Sheriff's

Accident leads to charges filed
Benjamin M. Harris, 27, of 406 McGaha Chapel Road, in Newport, was traveling north on Old Highway 32 on Monday, May 25 about 10:30 p.m. in a 1992 GMC pickup truck when his vehicle allegedly crossed the southbound lane and went off the left side of the road and struck a tree head-on. According to Cocke County Deputy Sheriff C. J. Ball, Harris had been drinking, but passed all three field sobriety tests. Ball wrote that Harris was also involved in a hit-and-run accident on the same highway two miles back from the accident. Another deputy sheriff who worked that accident charged Harris for leaving the scene of an accident, failure to give information and render aid, reckless driving, and passing in a no-passing zone.

Deer blamed for accident
Jason Nease, 30, of 208 Dwayne Road, in Parrottsville, was driving north on Highway 321 near Old Highway 321 in a 2005 Chevy Malibu on Monday, May 25, around 9:30 a.m. when he swerved to miss a deer, allegedly causing him to strike a road sign. There was severe right side damage to the vehicle, according to Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Randy Cutshaw.

Two-car accident on Lower English Creek
Melissa Gregg, 17, of 280 Hopkins Road, in Cosby, was driving a 1998 Plymouth Neon on Friday, May 22, around 8:15 p.m. west on Lower English Creek Road near Ponder Road. Gregg said she was negotiating a curve when a vehicle came on her side of the road and collided with her vehicle on the driver's side front bumper and headlight, and blowing out the front left tire. The other vehicle and driver allegedly kept going to an address on Ponder Road, leaving the vehicle parked there and departing in another vehicle, according to a report by Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Randall Hartsell.

Vehicle allegedly hits parked vehicle
Nikki Lashar Sartain, 19, of 125 Chickory Road, in Newport, reportedly was driving a 1997 Honda when she backed up and hit a 1994 Honda owned by Megan Sartain, of 117 Chickory Road, according to a report by the Cocke County Sheriff's Department. The 1997 Honda reportedly had back bumper damage and the 1994 Honda had front passenger side door damage, according to the report.

Burglary and theft under $500
Jennifer Lynn Holt, 30, whose residence was listed as Family Inn's West on West Highway 25/70, told Cocke County Deputy Sheriff David Crowder on Monday, May 25 that someone stole two portable play stations valued at $372 from her unlocked car.

Child allegedly shot with BB gun
Travis O'Bryan, 11, of 127 Alpha Road, in Newport, was allegedly playing outside with a friend on Friday, May 8, when the friend shot him in the eye with a BB gun. Both boys had BB guns, according to a report by Lt. Richard Caldwell of the Cocke County Sheriff's Department.

Dogs die after apparent poisoning
Carolyn Rollins, 72, of 992 Chicken Hollow Road, told Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Jason Oury that sometime between May 19 and May 23, someone allegedly poisoned five of her dogs; four had died when Oury's report was written on Saturday, May 23. Rollins said she believed the dogs were poisoned because she found several cans of dog food along with opened containers of a rat poison near her property. All of the poisoned animals were on Rollins' property, either in a pen or chained up, according to the report.

Assault alleged
An Old Sevierville Road woman was allegedly part of an argument on Sunday, May 24, with an individual over cell phones they had exchanged with each other. It allegedly lead to the individual punching the other woman in the face with her fist, according to a report by Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Jason Oury. Oury wrote that he observed the Old Sevierville Road woman had a swollen nose, scratches and red marks consistent with the type of physical contact she described. The other individual described the same chain of events but said the other woman started the physical contact by grabbing her hair and throwing her to the ground. Oury observed a cut on the woman's lip, hands, and her shirt was dirty on the back that was consistent with someone who had been knocked to the ground. Both women were instructed to remain away from each other.

Vehicle reported stolen
Wendy Ganwer, 26, of 911 Old Solomon Ferry Road, told Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Randall Hartsell on Monday, May 25 that her boyfriend's red 1997 Sonoma pickup truck was stolen May 24 between 10:30 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. Ganwer said the keys had been left in the vehicle, which had no mirrors, writing on the hood and a passenger side headlight that was broken out. There was also a silver tool box in the bed of the pickup truck. It was valued at $2,500.

Burglary and theft of pistol and jewelry
Donna Jo Kaupp, 55, of Oneil Road, told Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Randall Hartsell that on Sunday, May 24, while she was out of town, someone kicked in the front door of her residence and stole a .22 pistol and jewelry. The pistol was valued at $200; the door, $900; and the jewelry, $1,000.


Police

Two Bradford Pear trees reported stolen
Tony Grooms, 68, of Bay Way, said that either on Sunday, May 24, or Monday, May 25, someone pulled up two Bradford Pear trees from his property. An officer with the Newport Police Department wrote that he noticed where two trees had been removed.

Threats alleged
Silas McCurry, 44, of Terrace Way, in Newport, told Patrolman David R. Smith on Monday, May 25, at 3 p.m. an acquaintance made threats that McCurry believed he was capable of carrying out, including a threat to go to his residence and cut the brake lines on his vehicle.

Vandalism and vehicle assault alleged
William Harris, 22, of Newport, told Patrolman Donald Coakley on Saturday, May 23 that he left Dollar Tree and an individual allegedly wanted to fight with him, kicked the passenger side mirror off the door to Harris's car door, and rammed his vehicle with his vehicle as he left the parking lot. The individual also allegedly pulled up alongside his vehicle on the Cosby Highway and threatened to cut his head off and tried several times to run Harris off the road.

Purse snatching reported
Kathy Williford, 50, of Clevenger Cutoff, said she was closing up shop on Saturday, May 23 at 5 p.m. at Newport Pawn, located at 511 West Broadway, placed her pocketbook on the counter, and a man and woman took it, ran from the store, got in a blue PT Cruiser, and fled. Williford's wallet and purse were later found discarded and reported to police, and then returned to Williford. She said missing from the purse was a debit card, two checkbooks, a Lowe's credit card, cell phone, prescription card and health insurance card, according to a report by Patrolman Justin Vinson.

Four new tires allegedly stolen
Brian L. Willis, 24, of Freeman Street, in Newport, told the Newport Police Department that on Thursday, May 21, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. someone stole four new tires he had in his carport area.

Coke vending machine allegedly vandalized
An employee at Food City East, at 416 Eastern Plaza Way, said a Coke vending machine in front of the store had its lock removed and changer taken out of the machine. The theft allegedly occurred after midnight when the store closed, and 6 a.m. on Friday, May 22, when it reopened. Donna Hopkins of the Newport Police Department estimated that about $30 was taken from the machine.











 



Sheriff's

Arrest in assault by domestic violence
Michael John Wade, Sr., 26, of 204 Rock Pile Way, in Cosby, was arrested Wednesday, May 27 at about 3 a.m. after a relative said Wade had threatened to "pile drive" the person. Wade was also accused of throwing rocks at the relative's home. Wade was "extremely intoxicated and was arrested without incident," according to a Cocke County Sheriff's Department report.

Failure to appear arrest
Joshua A. Stewart, 24, of 839 Jersey Way, in Dandridge, was arrested Wednesday, May 27 and charged with failure to appear in General Sessions Court. Stewart was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped on Old Newport Highway in Jefferson County.

Vehicle reportedly runs off side of road
Tammy L. Shropshire, 45, of 721 Carson Springs Road, in Newport, was traveling north on Carson Springs Road near Bullard Road in a 2002 Ford Mustang on Monday, May 25, about 5 p.m., when the passenger side tires dropped off the right side of the road, according to a report by Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Brian Holt. Shropshire reportedly lost control of her vehicle when she tried to get the tires back on the road. She then went off the right side of the road and into a ditch. No injuries were reported.

Three-car accident
A 2005 Ford pickup truck driven by Erbie J. Miller, 64, of 4621 Caton Grove Road, in Cosby slowed down as it headed south on Cosby Highway near Major Jim Burnett Drive on Tuesday, May 26, around 8 a.m. when a vehicle rear-ended Miller's car, according to a report by Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Brian Holt. The impact forced Miller's car to rear-end the vehicle in front of it, a 1998 Ford driven by Rebecca V. Lee, 34, of 1009 Sunset Circle, in Newport. No one was injured in the three-car accident.

Aggravated burglary reported, but nothing stolen
Lula Jean Hartsell, 53, of Clear Creek Road, in Parrottsville, told Cocke County Deputy Sheriff David Crowder that on Thursday, May 26, someone kicked open the rear door of her home, apparently setting off a burglar alarm. Hartsell, who joined police at the scene, said nothing appeared to be missing. The rear door and frame were estimated at $600.

Mower allegedly stolen from home
Joe Spoone, of Hun Way, told Sgt. David Crum of the Cocke County Sheriff's Department that sometime during the day on Tuesday, May 26, 2009, someone stole his Murray lawn push-mower he kept under his front porch.

Dog possibly killed by pit bull
Debra Sams, of Rankin Hill Road, in Newport, told Cocke County Deputy Sheriff David Crowder that on Tuesday, May 26, she found her mixed breed dog on its chain and dead. She said she had to beat a pit bull with a broom handle on the previous day when he attacked her dog. The owner of the pit bull told Crowder that his dog had escaped on Monday or Tuesday and that he had been looking for it, but could not find it. Sams estimated her dog was worth $200.

Medication, money, jewelry reported stolen
Lois Mechele Nix, 36, of Strait Way, in Newport, told Cocke County Deputy Sheriff David Crowder that on Tuesday, May 26, she returned home to find her back door open and the following stolen: medication (valued at $105), $40 in cash, and a gold rope chain ($175).

Webber grill reported stolen
Rhonda Colby, 49, of Timber Trail, told Sgt. Eric Rinehart of the Cocke County Sheriff's Department that on Tuesday, May 26, in the afternoon, someone apparently backed into her driveway and stole a Weber grill off the back patio, which she valued at $840. She also said she suspected the thief or thieves may have tried to break into her garage because the door won't open.

Identity theft alleged
Debra R. Haak, of Pheasant Way, in Parrottsville, told Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Brian Holt on Tuesday, May 26, 2009, that someone had been using her name to obtain services between March 1987 and January 2009.  She said several services were not paid for and had been turned over to collection agencies, thus hurting her credit history. She said she just recently discovered the identity theft when she had a credit history run.

Vandalism and fire alleged
Mark Vaughn, of 458 Gingham Way, in Newport, told Cocke County Deputy Sheriff C.J. Ball that on Tuesday, May 26, 2009, someone started a fire on the porch of a property he owns on Highway 25 East. Emergency personnel put the fire out quickly, thus avoiding any major damage, according to the report. The damage was estimated at $300.

Burglary and theft over $1,000 reported
Warren Rader Jr., 66, of Trentham Hollow Road, in Parrottsville, told Cocke County Deputy Sheriff David Crowder that on Friday, May 22, around 4 p.m., someone entered his garage and stole the following: Craftsmen 600-pound torque wrench (valued at $900), a set of Craftsmen sockets with power handle, extensions, and ratchet ($400), and 10 Craftsmen ratchet wrenches ($350).


Police

Child abuse and neglect alleged
Patrolman Amy Elswick responded to a call on Tuesday, May 26, 2009, that a woman had left her three children with a friend and was found intoxicated over six hours later. The woman allegedly hit one son several times and bit his arm and smacked the two other children in the face. The children's grandparents took the children home for the evening. Officers contacted Department of Children's Services. The case remained under investigation. Elswick wrote that she was told the children, with ages of 4, 6 and 10, had been left at home alone on several occasions.

Burglary of vehicle at Lisega Inc.
Chris Stapleton, 19, of Apple Tree Way, in Newport, told Patrolman Allen Stamp that while he was at work, between Tuesday, May 26, at 11 p.m. and May 27 at 3:20 a.m., when he walked outside on a break, someone had broken a window to his vehicle and stolen a Sony CD player radio estimated at $150.

Breaking and entering, theft reported
Monica Holt, 22, of Harper Circle, in Newport, told the Newport Police Department that someone broke into her home between Friday, May 22, in the morning and Tuesday, May 26, by forcing open the rear door. She said missing were one Colby DVD player worth $50; a Sony DVD player worth $50; 20 DVDs valued at $400; and various jewelry worth $100.

Sonic reports theft
The general manager of Sonic of Newport, located at 256 West Broadway, Adam King, told Capt. Brad Ball that two Dollywood tickets worth $35 each, and four Ambassador Company discount cards worth $100 each, were stolen from incoming mail. A suspect was named, but could not be reached, according to Ball's report.

Worthless check passed
Ronald Laws of Laws Auto Sales, at 401 Cosby Highway, told Patrolman Donna Hopkins that on Friday, April 17, one female and two males came onto the car lot and purchased four MasterCraft mud tires for $500. Laws said when he deposited their check on April 21 and April 23, the bank rejected them for being from a "frozen" bank account.

Theft of medication alleged
Charlotte A. Coons, 60, of 451 West Mill Creek Road, in Sevierville, said her medication was stolen from her daughter's vehicle on Monday, May 25, at Newport City Park. The medication was reportedly left in a van that the daughter accidentally left unlocked for about one hour.