward him. The resident then shot a handgun at the intruder, striking Kimblin in the ear, the release said. [Read more…]

July 4 fireworks crash: Charges against driver, including homicide, sent to grand jury

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Lee-Cromwell-Preliminary-Hearing-Jan-15-2016

The 17 charges against an Oak Ridge man accused of killing one person and injuring 11 others in a July 4 fireworks crash at Midtown Community Center have been sent to an Anderson County grand jury. The charges against Lee Cromwell of Oak Ridge, who is pictured above, include homicide and aggravated assault. Cromwell had a preliminary hearing in Anderson County General Sessions Court on Friday, Jan. 15, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:18 p.m. Jan. 16.

The 17 charges against an Oak Ridge man accused of killing one person and injuring 11 others in a July 4 fireworks crash at Midtown Community Center have been sent to an Anderson County grand jury.

The charges against Lee Cromwell of Oak Ridge include homicide and aggravated assault. Cromwell had a five-hour preliminary hearing in Anderson County General Sessions Court on Friday, January 15. It included testimony for the prosecution from victims, witnesses, police officers, and an automotive technician. Prosecutor Vickie Bannach was trying to establish probable cause for the charges to be sent to the grand jury.

The next step is for the Anderson County District Attorney General’s Office to present evidence to the grand jury for possible indictments against Cromwell.

Anderson County General Sessions Court Judge Roger Miller said he found that probable cause had been met for the charges to be bound over to the grand jury. There is no timeline for when the grand jury might hear the case. [Read more…]

Police dispute stuck-throttle claim in fatal July 4 fireworks crash, widow testifies also

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Ben-Higgins-General-Sessions-Court-Jan-15-2016

Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Ben Higgins testified on Friday, Jan. 15, 2016, during a preliminary hearing for Lee Cromwell, an Oak Ridge resident accused of killing one person and injuring 11 others during a parking lot crash at the Midtown Community Center on July 4, 2015, after fireworks at A.K. Bissell Park. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 8 a.m. Jan. 16.

An Oak Ridge police officer on Friday disputed the claim that the throttle might have been stuck on a pickup truck in a fatal July 4 crash at Midtown Community Center immediately after fireworks in A.K. Bissell Park.

Police say they’ve found no evidence of a malfunction in a Dodge Ram pickup driven backward through the crowded parking lot that night by Lee Cromwell of Oak Ridge, and there were no active recalls on the truck that would have affected the throttle. Police also used witness statements to help refute the stuck-throttle theory during a preliminary hearing in Anderson County General Sessions Court on Friday, January 15.

“Several of them (witnesses) said they heard his engine revving up and down,” Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Ben Higgins testified during the hearing. “If the throttle had been stuck, it would have been stuck at a consistent rpm, not up and down.”

Also Friday morning, Julia Robinson testified. She is the widow of the 37-year-old man who died, James Robinson of Knoxville. The couple was at the Midtown Community Center watching fireworks with their two daughters and a relative. [Read more…]