Sheriff's

Public intoxication arrests
Richard C. Gradeless, 54, of 3007 Gossamer Road, in Cosby, was arrested Wednesday, May 27, and charged with public intoxication, according to a report by Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Jason Oury. Upon arrival, Oury allegedly noted that Gradeless was in the middle of Gossamer Road and "highly agitated and aggressive" and "threatened observers." Oury wrote that Gradeless was "very unsteady on his feet, slurred significantly and he smelled strongly of an alcoholic beverage." Oury added in his report that "due to his visible impairment and agitated behavior," Gradeless was determined to be "a clear threat to himself and others," and was arrested. Laura Mellor, 46, also of 3007 Gossamer Road, in Cosby, was arrested by Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Hollis Emmons and charged with public intoxication, as well.

Arrest for failure to appear
Kelly Ann Middleton, 51, of Knoxville, was arrested Friday, May 29, at a residence off Askew Road in Parrottsville and charged with failure to appear on a warrant from Cocke County General Sessions Court, according to a report from Cocke County Deputy Sheriff David Crowder.

Vehicle allegedly hits cow wandering in the road
Tonya M. Williamson, 29, of 1188 Arrowhead Drive, in Newport, was driving a 1997 Honda Accord on Friday, May 29, at about 6 a.m., headed south on Wilton Springs Road near Dark Hollow Road when she allegedly struck a cow that had wandered onto the road. The cow belonged to Robbie Hicks, of 388 Wilton Springs Road, according to a report by Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Brian Holt.

Gas drive-off reported at Keller's Corner in Parrottsville
Melissa Hunt, owner of Keller's Corner in Parrottsville, said that at about 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 29, a white male approximately 22 to 26 years old drove off without paying for all of his gas. The male, driver of a purple car, allegedly prepaid for $1.20 of gas, but pumped $10.49 of gas. An employee of the convenience store and restaurant allegedly ran the man down at a stoplight. He allegedly said his friend got distracted pumping the gas and overran the amount, and that he was on his way to get the rest of the money due Keller's Corner for the gas.

Break-in, theft on Epley Road
Tim Layman, 46, of Epley Road, in Newport, told Sgt. David Crum of the Cocke County Sheriff's Department that someone broke into his home either Saturday, May 23, or the next day, as well as into his shed, and stole several items.

Assault alleged
Rebecca Ledbetter, 47, of Wonder Way, told Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Steve Johnson that on Friday, May 29, around 8 p.m., two individuals came into her home and struck her. Ledbetter's son, Justin Bledsoe, 20, allegedly got the two individuals to leave Ledbetter's home.

Vandalism and theft alleged
Jamie Ellison, 31, of 219 Action St., in Newport, told Lt. Rick Laws of the Cocke County Sheriff's Department that on the night of Wednesday, May 27, someone knocked the passenger side window out of her vehicle that was parked in her driveway. The thief or thieves allegedly stole her medication, damaged, scratched, and dented the passenger side back door of her vehicle, and stole two concrete statues from the yard near her home. The medication was valued at $48, the passenger side window at $300, other damage to the vehicle at $1,500, and the two statues at $500.

Theft of medication alleged in home
Rebecca Ledbetter, 47, of Wonder Road, in Newport, told Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Brian Holt that on Friday, May 29, someone allegedly stole medication from a pill bottle in her purse. She valued the medication at $30. She said the theft occurred while she was taking a shower and that an individual who spent the night at her residence was the only other person awake during the time of the theft. That person reportedly denied taking the pills.


Police

Hit-and-run alleged on Mims Avenue
John B. Payne, 86, of 324 4th St., in Newport, told Patrolman Billy Woody that on Friday, May 29, around 1:40 p.m., he was sitting in his 2004 Buick in traffic on Mims Avenue at Highway 25/70 waiting for a traffic light to change when a newer model white van backed from a side street parking spot and into the northbound lane of traffic on Mims Avenue. It allegedly struck the driver's side front fender of Payne's vehicle, and then drove off without stopping.

Collision with parked vehicle
Wade E. Strange, 67, of 106 Belton Ave., in Newport, told Patrolman David R. Smith that on Friday, May 29, around 3:30 p.m., at the Rural Medical Center on Murray Drive, in Newport, he was backing out of a parking space in his 1985 Nissan Frontier. He allegedly struck the left rear side of a parked and unoccupied vehicle with his bumper, causing minor damage to both vehicles, according to Smith's report. Randall and Cynthia Freeman of 129 Rebels Road, in Newport, own the parked vehicle, a 2004 Toyota Corolla, the report stated.

Accident in Cracker Barrel Old Country Store parking lot
Wilma Kelley Seay, 64, of Knoxville, told Patrolman William Garber that on Friday, May 29, at 2:35 p.m., she had an accident involving her 2005 Mercury Marquis in the parking lot of the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store at 1021 Cosby Highway, in Newport. Seay allegedly told Garber that as she pulled into a parking spot, her vehicle made contact with the driver side of a 2006 Chrysler Touring with the front passenger side of her Mercury Marquis. The driver of the Chrysler, Betty White Hill, 82, of Troy, was allegedly in the Cracker Barrel at the time the accident occurred.

Theft over $1,000 alleged
Ralph Dwayne Haskey, 39, of 804 Glory Lane, in Newport, told Patrolman William Garber that on Wednesday, May 20, between 1:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., someone took a utility trailer from his home that he valued at $1,600.

Theft under $500 from outbuilding alleged
Patrick Wills, 56, of Woodlawn Avenue, in Newport, alleged that a theft from his family's outbuilding occurred on Friday, May 29. Wills said missing from the storage building were a weed eater worth $89 and a box of tools worth $100. Wills' son, who lives on Upper Rhinehart Road, allegedly told his dad that later an individual came to his home and tried to sell him his dad's weed eater.

Man turns himself in
Chad J. Shelton, 34, of 246 Zacks Way, in Newport, walked into the Newport Police Department on Friday, May 29, and allegedly turned himself in on an instanter capias. He was charged with four counts of gambling promotion. The capias was handed down July 10, 2007. He was transported to the Cocke County jail annex, according to a report by David R. Smith of the Newport Police Department.

Theft of money from auto alleged
Deborah Grace Walker, 50, of 659 Musterfield Road, in Newport, allegedly went to the Newport Police Department to report $25 missing from her purse that she said she left in her car while visiting a friend on 8th Street, according to a report by Capt. Brad Ball.