Oak Ridge Today

Five arrested quickly after gun theft reported on Norris Freeway

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Anthony Wayne Daniels

Anthony Wayne Daniels

Quick work by Anderson County Sheriff’s Department deputies after a gun theft was reported led to the arrest of five people on Monday, August 15, authorities said.

Deputies were called to a home on Norris Freeway shortly after 10 a.m., where a homeowner reported someone had stolen guns from his home. The resident said he was distracted by one of the five people, who came asking about some rental property, said Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy.

“Other suspects apparently entered the home and stole the firearms,” Lucas said. “A responding deputy recognized a truck fleeing the scene and notified other deputies by radio. Deputies were waiting when the truck and the five occupants arrived at a mobile home park in Claxton. All five were arrested and the guns recovered.” [Read more…]

Woman flown to hospital by Lifestar after Norris Freeway crash

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

A Heiskell woman had to be freed from a car and flown to a hospital by a medical helicopter after a crash on Norris Freeway on Friday evening, authorities said.

The single-vehicle crash was reported at about 7:09 p.m. Friday on Norris Freeway near Foust Hollow Road in Anderson County, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said.

Karen Nolan, 60, was driving north on Norris Freeway, also known as US 441, when the 2006 Buick Century went off the left side of the road, the THP said. The car traveled through a fence and down an embankment, rolling several times before coming to a stop on its driver’s side, a preliminary THP report said. [Read more…]

Knoxville woman dies, Andersonville women injured in crash on Norris Freeway

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

A Knoxville woman died and two Andersonville women were injured in a Tuesday morning crash on Norris Freeway at Pedigo Road in north Knox County, authorities said.

The woman who died has been identified as Nellie Gunter, 70, of Knoxville, according to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.

The KCSO said Gunter was driving north on Norris Freeway in a Nissan Versa when she lost control of her car due to the wet road and hit a Buick LeSabre, which was going south. Gunter died at the scene, authorities said.

The Buick was driven by Alice Overdyk, 67, of Andersonville. She and her passenger, Susan Moses, 58, also of Andersonville, were taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville by Rural Metro. [Read more…]

Norris Bulletin provides detour ideas over I-75

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

With traffic over Interstate 75 on Highway 61 down to one lane in either direction for bridge repair work, drivers can expect delays now through October 31, but our friends at the Norris Bulletin have a couple of alternate routes you may want to consider.

In the Wednesday edition, the Bulletin said westbound drivers can get to the other side of the interstate pretty quickly by taking the back route via Alley Road off the Norris Freeway and then following Hillvale Road all the way to back to Highway 61, adjacent to Harrison’s, Waffle House, and WalMart. The Bulletin said that detour will work for westbound traffic trying to get to I-75 South or to Clinton, but eastbound traffic probably will not get much benefit from that route due to expected backups.

For eastbound drivers, the Bulletin suggested turning left onto Miller Road just before Ray Varner Ford and following that route until reaching Hillvale, where you would then turn left, and proceed to Alley Road back into Norris.

Another option, especially for those living in Andersonville or south on Norris Freeway is to take Mountain Road east across the interstate. To reach Mountain Road from Clinton, take Sinking Springs Road (you can either turn right after crossing the Clinch River Bridge just past the soccer fields and Hammer’s, or continue on to Bland Road) until reaching Irwin Mill Road. Turn right there and proceed to Mountain Road. Turning left on either Bethel Road, Cross Pike, or Norris Freeway will return you to Highway 61.

Bear spotted in Rocky Top on Friday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Bear in Rocky Top on June 19, 2015

A bear was spotted at 320 Norris Freeway in Rocky Top, across from the Dollar Store, at about 12:30 p.m. Friday. (Photo courtesy Raymond Jobe)

A bear was spotted in Rocky Top on Friday.

Authorities received a report of a bear near the intersection of U.S. 441 (Norris Freeway) and North Main Street at about noon Friday, a Rocky Top dispatcher said. It was across from Advance Auto Parts.

Dispatchers contacted the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, which recommended leaving the animal alone. TWRA said the bear was probably looking for food, and berries will “come out” in about another two to three weeks.

The dispatcher said the bear drifted off from that intersection downtown and was seen elsewhere around Rocky Top (the former Lake City) before disappearing. [Read more…]

Andersonville fire displaces family on Christmas Eve

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

A Tuesday morning fire badly damaged an Andersonville family’s home.

The fire started around 5:30 a.m. off Hinds Creek Road near Norris Freeway. According to the Andersonville Volunteer Fire Department, no one was hurt in the fire that destroyed about half of the home.

Firefighters say the blaze started near the dryer in the utility room and that it was an electrical fire, but it is unclear exactly what started it. There were space heaters connected to an extension cord near where the fire started. [Read more…]

Norris Freeway outbuilding burns

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

A storage building on Norris Freeway went up in flames early Saturday morning. The fire in the 3000 block of Norris Freeway was extinguished by the Andersonville Volunteer Fire Department, but officials were not able to determine the cause of the fire.

The house that shared the property was vacant.

Man injured after burglars push him out of loft

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

An Anderson County man was seriously injured Thursday night when he was pushed out of his barn loft by a pair of alleged burglars.

Jack Archer, 55, spent Thursday night lying in the rain and the cold after the incident, which he says happened shortly before midnight on Thursday at a barn off of Norris Freeway in Heiskell. [Read more…]

Survivor of fatal crash released from hospital

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

The Anderson County High School student injured in a Monday afternoon traffic accident in Norris that left his friend and classmate dead was released from the University of Tennessee Medical Center on Tuesday.

Evan Weaver was injured in Monday’s wreck at the intersection of Andersonville Highway and Norris Freeway and flown to UT Medical Center. He reportedly suffered a broken pelvis in the crash, which occurred shortly before 4:30 p.m. Monday, when his Ford Escort crossed over a concrete traffic island and collided with a Ford F250 pickup truck.

[Read more…]

Anderson high school student killed, another injured In Norris crash

Posted at
By 3 Comments

Information from WYSH Radio

An Anderson County High School senior was killed in a Monday afternoon traffic accident in Norris, and another teen was flown by a Lifestar helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville.

The Norris Police Department and Tennessee Highway Patrol responded to the crash shortly before 4:30 pm Monday at the intersection of Andersonville Highway and Norris Freeway.

Cameron Sharp, 17, of Andersonville was killed in the wreck, and Evan Weaver, 18, also an ACHS senior and also from Andersonville, was injured. No update on his condition has been made available.

[Read more…]