Oak Ridge Today

Man seriously injured in motorcycle crash

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A man was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash on East Tennessee Avenue on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, authorities said. (Photo via City of Oak Ridge)

A man was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash on East Tennessee Avenue on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, authorities said. (Photo via City of Oak Ridge)

 

A man was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash on East Tennessee Avenue on Tuesday, authorities said.

The crash was reported at the intersection with California Avenue at about 8:25 p.m. Tuesday, March 12.

The Oak Ridge police and fire departments responded. Witnesses told first responders that a man lost control of the motorcycle he was riding before it crashed into a parked car on the side of the street, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release. [Read more…]

City workers repair broken water lines Saturday

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An Oak Ridge Public Works Department crew repairs a broken water line underneath Northwestern Avenue near Nevada Circle at lunchtime Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. The crew here is supervised by Oak Ridge Public Works Department Utility Line Maintenance Crew Chief Michael Brown. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

An Oak Ridge Public Works Department crew repairs a broken water line underneath Northwestern Avenue near Nevada Circle at lunchtime Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. The crew here is supervised by Oak Ridge Public Works Department Utility Line Maintenance Crew Chief Michael Brown, left. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 12 p.m.

The Oak Ridge Public Works Department continued to repair broken water lines on Saturday as cold winter weather caused ground to shift, breaking some pipes.

One crew was repairing a six-inch water line underneath Northwestern Avenue near Nevada Circle at about lunchtime Saturday, and there was another busted line reported on East Tennessee Avenue just east of Georgia Avenue.

Saturday night, city workers repaired another broken water line underneath Northwestern Avenue, this time near Nasson Lane and Princeton Avenue, and two more water line breaks were reported on Emerson Circle and Kentucky Avenue.

A crew was out past 1 a.m. Sunday finishing repairs on that second water line break under Northwestern Avenue, the one near Nasson Lane, as temperatures dropped again overnight. [Read more…]

Driver in alleged hit-and-run with pedestrians faces more charges

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Steven Ray Buxton

Steven Ray Buxton

The driver in an alleged hit-and-run that injured two female pedestrians on East Tennessee Avenue on Monday afternoon is facing more charges, in addition to aggravated assault, according to court records.

Steven Ray Buxton, 62, of Jefferson Avenue in Oak Ridge, has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, driving under the influence, and failure to maintain a lane, according to arrest warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge.

The women were struck by a vehicle on East Tennessee Avenue near Towne Road at about 1:30 p.m. Monday 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 Oak Ridge Police Department said.

In a press release earlier this week, the ORPD 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, the press release said. The Toyota Corolla then allegedly fled the scene. [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…]

Warrants: Woman had access to weapons, threatened to shoot boyfriend with police present

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Sara J. Flynt

Sara J. Flynt

The Oak Ridge woman who allegedly barricaded herself in a home in March and threw a pistol out a window while negotiating with police officers has been charged with aggravated assault for allegedly threatening to shoot her boyfriend while police were present and while she had access to multiple deadly weapons, authorities said.

Sara J. Flynt, 27, was charged with four counts of aggravated assault and arrested April 1. She remained jailed in the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton on Friday evening, and her bond has been set at $105,000.

Police had responded to a report that Flynt was creating a disturbance at her home at 426 East Tennessee Avenue at about 2:04 a.m. Saturday, March 19. When officers tried to contact her, they found that she was barricaded in a bedroom, Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Kyle Scott said in arrest warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court.

“Flynt refused to exit the bedroom, and the affiant (Scott) heard the distinct metallic sound of rounds being chambered in a firearm,” the warrants said.

Flynt’s boyfriend had told police he owned a handgun and 12-15 long guns that were inside the bedroom, Scott said. Officers later determined there had been one handgun—a .45 caliber—and 17 various long guns—rifles, shotguns, and airsoft—according to the warrants. [Read more…]

Two men arrested on robbery charges; one also wanted for attempted murder, ORPD says

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ORPD-East-Tennessee-Ave-Arrests-March-20-2016

Two men wanted on robbery charges were taken into custody by the Oak Ridge Police Department SWAT and Patrol at 442 East Tennessee Avenue on Sunday, March 20, 2016, without incident after a tip. (Photo by ORPD via Twitter)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:37 p.m.

Two men wanted on robbery charges were arrested after officers from the Oak Ridge Police Department entered a home on East Tennessee Avenue on Sunday evening, authorities said. One of the men was also wanted on charges that include attempted first-degree murder, statutory rape, and aggravated assault, the ORPD said.

The Oak Ridge Police Department said it learned at about 4 p.m. Sunday that brothers Joseph Garner Lee and Khristoff Deshawn Lee were at 442 East Tennessee Avenue.

Kristoff D Lee

Khristoff D. Lee

Khristoff Deshawn Lee, 22, had multiple warrants for his arrest for charges of assault, attempted murder (first-degree), statutory rape, aggravated assault, and robbery, and Joseph Garner Lee, 26, had a warrant for his arrest for a robbery charge, the ORPD said.

ORPD Special Projects Unit and Patrol Division personnel verified that Joseph Garner Lee was present at the home, a press release said.

“Due to the nature of the charges and previous contacts with both individuals, at approximately 7:30 p.m., ORPD tactical officers entered the residence and arrested both individuals without incident,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Woman taken into custody after barricading herself in home, throwing pistol out window

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East-Tennessee-Avenue-Standoff-March-19-2016

Members of the Oak Ridge Police Department are pictured outside a home on East Tennessee Avenue on Saturday, March 19, 2016.

 

Note: This story was updated at 10:42 a.m.

A 30-year-old woman was taken into custody and to a hospital after barricading herself in a bedroom and mentioning suicide before throwing a pistol out a window while negotiating with police officers on Saturday morning, authorities said.

The Oak Ridge Police Department was on the scene for hours before the situation at 426 East Tennessee Avenue was peacefully resolved.

Police said they found an arsenal inside the home, including more than a dozen high-powered rifles, shotguns, an assault rifle, a pistol, and several boxes of ammunition.

The ORPD responded to a domestic disturbance call at the home at about 2:04 a.m. Saturday.

“Officers arrived and made contact with a male subject, who advised his girlfriend, who was very intoxicated, had locked herself in the bedroom and was in possession of multiple weapons,” an ORPD press release said. “Officers verified a female subject identified as Sara Flynt, 30, was barricaded in an upstairs bedroom of the residence and initiated negotiations utilizing ORPD Crisis Intervention Team members. [Read more…]

Apartment resident pulled to safety during fire, treated for smoke inhalation

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East Tennessee Avenue Fire Oct. 28, 2015

An apartment resident on East Tennessee Avenue was pulled to safety and taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation after his food caught fire on a stove on Wednesday, October 28, authorities said.

 

An apartment resident on East Tennessee Avenue was pulled to safety and taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation after his food caught fire on a stove on Wednesday, October 28, authorities said.

The resident, identified as Earnest Hurd, was cooking supper when he fell asleep at approximately 10:19 p.m. Wednesday, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release. People passing by saw smoke coming from the apartment and called 911 dispatchers, who then dispatched the Oak Ridge Fire Department and Oak Ridge Police Department.

ORPD was the first to arrive and saw Hurd lying on the floor of the apartment, the press release said. ORPD opened the door and pulled the occupant to safety just as ORFD arrived. [Read more…]

Temporary road closures scheduled to begin Feb. 27

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Three road closures will be required in Oak Ridge between Feb. 27 and March 12 to allow sanitary sewer collection lines to be repaired or replaced.

The work is being done by city contractor Hurst Construction LLC. The schedule could be altered by bad weather.

The closure scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 27, and Friday, Feb. 28, will be California Avenue between Delaware Avenue and West Arrowwood Road. The closure is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. [Read more…]

Two road closures this week for sewer rehab work

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Two roads will be temporarily closed this week so three sewer lines can be replaced.

The work is part of a project to repair Oak Ridge’s gravity wastewater collection system. It’s being done by Hurst Construction LLC under a contract with the Oak Ridge Public Works Department.

On Monday and Tuesday, West Arrowwood Road will be closed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Arkansas Avenue, South Alabama Road, Cedar Road, and California Avenue may be used as detours. [Read more…]

Report: Child playing with lighter under bed when fire found

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East Tennessee Avenue Mattress Fire

A child admitted playing with a lighter under a bed when a mattress fire was found in an East Tennessee Avenue home Monday night, authorities said. (Photos by Tom Scott)

A child admitted playing with a lighter under a bed in a home on East Tennessee Avenue when a mattress fire was found at about 7:04 p.m. Monday, an Oak Ridge Fire Department report said.

Firefighters reported light smoke inside the house when they arrived, and they quickly found a smoldering mattress fire in a bedroom inside, the report said.

They reported the fire was under control, ventilated the home, and removed the mattress and box frame.

[Read more…]