Oak Ridge Today

Jury finds Cromwell guilty of vehicular homicide, aggravated assault

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Lee Harold Cromwell, 68, of Oak Ridge, has been charged with homicide and eight counts of aggravated assault in a fatal parking lot crash at the Midtown Community Center in Oak Ridge after fireworks on July 4, 2015. Cromwell has been on trial in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton, starting Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, and continuing through Wednesday, Feb. 15. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Lee Harold Cromwell, 67, of Oak Ridge, was convicted in Anderson County Criminal Court on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, of vehicular homicide and eight counts of aggravated assault in a fatal parking lot crash at the Midtown Community Center in Oak Ridge after fireworks on July 4, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

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

CLINTON—An Anderson County jury on Wednesday found Lee Harold Cromwell, 67, of Oak Ridge, guilty of one count of vehicular homicide and eight counts of aggravated assault for killing one person and injuring eight others during a parking lot crash at Midtown Community Center after fireworks in Oak Ridge on July 4, 2015.

The 12-person jury—six men and six women—unanimously returned the guilty verdicts just before 3 p.m. Wednesday. The case had been sent to the jury about four hours earlier, just before 11 a.m.

The jury verdicts came at the end of a three-day trial that started Monday morning in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton. Senior Judge Paul Summers heard the case because Judge Don Elledge had recused himself due to liens filed against him by Cromwell.

A sentencing hearing has been set for Cromwell for 9 a.m. April 11. [Read more…]

Charges in alleged robbery at Family Dollar in OS sent to grand jury

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Robbery charges filed against Steven Scruggs, 31, of Oliver Springs, in orange above, were sent to a grand jury during a preliminary hearing in Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, in Oak Ridge on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 5:05 p.m.

The robbery, attempted robbery, and theft charges filed against an Oliver Springs man after an alleged robbery at Family Dollar in July have been sent to a grand jury.

Steven Scruggs, 31, had a preliminary hearing in Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, in Oak Ridge on Tuesday, August 23. His two co-defendants, also Oliver Springs residents, were in court as well. One pleaded guilty to one charge, and another waived one to a grand jury.

Anderson County General Sessions Court Judge Roger Miller found probable cause to send the robbery, attempted robbery, and theft charges filed against Scruggs to the grand jury after hearing testimony from employee Kimberly Armes, who was working at the store the evening of July 20, when the alleged robbery occurred, and from Oliver Springs Police Department Lieutenant David Laxton, who investigated it. All three charges are felony charges.

A false imprisonment charge that had also been filed against Scruggs was dismissed.

The robbery was reported at about 10:04 p.m. Wednesday, July 20, at the Family Dollar store, which is at 51 Edmonds Drive in Oliver Springs. [Read more…]

Attempted second-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping charges dismissed

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Jacob Lynn Rutherford

Jacob Lynn Rutherford

Four charges against an Oak Ridge man that included attempted second-degree murder and especially aggravated kidnapping were dismissed in July after a victim or state witness failed to appear, according to court records and court officials.

Jacob Lynn Rutherford, 22, had also been charged with aggravated assault and assault. Those charges were also dismissed.

Rutherford had been charged in two separate alleged assaults this year, one on February 25 and another on April 28. Police responded to both alleged assaults at 101 Locust Lane, where Rutherford lives.

Rutherford allegedly used a metal rod in one of the beatings, authorities said, and he was also accused of hitting the woman in the head with a gun and forcing her into his vehicle at gunpoint, according to arrest warrants.

The charges were dismissed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge on July 26, when a state witness or victim did not appear. Judgements on the aggravated assault and especially aggravated kidnapping charges said the victim failed to appear. That’s the same victim as in the attempted second-degree murder charge. [Read more…]

ORPD investigating truancy cases with DA’s Office, Oak Ridge Schools

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The Oak Ridge Police Department, Anderson County District Attorney General’s Office, and Oak Ridge Schools have started investigating juveniles with unexcused absences from school during the 2015-2016 school year, officials said Friday.

“This process involves seeking petitions for truancy for those students who were absent for significant periods of time,” a City of Oak Ridge press release said.

The petitions will be submitted with the Anderson County Juvenile Court for remediation, the press release said. The 15 petitions were the start of an ongoing investigation, and officials anticipate that additional juvenile petitions will be filed.

“As part of this investigation, ORPD will also be investigating additional allegations of educational neglect, and when warranted, will seek petitions in (Anderson County General) Sessions Court against parents of students with a high number of unexcused absences from school during the 2015-2016 school year,” the release said. [Read more…]

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

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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…]

Total reported crimes down 18 percent in Oak Ridge

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There was an overall 18 percent drop in reported crimes in Oak Ridge in 2014, officials said Thursday.

The annual numbers, which compared 2014 to 2013, were released by the Oak Ridge Police Department and the City of Oak Ridge.

Anderson County released its annual crime statistics on Wednesday, and they showed crime was down in all of the county and its cities by 12 percent in 2014—and down by 42 percent over the last eight years.

The Oak Ridge numbers were generated by Oak Ridge Police Department Crime Analyst David Gordon in coordination with the Anderson County District Attorney General’s Office.

“The Police Department achieved reductions in crime from last year in many categories,” a City of Oak Ridge press release said. “However, some are of particular note and should be highlighted.

“Here is a quick summary of the attachment for 2014 crime stats (compared to 2013), with an approximate +/- factor of .5 percent, which includes those reductions which are most significant: [Read more…]

Sixth person arrested in Aryans Nations gang-related attempted murder

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Cynthia Ann Wright

Cynthia Ann Wright

A sixth person was arrested on Thursday after another indictment was returned in an Aryan Nations gang-related attempted murder and conspiracy case, authorities said.

Cynthia Ann Wright, 40, of Strawberry Plains, was arrested at her home in Jefferson County by sheriff’s investigators with the assistance of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said in a Tuesday morning press release. Wright is now being held in the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton under a $100,000 bond.

White said investigators obtained indictments from the Anderson County Grand Jury on the six people after a lengthy investigation into the severe beating of a 31-year-old Briceville man that resulted in serious injuries. The incident occurred on Dennis Lane in Claxton in December 2013 and was from internal gang-related enforcement. All six people charged in the case are members of the Aryan Nations gang, White said. [Read more…]

TBI investigating alleged rape by police officer or security guard

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State authorities are investigating an allegation by an adult female that she was raped by someone who appeared to be a police officer or security guard, the Oak Ridge Police Department said Wednesday afternoon.

The woman was interviewed by Oak Ridge police officers on Tuesday. The Police Department then contacted the Anderson County District Attorney General’s Office, which notified the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation of the allegation, the ORPD said.

TBI Public Information Officer Josh DeVine confirmed that the bureau is investigating the allegation, but he said he can’t discuss any details, including when and where the alleged rape is alleged to have occurred or whether it might involve a security guard or police officer.

“It’s very preliminary at this point,” DeVine said.

More information will be add as it becomes available.

Local agencies receive more than $350K in highway safety funds

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Tennessee officials last week announced $21.1 million in grants to Tennessee agencies to support highway traffic safety efforts, with more than $350,000 designated for local law enforcement agencies.

The grants include about $180,000 to the Anderson County District Attorney General’s Office for driving-under-the-influence abatement and prosecution, and roughly $40,000 to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department for reducing fatalities in the county. The Oak Ridge Police Department received about $25,000 for alcohol saturation and checkpoints. [Read more…]

Crime task force searches Carver Avenue home, allegedly seizes marijuana, cash

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The Anderson County 7th Judicial District Crime Task Force searched a home at 248 Carver Avenue in Oak Ridge on Tuesday and arrested two people and  seized about two pounds of marijuana and more than $13,000 in cash, according to a press release provided by the Oak Ridge Police Department.

The release said an adult male and female were arrested, and a warrant was being sought for a third individual. [Read more…]