The Newport Plain Talk

Sheriff

Gnawing nags

Wednesday, Dep. Brian Holt filled out an incident report made by Verma Dixon, no age given, 3571 Bogard Road, concerning a neighbor’s horses, which have reportedly been reaching over his fence and chewing her wood rail fence. Roughly 40 to 50 feet of Dixon’s fence has been reported damaged by the cribbing horses. Dixon was advised the incident is a civil matter and if the neighbor didn’t fix the cribbed fence, she would have to take the matter to civil court.

Beds on the lam

Wednesday, Dep. Brian Holt filled out an offense report made by Amy Bley, 47, 380 S. Highway 32, Cosby, concerning the alleged theft of two beds from a residence she was moving out of. According to the report, Bley stated her landlord came to her residence while she was in the process of moving and took two mattress’s reportedly belonging to her. Bley told Holt the landlord told her the mattress’s belonged to him and he would be back to the residence to get more items. The estimated value of the two beds is $400.

Broken dish, vandalism

Wednesday, Dep. Brian Holt was dispatched to the home of Claudette Gaudill, 54, 809 Gull Way, Newport, on a call concerning the vandalism of her satellite cables, lawn mower, weed trimmer and car tires. According to the report, Gaudill stated that sometime between 6 p.m. Tuesday and 8 a.m. Wednesday, someone cut the cables to her Direct TV satellite dish and deflated all four tires on her car. In addition, Gaudill stated the handle on her lawn mower was broken off and the spark plug wire on her weed trimmer was cut. Gaudill believes an ex-spouse might be responsible for the vandalism. The estimated cost of the damages done to Gaudill’s property is $320.

Storage trailer cracked

Wednesday, Lt. Rick Laws filled out an offense report made by Susan Davis, 49, 121 Loftis Road, Parrottsville, concerning the theft of more than $15,000 worth of personal property from her storage trailer. According to the report, Davis stated that sometime between April 18 and 19, someone broke into her storage trailer at her residence and stole her Honda generator, drill press, battery chargers, a Compaq laptop computer, camcorder, TVs, car batteries, radiators, house wiring, tools, pressure washer, compressor, air tank, floor jack, four Jeep wheels and four aluminum wheels for a Honda. The suspect(s) reportedly entered the trailer by breaking off the pad locks from both front and back doors. In addition, five windows were shattered after the break-in. The estimated value of the stolen items is $15,080.

Woman dragged along Good Hope Road

Wednesday, Sgt. Ricky Holt filled out an offense report made by Teresa Shelton, 27, 1986 Good Hope Road, Parrottsville, concerning the theft of her purse and injuries suffered while trying to retrieve it from a moving vehicle. According to the report, around 9 p.m., a man and a woman drove to Shelton’s residence to supposedly take her to a store. After Shelton entered the vehicle, the driver, reportedly after traveling a short distance, stopped the vehicle and said there was something wrong with the gears. Shelton reportedly said she didn’t hear anything indicating the gears were malfunctioning. The male driver is said to have then backed the car and stopped. After stopping, two other individuals, a man and a woman, entered the vehicle. Shelton told the driver to take her home. The driver pulled over and told Shelton he wanted to check his car. The two males reportedly exited the vehicle, walked to the front of the car and opened the hood. One male, the passenger, went to the back of the car where Shelton was seated and asked for her purse. Shelton reportedly fought with the man, who managed to grab her purse. Shelton ran out and around the vehicle in an attempt to get the purse back. During the struggle, Shelton was grabbed and dragged from the vehicle. However, she tried to get back inside despite the driver gassing the vehicle while she was hanging out of the vehicle. Shelton was dragged down Good Hope Road before letting go. Shelton had drag marks on her legs, feet and back. She was taken to Baptist Hospital of Cocke County ER by private party. The contents of Shelton’s purse included 570 pills of various medication, her wallet, a $350 check and $300 cash.

Stripped vessel nearly submerged

Wednesday, Dep. Alton Cureton was dispatched to the Highway 25E boat ramp on call concerning a boat found abandoned in the area. According to the report, the boat was found floating about 300 feet from the shoreline before 11 a.m. A local fisherman pulled the boat to a dock where deputies secured it. The boat had been completely stripped and was half-full of water. The boat’s insignia identified it as a Tournament TX 17.

Property line dispute

Wednesday, Dep. Steve Johnson filled out an incident report made by Mary Tweed, 38, 1311 N. Highway 107, Greeneville, concerning a possible violation of a restraining order prohibiting any work on a common property line she and a neighbor share. Tweed’s neighbor allegedly used a track-hoe to move dirt along the property line.

PI charges

Monday, Lt. Rick Laws arrested Randy Phillips, 42, 4270 Ground Hog Road, Cosby, on a charge of public intoxication.

Aggravated child abuse, criminal negligent homicide

Wednesday, Detective Bryan Murr arrested Melinda Harris, 19, Apartment No. 6 460 Terrace Way, Newport, on charges of criminal negligent homicide and aggravated child abuse under 6-years of age. Harris was arrested on a capias issued after evidence was presented to the Grand Jury. In addition, Dep. Brian Holt arrested Travis D. Spencer, 21, same address, on the same charges.

Theft over $500

Wednesday, Detective Bryan Murr arrested Kirrie June Haynes, 44, 119 Woodlawn Avenue, Newport, on charges of theft over $500.

Police

Police pepper Palenko

Wednesday, Patrolman Donald Coakley was dispatched to the Motel 6 on a call requesting the removal of a reportedly intoxicated male from the business. Upon arrival, police were asked by the manager to remove Jason Palenko, 34, 338 Hoot Owl Road, Spruce Pine, N.C., from room No. 224 because he had been in the motel’s lobby threatening “to trash the room.” When Palenko came out of a bathroom, Coakley asked him to leave the motel. Palenko reportedly said if he didn’t get his money back for the room, he was “going to go downstairs, jump across the desk and choke the desk clerk out.” Palenko left his room at a fast pace toward the elevator. When Palenko arrived at the elevator, he pushed the down-button numerous times, looked to see if officers were about and kicked the doors. Lt. Terry Lawson grabbed Palenko by the arm and asked him to calm down. Palenko reportedly jerked away from Lawson and cursed the officer. Palenko then turned toward Lawson in an “aggressive and violent manner.” Lawson pepper-sprayed Palenko in the face before he and Coakley wrestled him to the ground and forced his hands behind his back. Officers believe Palenko might have been under the influence of some type of controlled substance because he was very aggressive, failed to obey commands and was “wild eyed.” Palenko was arrested on charges of public intoxication, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, stop, halt and frisk.

Alleged jewelry thief fitted with steel bracelets

Tuesday, Detective Lynn Shults arrested Joshua Cutshaw, 20, 1656 Bullard Drive, Newport, on charges of theft over $1,000. Cutshaw was arrested on a state warrant after he was implicated in a theft of property reported to the Newport Police Department April 1, by Katina Sapp, 31, 113 River Ridge Way, Newport. Several items of Sapp’s jewelry were taken from her residence and then sold to Dazzler’s Diamond Showroom on the Cosby Highway. Sapp’s jewelry was recovered less one ring.

Public Intoxication arrests

Wednesday, Patrolman Derek Wright arrested Karen B. Gregg Williams, 36, 409 Seventh St., Newport, on a charges of public intoxication after he was informed she had warrants against her and was at the Eastport BP station.

Thursday, Patrolwoman Amy Elswick arrested Christopher D. Byrd, 19, 610 River Rest Road, Newport, on a charge of public intoxication.

Thursday, Patrolman Donald Coakley arrested Charlie Huff, 26, 653 Eighth St., Newport, on charges of public intoxication, disorderly conduct and resisting to stop, halt and frisk.

Acura Focused

Thursday, Patrolman Ricky Parton was dispatched to a two-vehicle accident at the Cosby Highway Post Office. According to the report, Susan A. Wadsworth, 59, 313 Teddar Drive, Newport, stated she was attempting to back her 2005 Ford Focus into a parking spot when she struck a parked, 2003 Acura owned by Donald Erts, 78, 1161 Sierra Road, Newport. Erts was in the Post Office when his vehicle was struck.

Ford tough

Wednesday, Patrolman David Smith was dispatched to a one-vehicle accident at the Fiver Rivers Plaza parking lot. According to the report, Charles W. Davis, 63, 6921 Cedar Creek Road, Greeneville, had just picked up a pizza from Little Caesars and was leaving the parking lot when he struck a utility pole head-on with his 1999 Ford F-150.

Pickup’s tires flattened

Wednesday, Patrolman Ricky Parton was dispatched to the home of Kathy Hall, 39, 429 Woodlawn Avenue, Newport, on a call concerning the vandalism of two tires on her 1998 Ford F-150. According to the report, Hall stated that she left work at Con Agra around 11 p.m. Tuesday and when she returned home, noticed her 43-year-old white male ex-boyfriend driving by her residence. On Wednesday, while readying her child for school, Hall and the child noticed the driver’s-side tires on her vehicle had been slashed. Hall stated she has had repeated problems with the 43-year-old and now has an active order of protection against him. The estimated cost of the two slashed BF Goodrich tires is $300.

Drilled into court

Tuesday, Patrolman Derek Wright was informed to be on the lookout for a white Buick Regal believed to be driven by Phillip Chapin, 39, no address given, who allegedly stole a NESCO 3/8” reversible drill from Mr. Automotive. According to the report, Steven Suggs followed the vehicle to a garage off Carson Springs Road where the suspect fled on foot. Suggs recovered the stolen drill. Police were later contacted and told that Chapin was at 235 Jaybird Road. Chapin reportedly matched the description of the suspect from video surveillance. After being advised of his rights, Chapin admitted to the theft and was cited into court. The estimated value of the recovered drill is $76.81.

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