Oak Ridge Today

Atomic City Classic Car Show on Saturday

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Atomic City Car and Bike Show

The fundraising Atomic City Classic Car Show is on Saturday, October 3. The rain date is October 10.

All proceeds will benefit Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association. The car show is sponsored by Atomic Speed Shop.

It’s scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Midtown Community Center (the Wildcat Den) at 102 Robertsville Road in Oak Ridge. It is expected to include classic cars, trucks, street rods, motorcycles, and motor scooters up to 1975.

Dash plaques for each entry, people’s choice awards in each class, and door prizes will be given away. Barbecue, hamburgers, hot dogs, and sodas will be sold. [Read more…]

Atomic City car, bike show to benefit historic group on Oct. 3

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Atomic City Car and Bike Show

A car and bike show on October 3 will benefit the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association.

ORHPA plans to use the proceeds to repair the Midtown Community Center, also known as the Wildcat Den, on Robertsville Road.

“Few of the 1940s Manhattan Project buildings remain standing in Oak Ridge,” organizers said. “The goal of the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association is to preserve our past. This is our history!” [Read more…]

Bond reduced for Cromwell, driver in fatal parking lot crash

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Derek Setzer and Lee Cromwell

Lee Cromwell, 65, of Oak Ridge, right, is escorted through Anderson County General Sessions Court on Tuesday by Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Derek Setzer. Cromwell has been charged with homicide and aggravated assault, among other charges, after a fatal parking lot crash after July 4 fireworks in Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10:30 a.m. July 30.

Bond was reduced to $100,000 on Tuesday for an Oak Ridge man accused of killing one person and injuring 11 people in a parking lot crash after July 4 fireworks.

There were concerns about whether Lee Cromwell, 65, considers himself a “sovereign citizen” and denies governmental authority, and Anderson County General Sessions Court Judge Roger Miller reported that Cromwell was somewhat defiant at his arraignment.

Still, Miller lowered bond for Cromwell from about $205,500 to $100,000, more than cutting it in half.

Cromwell was released Tuesday evening. He is prohibited from contacting the victims. [Read more…]

Driver of pickup truck that killed one, injured nine charged with homicide

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Lee Cromwell

Lee Cromwell

The driver of the Dodge Ram pickup truck that backed through the parking lot at Midtown Community Center after July 4 fireworks, killing one and injuring nine, has been charged with homicide, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment, authorities said.

Lee Cromwell, 65, was arrested at 11:40 a.m. Wednesday at the Oak Ridge Police Department without incident by patrol officers, authorities said.

Cromwell’s truck allegedly hit James Robinson, 37, of Knoxville, killing him, the ORPD said after the crash.

Cromwell has been charged with one count of vehicular homicide, one count of criminally negligent homicide, one count of reckless homicide, 12 counts of aggravated assault, one count of reckless endangerment, and one count of driving with a license that is suspended or revoked, Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi said. [Read more…]

City releases IDs in parking lot crash that killed one, injured nine

Posted at
By 2 Comments

Midtown Community Crash Cars

One person died and nine people were injured when a Dodge Ram pickup truck backing up in the parking lot at Midtown Community Center caused a nine-vehicle crash after fireworks in Oak Ridge on Saturday night.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:17 p.m.

The Oak Ridge Police Department has identified James Robinson, 37, of Knoxville, as the man who died in the parking lot crash that killed one person and injured nine others at Midtown Community Center after fireworks on Saturday.

Robinson was struck by a Dodge Ram pickup truck driven by Lee Cromwell, 65, of Oak Ridge, as Cromwell backed his truck through the parking lot, a City of Oak Ridge press release said. Nine people were injured, and eight vehicles were hit by Cromwell’s truck, authorities said.

Robinson was critically injured in the crash, and he was taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, where he later died, the press release said.

A family friend said Robinson, who was with his wife and two daughters, died a hero by pushing his oldest daughter Jaide out of the way of the way of the approaching vehicle.

Seven more patients were taken by ambulance from the scene to local area hospitals. One adult and two juvenile patients with non-life threatening injuries were transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. Four juvenile patients with non-life threatening injuries were taken to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, which is also in Knoxville. And two adults who were also injured were transported to Methodist Medical Center in personal vehicles.

Cromwell was not injured. [Read more…]

Man dies, others injured in multi-vehicle crash at Midtown Community Center

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Midtown Community Center Crash Reconstruction

A man died and at least a half-dozen people went to the hospital after a mutli-vehicle crash in the parking lot of Midtown Community Center after fireworks in Oak Ridge on Saturday night. Above, an accident reconstruction team works in the pouring rain at Midtown Community Center on Robertsville Road at about 2 a.m. Sunday. At right is Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Grant Gouldie.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10:15 p.m.

One person died after a multi-vehicle crash in the parking lot of Midtown Community Center sent at least a half-dozen people to the hospital after fireworks in Oak Ridge on Saturday night, authorities said.

The man who died has a Knoxville address, but police aren’t identifying him yet because family members are still being notified. It appeared that the man was on foot at the time of the crash, authorities said. The man who died was with his wife and children, Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi said.

Akagi said at least six people, including two children, were sent to three hospitals in three ambulances. The injured were taken to Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge and Children’s Hospital and University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. Their names and conditions weren’t immediately available.

Akagi said a pickup involved in the crash hit several vehicles, although it’s not clear how the man who died was injured.

It’s also not clear how fast the red Dodge pickup truck was going or whether it was backing up, he said. Witnesses said the truck had been parked at the east end of the parking lot facing east, or away from the entrance, and the driver backed up to leave as soon as fireworks were over. Witnesses said the truck was in reverse and driving fast. So far, authorities have been unable to confirm that.

“We don’t know what happened,” Akagi said.

But the truck’s back end appeared to have struck at least one vehicle.

Akagi said there were at least a half-dozen vehicles involved in the crash. He said he didn’t know if any other vehicles were moving at the time of the collision. [Read more…]

Several injuries reported in parking lot crash, injured taken to area hospitals

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Midtown Community Crash Cars

Several injuries were reported in a multi-vehicle crash at Midtown Community Center after fireworks in Oak Ridge on Saturday night.

 

Several injuries were reported in the multi-vehicle crash at Midtown Community Center after fireworks in Oak Ridge on Saturday night, and the injured were taken to area hospitals, authorities said.

Authorities said at least six people were transported in three ambulances to area hospitals. Their conditions and identities were unknown. There were reports of more serious injuries to one person, but Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley wasn’t able to comment on the seriousness of that person’s injuries.

The crash was reported at about 10:25 p.m. Saturday. It appeared to involve three or more vehicles in the parking lot of Midtown Community Center. There were two more vehicles in the parking lot with apparent damage, although it wasn’t immediately clear if the damage to those cars was related to the Saturday night crash. Still other vehicles remained at the scene while police and fire units investigated.

One man who had been sitting on the tailgate of a pickup truck in the parking lot pushed his wife out of danger when he saw one of the vehicles approach, Kerley said. The approaching truck hit him and something cut his leg, and the man went to the hospital after Kerley took the man and his family home to get their van.

Oak Ridge police officers and firefighters were still at the scene at about 1 a.m. Sunday, and the Clinton Police Department was helping with a traffic reconstruction device.

Note: We have published a new story with more information. Please see most recent story here. This story should automatically redirect to the new story.

Authorities investigating multi-vehicle parking lot crash, at least one injury reported

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Midtown Community Center-crash

Authorities are investigating a multi-vehicle crash that occurred in the parking lot of the Midtown Community Center after fireworks in Oak Ridge on Saturday night.

 

Authorities are investigating a multi-vehicle crash that occurred in the parking lot of the Midtown Community Center after fireworks in Oak Ridge on Saturday night.

It wasn’t immediately clear how many vehicles were involved in the crash, which was reported at about 10:30 p.m., although there appeared to be at least three. There were reports of at least one injury.

Authorities had requested help from a Lifestar medical helicopter, although one was apparently not available.

Note: We have published a new story with more information. Please see most recent story here. This story should automatically redirect to the new story.

Russell, scientist and environmental advocate, to be interviewed Thursday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Liane Lee Russell

Liane Lee Russell

Scientist and environmental advocate Liane “Lee” Russell will be interviewed in a Thursday meeting of Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning and Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association.

“She will share her many and varied experiences both as a highly successful scientist and truly dedicated and equally effective environmental advocate,” a press release said.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9, at the Midtown Community Center at 102 Robertsville Road in the historic Wildcat Den.

“You will not want to miss this opportunity to interact with one of the most famous scientists in Oak Ridge’s history,” organizers said. [Read more…]

Early voting begins Wednesday, October 15

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Vote Logo

Information from WYSH Radio

Early voting for the November 4 general election in Anderson County begins Wednesday, October 15, and runs through Thursday, October 30.

Early voting hours Monday through Friday will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon at the Clinton Community Center, the Midtown Community Center in Oak Ridge, and at the North Anderson Government Office in the Anderson Crossing Shopping Center in the Norris/Andersonville area. [Read more…]

ORHPA celebrates 15th anniversary at Scarboro Road gatehouse

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Bobbie Martin at Oak Ridge City Council

Bobbie Martin, one of the people who helped start the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association 15 years ago this month, accepts the keys to the Midtown Community Center, which includes the historic “Wildcat Den.” This was the culmination of close to two years of work that began with a newspaper article Bobbie wrote and the contact by Mick Wiest that brought the two of them and several others together in September 1999 and to ultimately to form ORHPA. (Submitted photos)

 

The Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association will celebrate its 15th anniversary during a Thursday night meeting at the “Midway Gatehouse” on Scarboro Road. That’s the location of the group’s original meeting.

The anniversary meeting is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, September 11. Parking is limited there. Organizers said those attending should consider parking at the nearby Y-12 Federal Credit Union and carpooling from there, or they could carpool with friends from the Midtown Community Center parking lot.

“Come by the Gatehouse anytime between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. to enjoy refreshments, see displays, and view the historic building and its artifacts, as well as help celebrate 15 years as an organization,” a press release said.

Here is the story of how the ORHPA began: [Read more…]

‘Davy Crockett’ at ORHPA meeting on Thursday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Davy Crockett at David Hall Cabin

“Davy Crockett” at David Hall Cabin in Claxton. (Submitted photo)

Walk in the footsteps of Tennessee and American history

Lynn Fox, a living history exhibitor, will be the featured speaker at a Thursday night meeting of the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association. It’s a living history presentation, and all ages will enjoy it, a press release said. Artifacts of the frontier period will be on display.

ORHPA’s celebration of Davy Crockett comes on the same week as the Crockett Birthday event in downtown Knoxville on Saturday, August. More information on that event can be found on the East Tennessee Historical Society website.

The presentation on Thursday, August 14, starts at 7 p.m. at the Midtown Community Center on Robertsville Road in Oak Ridge. The meeting is open to the public, and it is especially designed to appeal to young children and adults alike.

“For more than 29 years, Lynn Fox has kept the spirit of Tennessee and America’s heroes alive,” the press release said. “He has walked their footsteps on the Overmountain Victory Trail, and re-enacted events in their lives through entertaining and educational living history programs. [Read more…]