Oak Ridge Today

After guilty plea in fatal hit-and-run, man faces separate traffic charges

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Dannon Cole pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident involving a death or injury in Anderson County Criminal Court on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022.

After pleading guilty to a fatal hit-and-run crash, a 51-year-old man is facing separate criminal charges after he was allegedly found passed out behind the wheel with an open bottle of whiskey and a bag of a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine.

This alleged case of driving under the influence (third offense) occurred in downtown Clinton on Halloween day 2021, just three weeks before the fatal hit-and-run crash in south Clinton.

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Clinton police searching for driver in fatal hit-and-run

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The Clinton Police Department is searching for the driver of an unknown vehicle that hit and killed a 39-year-old man riding a motorized bicycle on Clinch Avenue early Saturday.

The crash was reported at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday near Portwood Road, the Clinton Police Department said. That intersection is in south Clinton, a short drive from downtown Clinton on Clinch Avenue (Clinton Highway).

The person who called 911 found the victim, Jordan Pitts, in the road, the CPD said. Pitts died later.

[Read more…]

Police investigating fatal hit-and-run involving pedestrian on Turnpike

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The Oak Ridge Police Department investigates a deadly hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian between Brussels Road and Bogola Road on Oak Ridge Turnpike on Tuesday morning, Aug. 11, 2020. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Police Department is investigating a deadly hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian on Oak Ridge Turnpike on Tuesday morning.

Police received a 911 call about the fatal hit-and-run at about 7 a.m. Tuesday. It was reported between Brussels Road and Bogola Road in east Oak Ridge.

[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…]

Police: Hit-and-run driver in stolen vehicle that crashed arrested in woods at ORNL

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Highway 95 Hit and Run Suspect

The Oak Ridge Police Department said officers arrested a suspect, recovered a stolen car, and cleared a crash on State Route 95 between Bear Creek and Bethel Valley roads on Wednesday afternoon. (Photo by ORPD via Twitter) 

 

A Knoxville man who allegedly crashed a vehicle that had been reported stolen was arrested Wednesday afternoon after he fled into an area between Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex in west Oak Ridge, authorities said.

The Oak Ridge Police Department responded to the single-vehicle crash on State Route 95 at 2:19 p.m. Wednesday, September 16. The crash occurred as the vehicle left the roadway while proceeding northbound, between Bethel Valley Road and Bear Creek Road, a City of Oak Ridge press release said.

The driver of the crashed vehicle fled eastbound on foot toward the federal sites before officers arrived, the release said. Y-12 and Oak Ridge National Laboratory protective force security officers were notified due to the close proximity to the federal reservations.

“Pro Force Security personnel located and detained the driver of the vehicle almost an hour later in a wooded area on ORNL property, east of Highway 95,” the release said. [Read more…]

ORPD: Charges pending against hit-and-run suspect

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Oak Ridge Police Department Logo

A suspect in a Friday night hit-and-run in Oak Ridge is in custody in Morgan County, and more charges are pending in Oak Ridge, authorities said.

The hit-and-run involving a pedestrian was reported at about 8:34 p.m. Friday at West Outer Drive and North Illinois Avenue, the Oak Ridge Police Department said. [Read more…]

Reports: Man drags constable while fleeing, crashes into deputy’s cruiser

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Larry Eugene Ward

Larry Eugene Ward

An Anderson County man suspected of fleeing a crash on Clinton Highway last week was found slumped over with blood on his face in a damaged car that reeked inside of alcohol, authorities said. The suspect, Larry Eugene Ward, fled from officers, and he dragged three emergency responders with him and almost ran over a constable’s legs before crashing into three other vehicles on Bull Run Road, including a deputy’s patrol car, authorities said.

The constable, Jennings F. Foust, 64, was dragged almost 50 feet before Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Robert J. Collins was able to pull him from the vehicle, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said.

While trying to flee, Ward crashed into three more vehicles, including Collins’ patrol car and Foust’s car, and hit or nearly hit an ambulance, authorities said.

Ward, 34, of Clinton, remained jailed Wednesday at the Anderson County Detention Facility on a slew of charges including aggravated assault, evading arrest, reckless driving, public intoxication, and driving under the influence. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge hit-and-run suspect crashes motorcycle in Knox County

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An Oak Ridge hit-and-run suspect is in the hospital after crashing his motorcycle on East Emory Road in Knox County this morning, authorities said.

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office was alerted by the Oak Ridge Police Department to be on the lookout for hit-and-run suspect James F. Mitchell, 43, of Oak Ridge, on Friday morning, according to the initial investigation.

A KCSO officer saw Mitchell traveling eastbound on West Emory Road at 7:42 a.m. The officer got behind Mitchell and activated his emergency equipment, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office said. Mitchell tried to negotiate a curve too fast and ran off the right side of the road into a ditch at 9638 East Emory Road at 7:43 a.m. He was thrown from the motorcycle, authorities said. [Read more…]