Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville Police Department officials announcing Wednesday that they are searching for a man involved in an assault.
Police say the suspect assaulted another man in the early morning hours of September 14 in the area of Cumberland Avenue and 17th Street.
Anyone with information on the identity of the suspect is urged to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165.
Newport, TN (WOKI) Several roads in Newport are closed after a railroad trestle collapsed into the Pigeon River.
Newport Police say the trestle spanned the river, which saw major flooding when Hurricane Helene moved through East Tennessee. It marks the latest in a series of damages caused by the storm.
River Road, Liberty Alley and Jimtown Road at East Broadway are all closed.
No word if this collapse will affect Norfolk Southern’s schedule to re-open their routes.
Athens, TN (WOKI) UPDATE: Five children at the center of an Endangered Child Alert out of Athens are found safe.
Officials with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation had issued the alert early Wednesday morning for the five boys saying that they may have been with their non-custodial parents.
TBI says all five children were later found safe in Georgia.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has issued an Endangered Child Alert for five missing children out of Athens.
The Athens Police Department says they are believed to be with their non-custodial parents, 30 y/o Kurtis Pendergrass and 30 y/o Sawana Pendergrass. Kurtis has brown eyes, brown hair, is 5’10” and weighs 180 lbs. Sawana has blue eyes, brown hair, is 5’ tall and weighs 140 lbs.
They are believed to be in a white 2018 GMC Acadia with a TN tag 521 BMMM.
If you have any information please call 1-800-TBI-FIND.
or the Athens Police Department at 423-745-3222 or 1-800-TBI-FIND with info.
One person was killed in a crash involving a motorcycle that happened on Tuesday night on Middlebrook Pike.
At around 7:40 p.m. on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, Knoxville Police Department officers responded to a crash on Middlebrook Pike at Whitehall Road. The crash involved a Suzuki motorcycle and a black Acura sedan.
Based on the investigation conducted at the scene and witness statements, it is believed that the motorcycle was traveling at a high speed on Middlebrook Pike when it collided with the passenger side of the black Acura, which was attempting to turn left into the Retreat at West Hills apartment complex parking lot.
The motorcycle driver, a 53-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Acura sedan was transported to the UT Medical Center via AMR to be treated for injuries that are not expected to be life-threatening.
KPD crash reconstruction personnel responded to the scene and are leading the investigation.
Knoxville (October 22, 2024)—MEDIC Regional Blood Center is partnering with the Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians to promote civic engagement. MEDIC will have a mobile collection bus at the Girl Scouts parking lot (1567 Downtown West Boulevard, Knoxville, TN 37919) on October 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This drive is planned specifically during the early voting period, so voters heading to the Downtown West location can donate blood and vote. Those doing both will receive a MEDIC gift and a sleeve of Girl Scout cookies.
“This is a great way for community members to perform their civic duty in one place,” said Kristy Altman, VP of Communications and Public Relations. “We have had great success working with the Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians this year, and rewarding those who take time to donate and give blood is a great way to wrap up the early voting season.”
“We are proud to partner with MEDIC Regional Blood Center to encourage the importance of both voting AND giving blood,” said Lynne Fugate, CEO of Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians. “As we encourage the next generation to embrace their potential, it becomes crucial for all individuals, including Girl Scouts, to understand the significance of voting and civic participation. Girl Scouts can unlock a world of opportunities to create positive change, foster democracy, and contribute to the betterment of society. The same goes for donating blood. Every donation saves lives of all ages and helps people in our community. It is simple and fast to donate and can make a lifelong difference for someone else.”
Appointments for donations are preferred, but walk-in donors are welcome. Donors can call 865-524-3074 to schedule their appointment, visit medicblood.org/donate, or download the new MEDIC donor app to search for a drive closest to them and schedule their appointment. For more information on MEDIC Regional Blood Center, please visit our website at medicblood.org/eligibility/ or contact Vice President of Communications Kristy Altman at [email protected] or by phone at 865-805-2008.
UPDATE (10/23/24): On October 22, 2024, The Knox County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a body on a dirt walking trail behind a community pool in Broadacres Subdivision in the Powell Community. Deputies arrived at the 7700 block of Cranley Road a short time later and confirmed a deceased female on the dirt trail. Detectives from Major Crimes and Juvenile Crimes and the Knox County Medical Examiner arrived and began collecting evidence and processing the scene. Later in the evening, Detectives arrested a fifteen-year-old male from Powell and charged him with second-degree murder. The suspect is being held at the Richard L. Bean Detention Facility.
This is an active and ongoing investigation, and therefore, additional charges may be brought.
“I am grateful to everyone at the Knox County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work and diligence in this case. I also want to thank the Knox County School System for their assistance and cooperation. We ask you to keep the family of the victim, the Powell community, and our responding personnel in your prayers. As law enforcement professionals, nothing can prepare us for days like yesterday.”
– Tom Spangler, Knox County Sheriff
KCSO officials say there is a court appearance expected tomorrow (Thursday) morning at 10:00 am for Judge Irwin to make a ruling on releasing of the suspect’s name. There are no other updates that I am aware of at this time.
Original story: The Knox County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after the body of a 13 year-old girl is found in Powell.
Sheriff Tom Spangler says the girl was found yesterday (Tuesday) on a trail off of Cranley Road in the Broadacres subdivision. She has not been identified.
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection to the girl’s death.
The Sheriff says they are still looking at other possible leads and additional charges that may come about as a result of the investigation but says it was an isolated incident.
KCSO Major Crimes Division and the Juvenile Crimes Unit are investigating.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Cookies, coffee, and Clydesdales are being served up next month as the Sunsphere’s Welcome Center opens to the public!
Visit Knoxville announcing Tuesday that the Sunsphere Welcome Center will open to the public on November 20, as part of Phase II of the plan to update and enhance the iconic structure.
Organizers invite YOU to the official ribbon cutting ceremony at Clinch Avenue beginning at 10:00 a.m. and featuring the Budweiser Clydesdales and coffee for purchase from Travelin‘ Tom’s Coffee.
The event will also include free Sunsphere cookies.
To learn more, click here.
Jefferson County, TN (WOKI) A man is in custody, charged with aggravated domestic assault, following a standoff late Monday night with police in Jefferson County.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to Doane Road in the New Market area for a domestic violence call; the caller reportedly claimed 43-year-old Joshua Mumford had assaulted her and pointed a handgun at her head.
JCSO says before deputies arrived, the woman, another woman and a three-month-old child had left the house without being hurt.
Mumford, who had barricaded himself inside the residence and threatened to shoot law enforcement, surrendered to police around 11:30 p.m. after authorities deployed tear gas into the home.
Officials add that the White Pine Police Department, Jefferson City Police Department and the Sevierville Police Department also responded to the home.
Mumford is being held in the Jefferson County Detention Center without bond.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation say Interstate 40 is back open across Cocke County.
One lane is open in each direction between mile marker 451 (just before the TN/NC state line) and approximately mile marker 446.
This opening is for local traffic, and not into North Carolina. I-40 is open as normal leading up to mile marker 446.
TDOT’s Mark Nagi says that commercial traffic cannot access North Carolina from I-40 East in Cocke County.
UPDATED STORY: (WOKI) The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has issued a temporary water contact advisory which is still in effect until further notice. Matt Cameron with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says you shouldn’t eat fish or come in contact with waters flooded by Helene..
TVA has deployed a one-mile-wide boom across Douglas Reservoir above the town of Dandridge to help catch debris from massive flooding caused by Helene.
Matt Cameron with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency tells us that boom has worked and there’s no debris around it now but there’s a lot along the shoreline. He says you can boat on Douglas Lake but to use caution and be aware that boom is still in place so you have to pick a side of the lake and stick with it.
Cameron says if you have debris on your property you could separate natural combustibles, like wood and other materials you can safely burn from hazardous materials. He says use gloves to separate those items and bag them and take them to the landfill, do not burn those.
Cameron says this is an unprecedented event which, hopefully, we’ll never see again in our lifetime. He says this is the reason dams were built, to help control floodwater by collecting it in reservoirs which helps keep it from continuing downstream.
Cameron also says that, yes, some fish did die during flooding but not as many as expected. He says many fish found safe areas underwater and a lot of wildlife, like mice, beavers and even bears moved to higher ground.
ORIGINAL STORY: NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Due to flooding from Hurricane Helene in the North Carolina mountains and parts of Tennessee, TWRA is issuing a boating safety advisory for Douglas Lake.
A large field of floating debris has accumulated in Douglas Reservoir in Sevier and Jefferson counties, which is the inflow point from the Nolichucky, Pigeon, and French Broad Rivers and other watersheds. The debris field on Douglas is approximately one square mile in size.
To help contain the debris, TVA has deployed a one-mile-wide boom across Douglas Reservoir above the town of Dandridge. The boom extends across the entire lake surface at Mile 11 at Swanns Shoals upriver from downtown Dandridge and will be in place until further notice. A boom is a floating barrier that captures surface and submerged debris in bodies of water.
Debris can be hazardous, with the potential to cause injury or death. For the safety of the crews involved in debris cleanup as well as the safety of boaters, the public is advised to stay off the lake until further notice.
In addition to debris fields in the lake, The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has issued a temporary water contact advisory. Members of the public should avoid all contact with waterbodies affected by the extreme flooding in East Tennessee.
The advisory applies to all surface waters in the Nolichucky, French Broad, Pigeon, Doe, and Watauga River watersheds as well as any other waters affected by the flooding. TDEC plans to resume water quality monitoring in these watersheds as areas become safely accessible and conditions have improved. TDEC will lift the advisory when appropriate.
Potential fishing or recreational event organizers should strongly consider postponing events for the safety of participants until debris and contaminant levels are at a safer level.
TVA Police along with officers from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will be on the water patrolling to help ensure safety, and signage will be set up around the area of the boom.
