reckless driving Archives - Oak Ridge Today

Reports: Deputy, prisoner injured in crash

Posted at 10:21 pm August 7, 2018
By John Huotari 2 Comments

Yoonsik Jung

An Anderson County Sheriff’s Department deputy and a prisoner were injured in a three-vehicle rear-end crash at Interstate 75 early Sunday, and a Clinton man is facing charges of driving under the influence and reckless driving, among other counts, authorities said.

The crash was reported at about 1 a.m. Sunday on North Charles G. Seivers Boulevard (Highway 61) at I-75.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Gregory Stanley, 49, of Knoxville, was transporting a prisoner for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency in a 2011 Ford Crown Victoria, and he was stopped at the traffic light at the I-75 southbound exit ramp when he was struck in the rear by a driver reported to be intoxicated, ACSD Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said. TWRA had made an arrest on Norris Lake for domestic assault, and the Sheriff’s Department had responded to transport the person who had been arrested to the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton.

Stanley, the deputy, was stopped for the red light when his car was hit in the rear, Lucas said. Both Stanley and the prisoner, Eric Allen Rose, 25, of Powell, were taken to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge by Anderson County EMS for non-life threatening injuries after the crash, Lucas said. [Read more…]

Carjacking suspect arrested after hospital release

Posted at 10:05 pm June 28, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Bradley Allen Thomas

Note: This story was updated at 10:30 p.m.

The suspect in the carjacking of a van occupied by a woman in a wheelchair on Saturday, followed by a police chase and crash, was arrested after he was released from a hospital on Thursday, authorities said.

Bradley Allan Thomas, 30, of Knoxville, was arrested by Anderson County Sheriff’s Department deputies when he was released from the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said. Thomas, who was seriously injured, had been taken to UT Medical Center after the Saturday afternoon crash at Clinton Highway and Powell Drive in Knox County.

Thomas is the suspect charged in the carjacking in the parking lot of the Red Lobster restaurant on South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge on Saturday afternoon, Lucas said.

“Oak Ridge Police officers served their warrants related to the carjacking, and Thomas was also served with warrants on the pursuit by deputies,” Lucas said after Thursday’s arrest. [Read more…]

More charges pending after carjacking, chase, crash

Posted at 5:59 pm June 28, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The driver of a vehicle allegedly stolen from a woman in a wheelchair in Oak Ridge on Saturday, June 23, 2018, fled from law enforcement officers, running red lights and passing vehicles in the turn lane at high speed, before crashing into a car and a traffic light pole on Clinton Highway at Powell Drive in Knox County, an incident report said. (Submitted photo)

More charges are pending after a carjacking of a van occupied by a woman in a wheelchair in Oak Ridge on Saturday led to a police chase and crash on Clinton Highway in Knox County.

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department has already said it would seek warrants against the suspect, Bradley Allan Thomas, 30, of Knoxville, and the Oak Ridge Police Department said criminal charges are pending.

Now, in a preliminary crash report, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said it is filing its own charges. They include reckless endangerment, reckless driving, obedience to traffic control signal, failure to maintain lane, improper passing, and driving on a suspended license.

“These are all THP charges and do not include outside agencies’ pending charges,” the crash report said.

An Anderson County Sheriff’s Department incident report said deputies would seek warrants against Thomas for evading arrest and reckless endangerment. [Read more…]

Attempted carjacking charge added in crash that injured officer

Posted at 11:14 am April 13, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Khristoff Deshawn Lee

An attempted carjacking charge has been added to the eight charges already filed against a man accused of injuring an Oak Ridge officer when he fled from police and crashed on South Illinois Avenue last week.

After the five-vehicle crash on Wednesday, April 4, Khristoff Deshawn Lee, 24, of Oak Ridge, was charged with three felony counts of aggravated assault by motor vehicle, two felony counts of reckless endangerment, one felony count of aggravated domestic assault, and one misdemeanor count of evading arrest and another misdemeanor count of resisting, stop, halt, and frisk.

The attempted carjacking charge, a Class C felony, was added Friday, April 6, according to Anderson County court records.

An affidavit filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge said Lee, who was reported to be a fugitive, tried to force his way into two different vehicles in the Panera Bread parking lot as he fled from police on foot after the April 4 crash. [Read more…]

Woman indicted on carjacking, attempted robbery charges

Posted at 4:32 pm March 24, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Sheila K. Jones

An Oliver Springs woman has been indicted on charges of attempted robbery, carjacking, and assault, among other counts, after she allegedly took a vehicle from another Oliver Springs woman in Oak Ridge in May and fled from police, according to Anderson County court records.

The specific charges against Sheila Kaye Jones, 43, include carjacking, attempted robbery, assault, reckless endangerment when a deadly weapon is involved, reckless driving, evading arrest, and driving on a suspended or revoked license with six prior offenses. Jones was indicted by the Anderson County Grand Jury in Clinton on March 13.

She has an arraignment set for Monday, March 26, in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton.

Jones has been jailed at the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton since May 10.

Charges against Jones were bound over, or sent to the grand jury, after a preliminary hearing in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge on August 22. [Read more…]

Man pleads guilty to homicide in fatal crash

Posted at 2:31 pm November 4, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Justin Lee Seeber

An Anderson County man pleaded guilty on Monday to criminally negligent homicide in the death of a 19-year-old woman in a single-vehicle crash on US 25W in May 2013.

Justin Lee Seeber, 28, also pleaded guilty in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton to reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon.

The crash on May 28, 2013, killed Amber Elaine Smith of Knoxville, a graduate of Hardin Valley Academy who attended Roane State Community College.

Seeber’s two-year sentence was suspended, and he was placed on state-supervised probation. As a standard offender, his release eligibility was set at 30 percent. If he successfully completes probation, he will not have to go to prison. But if he violates probation, he will have to serve prison time, authorities said. [Read more…]

Carjacking, attempted robbery, assault charges sent to grand jury

Posted at 2:46 am August 24, 2017
By John Huotari 1 Comment

Sheila K. Jones

Attempted robbery, carjacking, and aggravated assault charges against an Oliver Springs woman were sent to a grand jury for its consideration after a preliminary hearing in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge on Tuesday.

Charges against Sheila K. Jones, 43, of Henley Circle, also include evading arrest, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, and driving on a revoked license.

Jones had allegedly been a passenger in a vehicle in May when she allegedly climbed on top of the driver, Deborah G. Russell of Oliver Springs, who had said she was going home. Jones allegedly pressed Russell’s right leg down to the gas pedal and grabbed the steering wheel to prevent Russell from turning near the intersection of Tulsa Road and South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court on May 11.

“The victim (Russell) indicated that the defendant (Jones) started saying things such as ‘I’ll beat your ass’ and ‘I’ll blow your brains out,” the affidavits said. “After the defendant put the vehicle in park, the victim released her seatbelt, and the defendant opened and shoved the victim out of the driver’s door. The victim was still ‘hung’ in the seatbelt, until it finally came off, and the defendant shouted, ‘You made me do this!'”

At that point, Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Cory Strange saw the vehicle—an older model gold vehicle that had been stopped next to an apparent pedestrian—spin its rear tires and make a hasty illegal U-turn in the middle of ORAU Way, according to the affidavits. [Read more…]

Gilmore indicted on homicide charge in crash that killed Roane school employee

Posted at 4:51 pm April 9, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

vicki-gilmore-status-hearing-2-sept-29-2016-web

Vickie Gay Gilmore, 62, of Oak Ridge, has been indicted on charges of vehicular homicide and driving under the influence, among other charges, in the death of Christy Duncan, a 37-year-old Harriman mother and Roane County Schools employee, in a three-vehicle crash at Oak Ridge Turnpike and Jefferson Avenue on Friday, May 6, 2016. Gilmore is pictured above in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge on Thursday, Sept. 29. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Christy Duncan

Note: This story was last updated at 11:15 a.m. April 10.

An Oak Ridge woman has been indicted on charges of vehicular homicide and driving under the influence in the death of a 37-year-old Harriman mother and Roane County Schools employee in a three-vehicle crash in May.

The vehicular homicide charge alleges Vickie Gay Gilmore, 62, was driving recklessly in the crash that killed Christy Duncan, 37, of Harriman.

Gilmore has also been charged with reckless aggravated assault for injuring Duncan’s daughter Janna, who was four years old at the time of the May 6 crash at Oak Ridge Turnpike and Jefferson Avenue.

Gilmore has also been charged with reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon (a motor vehicle), reckless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident. She has an arraignment scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, April 28, in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton.

The indictments were filed Tuesday by the Anderson County Grand Jury in Clinton. [Read more…]

Second homicide charge added, preliminary hearing set in crash that killed school employee

Posted at 4:37 pm October 4, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Vicki G. Gilmore, 62, of Oak Ridge, is facing three more felony charges, including a second vehicular homicide charge, in the death of a 37-year-old Harriman mother and Roane County Schools employee in a fatal three-vehicle crash at Oak Ridge Turnpike and Jefferson Avenue on May 6, 2016. A preliminary hearing for Gilmore, who is pictured above on Thursday, Sept. 29, has been set for 10 a.m. Oct. 21 in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

An Oak Ridge woman is facing three more felony charges, including a second vehicular homicide charge, in the death of a 37-year-old Harriman mother and Roane County Schools employee after a three-vehicle crash at Oak Ridge Turnpike and Jefferson Avenue in May.

The new charges, filed against Vicki G. Gilmore, 62, on September 29, also include aggravated assault and reckless endangerment. The new homicide charge is vehicular homicide (recklessness).

The original charges filed against Gilmore, who is suspected of using a narcotic pain-reliever, were vehicular homicide, driving under the influence, reckless driving, failure to maintain a single lane, leaving the scene of an accident, violation of the implied consent law, and duty upon striking a fixture. The original charges were filed in May.

A preliminary hearing has been set for 10 a.m. October 21 in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge. During a preliminary hearing, a judge can hear from victims, witnesses, and investigators, and determine whether charges should be bound over, or sent to a grand jury for its consideration. An indictment by a grand jury bumps a case from general sessions court to criminal court. [Read more…]

Woman charged with vehicular homicide, DUI after fatal crash on Friday

Posted at 9:29 am May 9, 2016
By John Huotari 5 Comments

Vickie Gay Gilmore

Note: This story was last updated at 10:51 a.m.

An Oak Ridge woman has been charged with vehicular homicide and driving under the influence after a fatal crash that killed a 37-year-old mother on Oak Ridge Turnpike on Friday, authorities said.

The three-vehicle crash was reported at about 9:47 p.m. Friday, May 6, at the intersection of Oak Ridge Turnpike and Jefferson Avenue.

When they arrived, officers attempted to immediately extricate the driver of one vehicle, Christy Duncan, 37 of Harriman, and her 4-year-old daughter from their vehicle, which was severely damaged, according to the Oak Ridge Police Department.

Both victims were taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where Duncan later succumbed to her injuries, the press release said. It said the 4-year-old is being treated for injuries. Another driver, Jason Watson, was uninjured. [Read more…]

Police: Man riding dirt bike reported as stolen drops it in front of patrol car, flees

Posted at 9:54 pm June 9, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

Seth Davis

An Oak Ridge man riding a dirt bike reported to be stolen from Staples lost control of the motorcycle and dropped it in front of a police patrol car before fleeing Thursday evening, authorities said.

Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Sherrill Selby observed two dirt bikes on South Benedict Avenue at about 7:45 p.m. Thursday, and they were “riding wheelies at a high rate of speed,” according to warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court.

In the warrants, Officer Scott Carroll said the defendant, Seth Montez Davis, 19, rode toward him. When Davis saw him, Carroll said, “he locked up the brakes and slid into my lane of traffic.”

After Davis dropped the bike, he ran behind a home on South Benedict, Carroll said. The officer said he chased Davis through a field and back up to South Benedict, where he was caught. [Read more…]

THP: Woman drank bourbon, took Xanax before Edgemoor Road crash

Posted at 5:12 pm February 21, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Edgemoor Road Crash Valentine's Day 2015

One person was trapped in a car, and rescuers had to remove a car door from this 2000 Honda Accord after a nighttime crash on Valentine’s Day. The collision pushed this car about 35 yards into the parking lot of the Shell gas station on Edgemoor Road.

The Knoxville woman who allegedly caused a crash on Edgemoor Road that injured two on Valentine’s Day told a state trooper that she consumed two drinks of bourbon and took Xanax not too long before the crash, and she also uses heroin, authorities said.

One person was trapped in a car after the crash, and rescuers had to remove a car door, said Steven Newby, deputy chief of the Claxton Volunteer Fire Department. He said two people were taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville in stable condition.

The Knoxville woman accused of causing the 9:45 p.m. crash, Jill A. Graham, 39, was charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, and vehicular assault. She remained jailed in the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton on Saturday afternoon. [Read more…]