Russell Johnson Archives - Oak Ridge Today

TBI investigating officer-involved shooting in Roane County

Posted at 11:52 am September 18, 2017
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The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating a shooting that involved a Roane County officer on Saturday morning. Ninth District Attorney General Russell Johnson requested the help of TBI agents, a press release said.

Preliminary information indicates the incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. Saturday, when deputies from the Roane County Sheriff’s Office responded to an incident at 352 Mays Valley Road, the TBI said.

“Deputies arriving at the scene were confronted with a male individual with a weapon, and that man, since identified as David Daugherty, 47, was shot during that confrontation,” the TBI said. Daugherty was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for treatment, the TBI said. No deputies were injured during the incident.

Mays Valley Road is west of Oliver Springs and Blair Road, north of the western part of Oak Ridge, and south of Harriman Highway (State Route 61), which connects Oliver Springs and Harriman. [Read more…]

Bicyclist, 85, dies in fatal bike-SUV crash

Posted at 8:55 pm February 19, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

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…]

TBI: Knoxville man arrested after threatening former Rockwood mayor

Posted at 12:19 pm August 6, 2016
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Thomas Pierce

A Knoxville man was arrested Friday after he made threats against a former mayor of Rockwood and was found with several guns in his vehicle, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Saturday.

TBI special agents helped the Rockwood Police Department and the Ninth District Attorney General’s office investigate threats made by Thomas William Pierce, 59, against a former Rockwood mayor, a press release said.

Ninth District Attorney General Russell Johnson asked the TBI to help, the press release said.

Pierce is a former long-time Rockwood city employee, and he is set to go on trial in Roane County for theft of money from the City of Rockwood, the TBI said. [Read more…]

Learn what’s being done to address addiction, recovery at July 14 storytelling event

Posted at 6:42 pm June 25, 2016
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A community storytelling event on July 14 will share information on what’s being done to address addiction and recovery in East Tennessee. National Public Radio, which has been covering Roane County Recovery Court, will serve as the master of ceremonies, a press release said.

The storytelling event is titled “Roane is Better Together!” It’s scheduled from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 14, at the Princess Theatre in Harriman.

It’s sponsored by Russell Johnson, district attorney general of the Ninth Judicial District, and Roane County Public Defender Kim Nelson, a press release said.

The press release said the Roane County Recovery Court launched in January, and NPR has shared several video and audio clips with its listening audience. [Read more…]

Today: Roane County Recovery Court team will discuss work at Lunch with League

Posted at 8:35 am March 15, 2016
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Roane County Recovery Court for drug-related offenders has now been in operation for six weeks. The drug court team, led by General Sessions Court Judge Dennis Humphrey, will discuss their work with the court in the second part of a two-part program at Lunch with the League at noon Tuesday, March 15.

The first part of the program was presented on March 1. The Tuesday meeting starts at 12 p.m. March 15 in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Humphrey will be accompanied by District Attorney General Russell Johnson, Public Defender Kim Nelson, community relations for the district attorney Charlene Hipsher, Probation/Corrections Officer Chanel Finnell, Recovery Court Coordinator Ashley Freeberg, WestCare treatment staff Janeece Foust, and law enforcement liaison Lieutenant Rick Baker.

Lunch with the League is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Four Morgan Co. correction officers, one inmate indicted in TBI jail assault cases

Posted at 3:10 pm January 27, 2016
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Denny Hughett

COOKEVILLE—In two separate cases, special agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation have obtained indictments for a total of five people in connection to allegations of the mistreatment of inmates in the Morgan County Jail.

In the first case, which began November 24, 2015, at the request of Ninth District Attorney General Russell Johnson, TBI agents investigated an allegation of official misconduct by correction officers in the Morgan County Jail. The allegation, brought by an inmate’s family, accused officers of encouraging the assault of an inmate on November 21, 2015, in the presence of correction officers, who were also accused of not intervening in the incident.

On Monday, the Morgan County Grand Jury returned indictments, charging Correction Officer Denny Hughett, 31, of Wartburg, with two counts of official misconduct and one count of coercion of a witness. The Grand Jury also returned an indictment for an inmate, charging Samuel Jennings, 39, with one count of aggravated assault. [Read more…]

DA Johnson: TBI investigating Morgan County Jail

Posted at 1:17 pm December 18, 2015
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State officials are investigating allegations of assaults on an inmate at the Morgan County Jail, a law enforcement official said Friday.

The two investigations by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation were acknowledged on Friday by Ninth District Attorney General Russell Johnson.

The first investigation focuses on an allegation that an inmate was assaulted by another inmate on November 24, and two corrections officers may have encouraged the assault or at least stood by while it occurred, a press release said.

The second investigation involves an allegation that four corrections officers assaulted an inmate on December 15, hours after that same inmate made a seemingly unprovoked but violent assault against two corrections officers, the press release said. [Read more…]

TBI: Morgan Co. woman charged with attempted murder in husband’s shooting

Posted at 11:31 am July 4, 2015
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Jennifer Darlene Smith

A Morgan County woman has been charged with attempted murder in the alleged shooting of her husband on Friday, authorities said.

Jennifer Darlene Smith, 39, faces one count of attempted second-degree murder, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said. She was being held in the Morgan County Jail on Saturday morning, and her bond has been set at $100,000, the TBI said.

The alleged shooting occurred shortly after 5 p.m. Friday at the family’s home on Morgan County Highway in Sunbright, the TBI said. When authorities responded, they found 61-year-old Leroy James Smith Jr. suffering from a gunshot wound, the TBI said in a press release. [Read more…]

Charges upgraded in Roane shooting

Posted at 11:27 am March 30, 2015
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Jeremy Alexander Gambrell

Information from WYSH Radio

The former police officer accused of shooting his ex-wife Saturday, March 21, has had the charges against him upgraded from aggravated assault to attempted second-degree murder, according to Roane County District Attorney General Russell Johnson’s office.

Jeremy Alexander Gambrell, who goes by “Alex,” will still face an aggravated assault charge in connection to him allegedly firing a gun at a second person at his ex-wife Jenny Gambrell’s home. That person was not struck by the gunfire, but Jenny Gambrell was hit several times and, as of last week, was recovering in the hospital.

Alex Gambrell—a 41-year-old former Lenoir City and Tennessee Valley Authority police officer—remains in custody on a $50,000 bond, but that amount is expected to increase following his arraignment on the upgraded charge.

TBI: Roane officers justified in using deadly force

Posted at 11:52 am August 21, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

An investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has concluded that the shooting of an armed burglary suspect in Harriman on Tuesday was justified. Officers shot and killed 28-year-old Miranda Michelle Guy inside her home on Fairchild Street on Tuesday afternoon.

According to a joint press release from District Attorney General Russell Johnson, the Roane County Sheriff’s Office, and the Harriman Police Department, Guy pointed a handgun at the officers and was advancing on one of them when they opened fire. The preliminary autopsy showed that Guy was hit multiple times in her right arm, which was holding the gun, and her front torso.

Officials said that while a Harriman Police Department officer was speaking to witnesses of a burglary at a storage building in South Harriman, a white pickup truck drove by that the witnesses identified as the vehicle that the suspect in the break-in had been driving. The release said the officer could see items in the bed of the truck that matched the description of some of the stolen items. The officer ordered the truck to stop, but the driver, who was identified as Guy, sped up and drove away.

The officer started a pursuit, which was joined by a HPD investigator and two Roane County Sheriff’s Department deputies. The four officers followed Guy to her house, where they saw her run inside. The officers split up, with two going to the back of the house while the other two followed Guy inside through the front door. [Read more…]