Man pleads guilty to attempted voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault

Deshon Marquece Meadow

Deshon Marquece Meadow

An Oak Ridge man accused of pointing a handgun at a group of people and pulling the trigger multiple times in April 2015 pleaded guilty on Thursday to a reduced charge of attempted voluntary manslaughter and six counts of aggravated assault, according to Anderson County court records. Deshon Marquece Meadow, 22, was pointing a handgun at a group of people, including victim Traiquan Graves, when Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Tim Nguyen responded to a report of shots fired on Utica Circle on April 6, 2015, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court. A witness said she saw Meadow point the handgun in their direction and pull the trigger multiple times, Nguyen said in the affidavits. “The victim’s fear was evident when he backed up and took cover as the defendant tried to fire the weapon at him,” the affidavits said. “Under Miranda, the defendant stated: ‘I couldn’t let him do me like that anymore. I went back to my house, got my gun, and pointed at them and told them to back off!'” the affidavits said. [Read more…]

Carjacking, attempted robbery, assault charges sent to grand jury

Sheila K Jones

Sheila K. Jones

 

Attempted robbery, carjacking, and aggravated assault charges against an Oliver Springs woman were sent to a grand jury for its consideration after a preliminary hearing in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge on Tuesday.

Charges against Sheila K. Jones, 43, of Henley Circle, also include evading arrest, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, and driving on a revoked license.

Jones had allegedly been a passenger in a vehicle in May when she allegedly climbed on top of the driver, Deborah G. Russell of Oliver Springs, who had said she was going home. Jones allegedly pressed Russell’s right leg down to the gas pedal and grabbed the steering wheel to prevent Russell from turning near the intersection of Tulsa Road and South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court on May 11.

“The victim (Russell) indicated that the defendant (Jones) started saying things such as ‘I’ll beat your ass’ and ‘I’ll blow your brains out,” the affidavits said. “After the defendant put the vehicle in park, the victim released her seatbelt, and the defendant opened and shoved the victim out of the driver’s door. The victim was still ‘hung’ in the seatbelt, until it finally came off, and the defendant shouted, ‘You made me do this!'”

At that point, Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Cory Strange saw the vehicle—an older model gold vehicle that had been stopped next to an apparent pedestrian—spin its rear tires and make a hasty illegal U-turn in the middle of ORAU Way, according to the affidavits. [Read more…]

Inmate injured in jump from second floor at Anderson County jail

Brian Seeber

Brian Seeber

An inmate had life-threatening injuries after jumping from the second-floor tier in a housing unit at the Anderson County jail in an apparent suicide attempt on Thursday morning, authorities said.

Brian Jeffery Seeber, 42, of Oliver Springs, was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville by an Anderson County EMS ambulance, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said. Seeber’s injuries were life-threatening, Lucas said. His current condition was not immediately available.

Seeber was arrested in June on seven counts of rape and four counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor.

The apparent suicide attempt by Seeber was reported at about 6 a.m. Thursday at the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton, Lucas said. [Read more…]

Man indicted on vehicular homicide, other charges after Clinton Highway crash

Scott-Gray-Hearing-Aug-11-2016

Scott Gray, who has been indicted on vehicular homicide and other charges, is pictured above during a preliminary hearing in Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division I, in Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

CLINTON—A Knoxville man has been indicted on vehicular homicide and other charges in the death of a 23-year-old Heiskell woman after a two-vehicle crash on Clinton Highway in April 2016.

The specific homicide charge against Scott Allen Gray, 27, is vehicular homicide by intoxication. Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers testified during an August 11 preliminary hearing in Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division I, in Clinton that Gray smelled of alcohol and said he had been drinking and taken two anti-anxiety pills before the crash. Gray’s passenger, Jessica Miner Taylor, died about a week after the crash.

The Anderson County Grand Jury also indicted Gray on charges of reckless endangerment when a deadly weapon (a motor vehicle) is involved; failure to yield the right of way, resulting in death; failure of provide evidence of insurance; failure to carry a certificate of registration; failure to use due care; violation of the open container law; possession of drug paraphernalia; and possession of marijuana.

Gray had an arraignment and bond hearing scheduled this past Friday in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton.

Charges against Gray were bound over, or sent to the Grand Jury, during the preliminary hearing in August. The indictments were filed May 2. An indictment moves a case from Anderson County General Sessions Court to Anderson County Criminal Court. [Read more…]

Man indicted on reckless homicide charge in death of Lauren Fritts

Troy Andrew Venable

Troy Andrew Venable

 

An Oak Ridge man has been indicted on a reckless homicide charge in the death of an Oak Ridge High School graduate and former goalkeeper for the Lady Wildcats who was, at the time of her death, the member and customer service representative at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce.

Lauren Alexandra Fritts, 26, died Saturday, October 8, 2016, according to her obituary.

Troy Andrew Venable, 28, was indicted on the reckless homicide charge in her death on Tuesday, April 4. He was arrested Friday afternoon and released about four hours later from the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton. His bond has been set at $25,000. [Read more…]

Warrants: Anderson County man allegedly carjacked two vehicles in Clinton, tried to steal third

Justin Wade Welch

Justin Wade Welch

 

An Anderson County man is facing 13 charges that include carjacking and robbery after allegedly taking two cars by force and trying to take another in Clinton on Thursday, and then fleeing from officers and resisting arrest, according to arrest warrants.

Justin Wade Welch, 30, remained jailed in the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton on Tuesday morning. His bond has been set at $500,000.

Welch has been charged with two counts of carjacking and one count of attempted carjacking. He’s also been charged with three counts of robbery and two counts of attempted robbery.

The Clinton Police Department also charged him with two counts of vehicular assault.

And the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department charged him with evading arrest, resisting arrest, and driving on a suspended license.

Arrest warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Clinton said Welch allegedly carjacked one vehicle at Clinton Towers on North Charles G. Seivers Boulevard in downtown Clinton, tried to carjack a second vehicle several blocks south at Food City on South Charles G. Seivers Boulevard, and carjacked a third vehicle on Highland Drive next to Food City. [Read more…]