Rocky Top Police Department Archives

Today is prescription drug take back day

Posted at 10:13 am April 28, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

You can get rid of unwanted, expired, and unused prescription medications, along with other medicines, in Clinton, Oak Ridge, and Rocky Top today (Saturday, April 28).

Anderson County is participating in the 2018 DEA Rx Drug Take Back Day, a press release said. The DEA is the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Organizations involved in the Drug Take Back Day are ASAP of Anderson, Clinton Police Department, Oak Ridge Police Department, and Rocky Top Police Department.

Community members can bring their expired or unused medicines to one of the Anderson County Take Back locations anytime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday. Drive-through collections sites will be located at the police departments listed below. Each department will be set-up outside in their respective parking lots to receive the expired or unused medicines. [Read more…]

Crisis intervention training helps save life in Rocky Top

Posted at 2:08 pm April 5, 2017
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Twenty law enforcement personnel graduated from Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT, training on March 10, 2017. The graduates represented Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Oak Ridge Police Department, Rocky Top Police Department, Anderson County Corrections Office, and Blount Memorial Security. (Submitted photo)

Twenty law enforcement personnel graduated from Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT, training on March 10. The graduates represented Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Oak Ridge Police Department, Rocky Top Police Department, Anderson County Corrections Office, and Blount Memorial Security.

CIT is an innovative first-responder model of police-based crisis intervention with community, health care, and advocacy partnerships. CIT provides 40 hours of specialized training for problem solving and de-escalating crisis situations with individuals who have a mental illness. Studies show it also improves the safety of patrol officers, consumers, family members, and citizens within the community, a press release said.

“Thanks to the partnership between the Oak Ridge City Police Department, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Ridgeview Behavioral Health, NAMI Oak Ridge, the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, and other community health advocates, our community has better equipped itself with first responders who have an effective set of communication and problem solving skills,” Oak Ridge Police Department Chief James Akagi said in his opening remarks.

So far, the East Tennessee Crisis Intervention Team has trained more than 180 law enforcement personnel, the press release said. [Read more…]

Rocky Top man indicted on attempted murder charge

Posted at 6:40 pm March 29, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Steven Wayne Rice

A Rocky Top man was indicted on an attempted first-degree murder charge this month in a shooting that allegedly involved his wife.

Steven Wayne Rice, 38, has also been indicted on a charge of aggravated assault with a weapon.

Rice was indicted by the Anderson County Grand Jury on March 7. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Anderson County Circuit and Criminal Court in Clinton on Friday.

He is accused of trying to kill Amy Rice, who is identified as his wife in earlier arrest warrants, on August 30, 2015.

Rice had initially been charged with attempted first-degree murder and reckless endangerment. Those charges were waived from Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge to the Anderson County Grand Jury on September 15, 2016.

Oak Ridge Today has previously reported that Rice had threatened Amy Rice with a pistol and fired it when three other people in the home tackled him and took away the gun. [Read more…]

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

Posted at 4:20 pm February 24, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

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…]

Christmas gifts meant to help children stolen from disabled vehicle

Posted at 11:16 am December 16, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

A real-life Grinch struck in Anderson County on Thursday.

Organizers of Saturday’s Rocky Top Christmas Party were driving near the intersection of Highway 116 and Andy’s Ridge Road in Briceville on Thursday evening after a wrapping party, where volunteers had wrapped presents for children in need in the northern part of Anderson County, when their green Ford Ranger’s alternator went out and they stopped by the side of the road.

The occupants of the vehicle locked the truck and went to call for help.

But while they were away from the vehicle, someone smashed in the windows and ransacked it. [Read more…]

Get rid of expired, unused medicines on Saturday

Posted at 9:04 am October 21, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

You can get rid of unused, unwanted, or expired prescription or non-prescription medicines on Saturday. It’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

You can drop off the medications at locations in Clinton, Norris, Oak Ridge, Oliver Springs, and Rocky Top.

The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications, a press release said.

Oak Ridge and Anderson County participate by encouraging residents across the city and county to properly dispose of their unused, unwanted, or expired prescription or non-prescription medicines, the press release said. Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) of Anderson County has partnered with the Oak Ridge Police Department and other law enforcement agencies throughout the county to give two convenient options to residents for proper medicine disposal. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge, Clinton officers receive DUI Officer of the Year awards

Posted at 9:13 pm December 20, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak-Ridge-Police-Department-Burchfield-DUI-Officer-Year

Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Derek Burchfield, left, received a DUI Officer of the Year Award on December 7 at the Governor’s Highway Safety Office annual joint network meeting in Knoxville. (Photo by Oak Ridge Police Department)

Officer Derek Burchfield of the Oak Ridge Police Department and Patrolman Adam Warren of the Clinton Police Department have received DUI Officer of the Year awards.

They were among nearly 100 officers and law enforcement agencies recognized by the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office. The awards were given out at regional meetings in Jackson, Murfreesboro, Pikeville, Knoxville, and Greeneville.

The Knoxville meeting was on December 7. Seventeen East Tennessee officers received the DUI (Driving Under the Influence) Officer of the Year Award. More than 120 officers attended.

Chief James Shetterly of the Rocky Top Police Department received a Partner of the Year Award, and Officer Stanley Wade and Jacqueline West of the Rocky Top Police Department were named Child Passenger Safety Technicians of the Year. [Read more…]

Six AC businesses sell beer to minor in sting

Posted at 8:24 pm November 25, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

During the last two weeks, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, in cooperation with the Rocky Top Police Department, the Oliver Springs Police Department, and Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson County, or ASAP, conducted compliance checks of local businesses who sell beer.

Investigators with the Sheriff’s Special Operations Unit and officers from the Rocky Top and Oliver Springs Police Departments visited 36 businesses to try to buy beer, a press release said. Six sold beer to the underage person. Four of the six checked for identification but still sold beer to the underage purchaser. Two businesses were closed.

The following businesses sold beer to the underage person:

Al’s Market	New River Highway	Briceville
Hitching Post	Clinton Highway	Clinton
Marathon (Fast Track)	Lake City Highway	Rocky Top
Smokes and Things	Clinton Highway	Powell
V Night Club	North Main Street	Rocky Top
Weigel’s	Clinton Highway	Powell

[Read more…]

RT man charged with attempted murder after allegedly threatening wife, firing gun

Posted at 1:34 pm September 4, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Steven Wayne Rice

A Rocky Top man has been charged with attempted first-degree murder after allegedly threatening his wife with a pistol early Sunday and firing it when three other people in the home tackled him and took away the gun, authorities said.

Steven Wayne Rice, 36, has also been charged with reckless endangerment, according to arrest warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court.

The Rocky Top Police Department responded to the call of a shot fired at 411 Wallace Avenue at about 2:55 a.m. Sunday, August 30.

RTPD Officer Richard Foschino said Rice was on the front porch when he arrived. When asked what happened, Rice responded, “I fired the gun,” Foschino said. [Read more…]

Pilot robbery suspect arrested in Rocky Top

Posted at 1:05 pm May 21, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Walter John Meachum

A Caryville man suspected of robbing a Pilot Travel Center in east Knox County on Tuesday was arrested at a motel in Rocky Top in Anderson County on Wednesday, authorities said.

They said Walter John Meachum, 21, has been charged with aggravated robbery for an alleged armed robbery just before 2 a.m. Tuesday at the Pilot Travel Center at 1915 East Raccoon Valley Road in Knox County.

On Tuesday, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office said the suspect was armed with a black and silver weapon, according to the initial investigation. Authorities said the suspect fled west on Raccoon Valley Road in a silver convertible with a black top after receiving an undisclosed amount of money from the business. He was described as wearing a skull mask, black hooded jacket, white shirt, and blue jeans at the time of the robbery.

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office said Meachum was arrested early Wednesday morning at the Scottish Inn in Rocky Top by its Major Crimes Unit in conjunction with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, and Rocky Top Police Department. As of Wednesday, Meachum was being held at the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility on a $20,000 bond. [Read more…]

Sheriff: 25 indicted on drug charges

Posted at 10:36 am December 10, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Paul White

Note: This story was updated at 11:45 a.m.

Twenty-five people were indicted on drug-related charges by an Anderson County Grand Jury in November after investigations by the Sheriff’s Special Operations Unit, authorities said Wednesday.

Deputies have been out making arrests on these indictments while also continuing investigations on related drug activity, Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said in a Wednesday morning press release.

The drug investigations were conducted during the last few months. White said the indictments were for the manufacture, sales, delivery, or possession of illegal drugs, and those indicted either sold to undercover agents or possessed drugs for resale.

“These indictments primarily include charges resulting from sale or possession for resale of prescription or legend drugs, as well as marijuana and methamphetamine-related offenses,” White said. [Read more…]

Sheriff: Arrest made after indoor marijuana grow, other drugs found

Posted at 2:13 pm November 9, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Nathan Allen Underwood

A Rocky Top man was arrested Tuesday when officers serving a search warrant found marijuana plants in various stages of a grow operation, along with indoor grow equipment such as lights, as well as other drug paraphernalia, authorities said. In addition, mushrooms and suspected prescription narcotics were also found, Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said.

White said investigators with the Sheriff’s Special Operations Unit, along with officers from the Rocky Top Police Department, and the 7th Judicial District Crime Task Force, served a search warrant at a home on Industrial Park Road in Rocky Top on Tuesday afternoon. The search warrant was the result of a joint drug investigation with these agencies.

Authorities arrested Nathan Allen Underwood, 32, of Rocky Top, and he was charged with several drug and weapons offenses, White said. The charges include manufacturing, delivering, selling, or possessing a controlled substance; possession of Schedule I drugs; possession of Schedule II drugs; possession of drug paraphernalia; and unlawful possession of a weapon.

The sheriff said charges on two other people are expected, pending more investigation into the case.

Underwood remained jailed at the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton on Sunday afternoon, and his bond has been set at $35,000.