A man is charged with DUI vehicular assault in a wrong way crash on I-275.
31-year-old Evan King was charged after Knoxville Police responded to the crash early yesterday (Sunday) morning and found King was going north in the southbound lanes near the Woodland Avenue exit and hit another vehicle driven by a woman who was taken to the hospital with severe injuries.
King exhibited numerous signs of being under the influence and was treated at the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries following the crash. The investigation remains on-going.
An investigation is underway by TBI after a Knox County Sheriff’s Deputy suffers severe injuries and a man is dead following a West Knoxville shooting.
Investigators with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation say that Deputies responded to a domestic call in the 3200 block of Denver Lane last night. Once on the scene deputies found an armed man at the residence.
TBI says for reasons still under investigation, the situation escalated and shots were fired by both the individual and at least one of the deputies. The man pronounced dead at the scene.
Sheriff Tom Spangler is asking for prayers for the injured deputy.
Former University of Tennessee president Joe Johnson died at 90, UT officials announced on Friday. (Courtesy: University of Tennessee)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Vol Nation is grieving the passing of former University of Tennessee president Joe Johnson, dead at the age of 90. UT officials announcing Johnson’s death on Friday.
Johnson was system president from 1990 to 1999 and then served as interim president from 2003 to 2004.
A release from current UT System President Randy Boyd credits Johnson with making UT great through his “leadership, vision and compassion for people.”
Johnson was involved in many community organizations, including the Imagination Library of Knox County, the Pat Summitt Foundation, the Helen Ross McNabb Center, Knox Area Rescue Ministries, and the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
In 2012, he received the Silver Antelope Award, which UT officials said is the highest award the national council gives to volunteers.
Sevier County shooting suspect in custody after standoff with sheriff’s office, SWAT and bomb squad (Frankly Media)
Sevier County, TN (WOKI) A Sevier County man is in custody and a shooting victim is hospitalized following a two-hour standoff Friday with multiple law enforcement agencies in Sevier County.
Officials with the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office say 35-year-old Eric Coates is the suspect in the shooting of 60-year-old Mark Kennard inside a home in the 200 block of Asheville Highway. Three other people were in the home at the time of the shooting, according to SCSO officials.
SCSO says responding officers arrived on scene to find Kennard shot multiple times and Coates, armed, in a car in the home’s driveway saying he had an explosive which reportedly sparked the standoff.
Other teams, including the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team, Sevier County Interagency Bomb Squad and others responded to the scene during the standoff.
Coates was eventually subdued by CS gas, a type of tear gas, deployed by the Hazardous Devices Units which also responded to the scene; after which, Coates was taken into custody, according to SCSO officials.
Coates was charged with four counts of attempted first degree murder and an outstanding failure to appear warrant.
Kennard was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where he is in stable condition.
Updated story: Firefighters have successfully contained the 10-acre Lake Fire near backcountry campsite 87 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Firefighters will continue to monitor the fire through the weekend. Smoke may be visible as the fire smolders in leaf litter and brush. Campsite 87 remains closed.
The Lake Fire was reported at about 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 26. The cause of the fire is under investigation. No structures were threatened.
Original story:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park firefighters are suppressing a 5-10 acre wildland fire near backcountry campsite 87 on Fontana Lake’s shore.
The Lake Fire was reported at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 26. Firefighters were on scene early this evening and will remain in the area overnight to monitor and continue to suppress the fire. No structures are threatened by the fire. Smoke may be visible.
The fire is smoldering and creeping through timber and brush understory with significant leaf litter. Firefighters are using a full suppression attack and there is no threat to fire lines at this time. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Backcountry campsite 87 has been closed to all use.
An investigation remains underway after three West High School students are charged in connection to a firearm allegedly being brought onto school grounds.
The school was temporarily placed on a medium lockdown yesterday due to a report that a student had possibly brought a gun to school in their backpack.
Knoxville Police say three juvenile males have been charged.
KPD says there is no evidence to suggest that there was an active threat to school safety at any time.
Jefferson County Mayor Mark Lee Potts is arrested for DUI in Bradley County.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol says Potts was found lying face down in a ditch surrounded by beer containers at the 20-mile marker on I-75 South when police arrived at the scene Wednesday night.
A police report states that Potts admitted to drinking and driving from Knoxville and that he had pulled over to stay safe. Police conducted a roadside test and upon failure, arrested Potts for DUI.
He’s charged with Driving Under the Influence and Open Container.
Loudoun County, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has identified the man who died after a boat was pulled into a dam spillway Tuesday morning on Fort Loudon Lake.
TWRA says two men were on board the boat, presumably fishing when the boat was pulled into the spillway of Fort Loudoun Dam and capsized, sending both men into the water.
One of the men was rescued quickly by another angler on a different boat while the other man’s body, that of 68-year-old Albert Watkins, was recovered later by dam workers.
Officials say both men were wearing life jackets. They add the boat was recovered and taken by TWRA officers for analysis.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville police captured a shooting suspect following an early morning chase Thursday.
KPD officials say officers apprehended 29-year-old Brandon Nichols after he lost control of his motorcycle, crashing at the intersection of Witt Lane and Dandridge Avenue.
Nichols was wanted in connection to a shooting incident around 3:00 a.m. near N. Sixth Avenue and E. Glenwood Avenue where responding officers found a 40-year-old man who had been shot in the leg; he described the suspect as a man riding a motorcycle later identified by police as Nichols.
Both the victim and Nichols were transported to the hospital for evaluation of non-life-threatening injuries.
