It’s football time in Tennessee and you can support the Vols while helping to save a life.
The Medic versus LifeSouth blood drive runs through Friday, it’s the annual UT versus Florida Blood drive to see which blood bank can collect the most blood donations.
Last year, Medic won so let’s keep the winning streak going.
Donors will receive a lot of swag for your donation this week.
Please go to https://medicblood.org/ to schedule your appointment.
People are making their way to Pigeon Forge for Rod Run, the annual event that brings automotive lovers together from all over the country.
The event’s rising popularity has dedicated fans taking precautions like arriving early to secure a parking spot and to get ahead on booking a hotel room for next year’s event.
Longtime fans say the high demand has created high prices for what used to be an affordable weekend trip. Thousands of people are expected to make the trip to East Tennessee for the event with some people already showcasing their cars, but the official show begins on Thursday and runs through Saturday.
An investigation is underway after several animals die in an Apartment Fire in Montgomery Village.
Knoxville Fire Department crews were called to the scene Friday and found heavy smoke coming from the front of the building which contained six separate apartments. The fire was quickly contained but one apartment suffered heavy fire damage the other had smoke damage and unfortunately officials say several animals did die and KFD is investigating the cause of that fire.
Claiborne County, TN (WOKI) The Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a man was reportedly stabbed to death Friday morning.
CCSO officials say deputies responded to a home in the Speedwell area at around 10:45 after dispatch received a call saying a man had been stabbed.
Upon arrival, deputies discovered the man who was then pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials say the body has been sent to the Knox County Forensic Center for an autopsy.
CCSO investigators are interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence to learn more about the incident.
“Based on the preliminary investigation, it is believed that the persons involved in the incident were known to each other, and there is no danger to the general public,” CCSO officials said.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Five people are arrested Thursday following the execution of a search warrant at a home in the 1500 block of Minnesota Avenue.
Officials with the Knoxville Police Department say the search is part of an ongoing overdose death investigation stemming from a suspected overdose death in June of 2023. They add that other overdose deaths are suspected of being connected to the home.
KPD says the search resulted in the seizure of approximately 45 grams of crack cocaine as well as heroin and methamphetamine. Additionally, a total of six firearms were seized, including an AR-style pistol that was stolen during a Knox County home burglary.
The following people were arrested and charged:
Allan Brown, 47, of Knoxville, Tennessee
Charges: Manufacture, Delivery, Sell of Schedule I Drugs; Manufacture, Delivery, Sell of Schedule II Drugs; Manufacture, Delivery, Sell of Meth; Possession of a Weapon by a Convicted Felon; Maintaining a Dwelling for Drug Purposes; Possession of a Weapon with Intent to Go Armed; and Theft of a Firearm
Quentin McClain, 57, of Knoxville, Tennessee
Charges: Manufacture, Delivery, Sell of Schedule I Drugs; Manufacture, Delivery, Sell of Schedule II Drugs; Manufacture, Delivery, Sell of Meth
Karen Davis, 55, of Knoxville, Tennessee
Charges: Manufacture, Delivery, Sell of Schedule I Drugs; Manufacture, Delivery, Sell of Schedule II Drugs; Manufacture, Delivery, Sell of Meth
Michael Frances Garcia, 53, of Knoxville, Tennessee
Charges: Manufacture, Delivery, Sell of Schedule I Drugs; Manufacture, Delivery, Sell of Schedule II Drugs
Adrian Thomas, 39, of Maryville, TN
Charges: Outstanding Warrant for Probation Violation and Identity Theft
KPD says other charges are pending, and the overdose death is still under investigation.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) UPDATE 9/8: One of two bodies found in Fort Loudon Lake last week has been identified.
The Blount County Sheriff’s Office identified the body as 36-year-old Bill Jesse Miracle.
BCSO officials say Miracle was identified by fingerprints.
The Blount Special Operations Response Team recovered Miracle’s body from Fort Loudon Lake on the evening of August 29th; it was found near George’s Creek.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office found a second body in Fort Loudoun Lake on the same day. They continue to ask for help in identifying that body.
ORIGINAL STORY: A body has been recovered from Fort Loudon Lake.
Officials with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office report their Special Operations Response Team recovered the male body from Fort Loudon Lake Tuesday evening. It was found near George’s Creek.
BCSO says the body, which has not been identified, was taken to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center for an autopsy to be performed in the coming days.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation says a road construction project on Lovell Road in Knox County will have a temporary impact on traffic.
Beginning Sunday there will be lane closures on Lovell Road between Kingston Pike and Pellissippi Parkway to allow crews to mill and resurface the road.
These lane closures will be in place nightly Sundays through Thursdays between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. All road work is expected to be complete on or before September 29th.
TDOT says a road construction project on Alcoa Highway in Knox County will also have a temporary impact on traffic.
Beginning Sunday, the northbound right lane on Alcoa Highway will be closed between Woodson Drive and Cherokee Trail while crews install a temporary rock catchment fence. This closure will be in place nightly between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. through Thursday.
In addition, next week the contractor may utilize traffic pacing operations to move equipment and perform various work activities. These will be intermittent daily between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and should have a minimal impact on traffic.
Country music artist Zach Bryan is arrested in Oklahoma.
Bryan confirmed this in a statement on his social media pages. Bryan says he “had an incident with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol” yesterday and his emotions got the best of him.
Bryan was booked into the jail and was charged with obstruction of investigation.
Bryan was released and says there is a mug shot “floating around.”
The 27-year-old singer served seven years in the Navy before being honorably discharged. Bryan’s debut album DeAnn was released in 2019.
Yesterday, the Country Music Association announced Bryan was one of five finalists for New Artist of the Year.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) UPDATE: A man is dead after leading Knox County deputies on a multi-county chase Thursday, prompting a standoff with law enforcement, according to District Attorney General Russell Johnson.
Law enforcement officials say the man, who was a person of interest in an overdose death, led Knox County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a chase through Knox, Anderson and Loudon Counties before the standoff; that chase began around 12:30 on Western Avenue.
According to Loudon County Sheriff Jimmy Davis, the man pulled out a gun and pointed it at officers during the chase before crashing into a tree on U.S. 321, prompting the standoff.
Officials say the man threatened his own life by pointing a gun at his head.
During the standoff, Blount County Sheriff’s Office tactical team members responded to the scene with an armored Bearcat car and fired non-lethal rounds into the man’s car, Johnson said.
“It was determined that the subject was not moving, so officers approached the vehicle to find the subject possibly deceased with a handgun in his lap,” Johnson said.
The suspect was taken to Fort Loudon Medical Center after receiving care from responders, but was pronounced dead at 1:58 p.m.
Since the man was technically in custody at the time of his death, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is handling further investigation.
ORIGINAL STORY: Several law enforcement agencies, including a Knox County Airwatch helicopter, responded to a police chase and standoff across several counties Thursday afternoon.
Officials with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office say the chase began around 12:30 p.m. when deputies tried to stop a person of interest in an overdose death driving a a silver or primer-colored truck. The man refused to stop for the officers, later pulling out a gun.
KCSO says the chase started in Knox County on Western Avenue then moved into Loudon County where the man stopped his truck. The man was reportedly armed and threatened his own life, sparking a standoff with police.
Officials report officers also fired shots at the suspect during the standoff.
No other details have been released.
KCSO Narcotics, Airwatch, the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office, the Oak Ridge Police Department, and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office were involved in the incident.
Clinton, TN (WOKI) A former Anderson County school resource officer takes a plea deal Thursday after allegedly “engaging in inappropriate conduct” with high school students.
Anderson County Sheriff’s Office officials say 36-year-old James Lawson was indicted on charges of solicitation of a minor and two counts of solicitation of a minor to observe sexual conduct by electronic means.
In exchange for pleading guilty, Lawson received diversion for the charges which will then be expunged after he completes requirements set by the court.
Lawson had been a school resource officer at Clinton High School since August of 2020; he resigned in December 2020 as an investigation into his conduct was launched.
