Oak Ridge Today

ORPD working to increase use of seat belts, safety restraints for children

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The Oak Ridge Police Department is working with state officials to increase the use of seat belts and safety restraints for children, a press release said.

The ORPD is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, or THSO, for its annual Seatbelts Are For Everyone, or SAFE, campaign. This statewide initiative is designed to increase seatbelt usage and child passenger safety restraint usage through the implementation of occupant-protection programs, public events, and checkpoints throughout local communities across Tennessee, the press release said.

The SAFE campaign began February 24, and it will conclude on August 1. [Read more…]

Two arrested on drug charges, two on outstanding warrants after Vermont Ave search

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Charges are pending after a search warrant was served as part of an investigation into illegal drug activity on Vermont Avenue on Friday morning, Feb. 24, 2017, authorities said. The search warrant was served by members of the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force and the Oak Ridge Police Department SWAT and patrol staff. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

Charges are pending after a search warrant was served as part of an investigation into illegal drug activity on Vermont Avenue on Friday morning, Feb. 24, 2017, authorities said. The search warrant was served by members of the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force and the Oak Ridge Police Department SWAT and patrol staff. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

Two people were arrested on drug charges and two were arrested on outstanding warrants after a search of a Vermont Avenue home on Friday morning, authorities said.

The search of the home at 306 Vermont Avenue, across from St. Mary’s Catholic Church in central Oak Ridge, came after an investigation by the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force.

The Oak Ridge Police Department SWAT team entered the house early Friday morning with help from ORPD patrol officers.

Once the house was secure, agents from the Crime Task Force searched the home, detained several people, and conducted interviews as part of their investigation, a press release said. [Read more…]

Charges pending in drug investigation

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Police officers from the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force and Oak Ridge Police Department serve a search warrant at 306 Vermont Avenue as part of an investigation into illegal drug activity on Friday morning, Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Police officers from the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force and Oak Ridge Police Department serve a search warrant at 306 Vermont Avenue as part of an investigation into illegal drug activity on Friday morning, Feb. 24, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 4:40 p.m.

Charges are pending after a search warrant was served as part of an investigation into illegal drug activity on Vermont Avenue on Friday morning, authorities said.

The search warrant was served by members of the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force and the Oak Ridge Police Department SWAT and patrol staff.

Police were at the home at 306 Vermont Avenue, which is across from St. Mary’s Catholic Church in central Oak Ridge, for several hours Friday morning. The Oak Ridge Codes Enforcement Department was also there.

The Task Force is currently processing the house and conducting interviews, a City of Oak Ridge press release said late Friday morning.

“Charges are pending,” the press release said. “No further details regarding the investigation will be released by ORPD at this time.” [Read more…]

Bicyclist, 85, dies in fatal bike-SUV crash

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The Oak Ridge Police Department investigates a fatal crash between an SUV and a bicycle at Highway 58 and Blair Road on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 19, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Police Department investigates a fatal crash between an SUV and a bicycle at Highway 58 and Blair Road on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 19, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

An 85-year-old Oak Ridge bicyclist died in the Sunday afternoon crash between a sport utility vehicle and a bike on Highway 58 in west Oak Ridge on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

The crash was reported at about 1:50 p.m. Sunday at State Route 58 and State Route 327, also known as Blair Road, just east of the East Tennessee Technology Park (the former K-25 site).

The bicyclist, an 85-year-old man from Oak Ridge, died as a result of his injuries, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release.

“At the request of the family, the name of the bicyclist is not being released at this time,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Bicyclist dies after SUV-bike crash

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The Oak Ridge Police Department investigates a fatal crash between an SUV and a bicycle at Highway 58 and Blair Road on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 19, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Police Department investigates a fatal crash between an SUV and a bicycle at Highway 58 and Blair Road on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 19, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

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

A bicyclist died after a crash between a sport utility vehicle and a bike on Oak Ridge Turnpike in west Oak Ridge on Sunday, authorities said.

The crash was reported at about 1:52 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 58 and Blair Road. The male bicyclist had been taken to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge after the crash.

Highway 58 is temporarily closed at the intersection with Blair Road, and vehicles are being detoured as police investigate. [Read more…]

Police investigating Friday night shooting in Scarboro

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The Oak Ridge Police Department is investigating a Friday night shooting in the Scarboro neighborhood, authorities said.

Officers responded to the emergency room at Methodist Medical Center at about 11:44 p.m. Friday to investigate the reported shooting, a City of Oak Ridge press release said.

Police learned that a 19-year-old male had been injured by a gun shot, the press release said. But the victim was reluctant to cooperate with investigating officers, and no witnesses to the shooting were located, authorities said. [Read more…]

Knowing it could kill, woman still provided heroin, warrants say

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Heather Marie Rau

Heather Marie Rau

 

The heroin had already killed one man and caused her to overdose, but an Oak Ridge woman still provided the illegal drug to a second man, who ended up unconscious on a hallway floor with a very weak pulse and unable to breathe on his own on Thursday, authorities said.

Heather Marie Rau, 29, told Oak Ridge Police Department Detective John R. Criswell that she warned Wesley “Bud” Arnold not to “shoot it,” or inject the heroin, because she knew what she had given him could possibly kill him, according to arrest warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge.

It’s not clear how Arnold ingested the heroin, but he was unconscious on a hallway floor with a very weak pulse and unable to breathe on his own when Criswell responded to an overdose call at 622 West Outer Drive at about 3 p.m. Thursday.

“EMS personnel were able to revive Arnold by giving him a dose of Narcan, which is used to assist persons who overdose on opioid-based narcotics,” Criswell said in the warrants.

Rau and Willie Williams had ingested the same heroin at 622 West Outer Drive on February 12, and she overdosed while Williams died, the warrants said. [Read more…]

Homicide trial starts for Cromwell, could last three days

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The trial for Lee Cromwell, 67, the defendant in a fatal parking lot crash in Oak Ridge on July 4, 2015, has been set for the week that starts Monday, February 13, 2017. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

CLINTON—The homicide trial for Lee Harold Cromwell, the defendant in a fatal parking lot crash after fireworks in Oak Ridge on July 4, 2015, started Monday in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton.

The trial started with jury selection. About 115 potential jurors received instructions from Senior Judge Paul Summers on Monday morning.

A jury of 12 people and three alternates will be selected from among the 115 potential jurors.

Summers, appointed to hear the case after Judge Don Elledge recused himself because of liens filed by Cromwell, said he expects the trial to last three days, although that is not guaranteed.

The plea deadline for Cromwell was February 3.

The witnesses that are expected to testify include current and former Oak Ridge Police Department officers, victims of the crash, and Julia Robinson, the wife of James Robinson, 37, the Knoxville man who died in the crash.

[Read more…]

Police investigate online activity, but find no credible threat

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Early on Monday, February 6, the Oak Ridge Police Department was notified about some Internet chat room activity that raised its level of concern, authorities said.

After investigating the alleged activity, officers determined there was no threat, a City of Oak Ridge press release said. The Police Department coordinated with Oak Ridge Schools to relay this information. No alert was issued, and the schools did not change their procedure in any way. [Read more…]

Benefit spaghetti supper to help ORPD officer

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David Ridenour Benefit 2017

Information from WYSH Radio

A benefit, all-day spaghetti dinner will be held on Saturday, February 11, at Main Street Baptist Church in Rocky Top for Oak Ridge Police Department Officer David Ridenour.

Last year, Ridenour, while building his new home, had an accident with a nail gun that caused a serious injury to his eye.

Despite numerous surgeries and other treatments to try and save the eye, it had to be removed on January 24. [Read more…]

City, schools could pick preschool site soon

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Elm Grove Park Preschool Conceptual Site Plan Jan 2017 Large

A conceptual site plan for a new preschool at Elm Grove Park on East Tennessee Avenue in east Oak Ridge. Officials said the plan would keep the park and the walking trail. (Image courtesy Studio Four Design/City of Oak Ridge)

 

Oak Ridge municipal and school officials could start selecting a site for the new preschool as early as this month. There are two options being considered: Elm Grove Park and Scarboro Community Center.

Financing for the project, which would include bonds, could be included in the budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

In the meantime, a petition drive has been started to oppose building the preschool at Elm Grove Park.

The park had previously been announced as the preferred site for the new preschool, which has been on the city’s wish list for many years. Elm Grove Park is a city-owned parcel in east Oak Ridge off East Tennessee Avenue. It’s the site of a former school, it’s relatively flat, and it has city-owned utilities. Also, there aren’t many obstacles that would affect construction, and site borings have already been done, city officials said last week. [Read more…]

Man, dog injured after shots fired at home

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A man and dog were injured after shots were fired at a home on Wednesday night, authorities said.

The shooting was reported at 325 Louisiana Avenue at about 11:45 p.m. Wednesday.

The resident, 27-year-old Dylan Squires, told officers that he heard a knock on his front door. When he opened the door, Squires said, he observed a man, dressed in all black clothing and a ski mask, approaching his porch. [Read more…]