Sheriff's


Domestic assault arrest
Richard K. Dick, 45, of Halebrook Road, was arrested Sunday, May 31, and charged with domestic assault without incident, according to a report by Cocke County Deputy Sheriff C.J. Ball. Dick had allegedly been drinking alcohol when he started "a verbal altercation" at home and then kicked out the front screen door, damaging the door and throwing glass on the inside of the home. He also allegedly shattered a glass table on the porch. Officers reportedly found Dick at a relative's home. He allegedly became irate and refused to talk about the incident on Halebrook Road. Dick's bond was set at $2,500.

Arrest for disorderly conduct
Harold Sexton, 57, of 1525 East Highway 25/70, in Newport, was arrested Thursday, June 4 and charged with disorderly conduct. Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Brian Holt responded to a call of a disturbance at Sexton's residence, according to his report on the incident. Holt allegedly found four males and one female just inside the rear door, which was open. While investigating the incident, Sexton, who lives at the residence and was "highly intoxicated," allegedly became very irate and ignored repeated requests to calm down. Sexton then allegedly came at Holt "in a violent manner with his fists clinched while cussing and threatening" the officer, according to Holt's report. Sexton was arrested and the female allegedly drove the other three men to their homes.

Fire and alleged vandalism
Someone allegedly started a fire on the porch of a residence at 440 Highway 25/70 on Tuesday, May 26, around 1:30 a.m. Cocke County Deputy Sheriff C.J. Ball wrote in a report that due to the quick response of emergency personnel, the fire was contained on the porch and put out before any major damage occurred. Mark Vaughn, 41, of Gingham Way, in Newport, told officers he owned the property and wanted to file a report for vandalism. Damage is estimated at about $300.

Mailbox damaged
Jessica Williams, 26, of Ball Hollow Road, told Sgt. Eric Rinehart of the Cocke County Sheriff's Department that someone damaged her mailbox on Wednesday, June 3, between the hours of noon and 2 p.m. Damage is estimated at about $40.

Accident on Old Sevierville Highway
Heather L. Fox, 24, of 551 North Highway 340, in Parrottsville, was allegedly driving a 2003 Chevrolet Tracker headed east on Old Sevierville Highway on Wednesday, June 3, at 5:45 p.m. when, while negotiating a curve near Bridges Chapel Road she slid off the road to the right and struck a ditch. Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Jason Oury wrote in a report that he observed damage to the length of the right side of the vehicle. Approximately 14 hours lapsed from the alleged time of the accident to notifying the Cocke County Sheriff's Department. Fox allegedly said she did not know that she was supposed to report the one-vehicle accident when it happened.

Hits deer and goes off road
Augustine W. Kelly, 48, of 1861 Marshall Drive, in Bybee, was reportedly driving a 1992 Toyota on Thursday, June 4, around 7:20 a.m., north on Highway 160 near Vinson Hollow Road when a deer jumped into her lane of travel. She reportedly applied the brakes and drove to the right to avoid the deer, but instead hit it. Kelly's vehicle then left the road to the right, traveling approximately 25 feet before side-swiping a utility pole and coming to rest against the pole, according to a report by Sgt. Daniel Conard of the Cocke County Sheriff's Department. Kelly was transported to a hospital by private vehicle.

Vandalism of vehicle
Samoor Pionco, 20, of 508 Swaggarty St., told Sgt. Eric Rinehart of the Cocke County Sheriff's Department that while at a relative's residence, he got into an argument with an individual who allegedly kicked a dent into the right rear passenger door of Pionco's 1994 Mazda 626.

Food stamp card reported stolen
Sandra Gates, 44, of 3217 Big Creek Road, told Sgt. David Crum of the Cocke County Sheriff's Department that on Tuesday, June 2, an acquaintance stole her food stamp card and spent over $138 on it at Walmart and Food City.

Vandalism alleged in Walmart parking lot
Shelia Denton, 59, of McGaha Chapel Road, told Sgt. David Crum of the Cocke County Sheriff's Department that on Wednesday, June 3, at about 6 p.m., while she shopped at Walmart on the Cosby Highway, someone attempted to steal her Pioneer stereo from her 1991 Toyota pickup truck parked in the department store's lot. The vandal allegedly took the face plate off the stereo but was unsuccessful in removing the stereo.

Shotgun reported stolen
Mike Grove, 54, of Dark Hollow Road, in Cosby, told Sgt. David Crum of the Cocke County Sheriff's Department, that on Monday, June 1, someone stole his Remington 12-gauge pump shotgun from his pickup truck. Grove said he believed the individual was subsequently arrested and in a South Carolina jail.

Phone harassment alleged
Kenneth Bill, 33, of Fowlers Grove Road, told Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Jason Oury on May 4 that an acquaintance and another individual had called him and threatened him 25-30 times and sent more than 20 text messages to him.

Violation of probation charge and arrest
Debra Garrison Poppenheimer, 48, of 107A Lincoln Ave., in Newport, was arrested Sunday, May 3 at home after officers received a report of some trash strewn along a road. A warrant check on Poppenheimer allegedly showed she was wanted out of Sevier County for violation of probation. She was arrested and transported to officers in Sevier County, according to a report by Sgt. Daniel Conard.

Hit-and-run accident alleged
Forest E. Clevenger, 41, of 625 Cosby Highway, in Newport, was allegedly traveling south on Lower English Creek Road near Green Acres Drive on Wednesday, June 3, when an unidentified maroon pickup truck came around a curve and struck his 2003 Chevrolet, according to a report by Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Derrick Webb. The impact of the accident allegedly caused Clevenger's vehicle to go off the right side of the road and strike a tree head-on. The driver and other vehicle allegedly fled the scene.

Two-vehicle accident on Highway 25/70
George H. Self, 79, of Summer HS Hollow Road, in Del Rio, was traveling west on Highway 25/70 on Wednesday, June 3, shortly before 2 p.m. in heavy rain when he stopped the 2006 Hummer he was driving because of another vehicle making a turn from Highway 25/70 onto Edwina-Bridgeport Road. Dolores M. Reed, 41, of 103 Stokely Cemetery Road, in Del Rio, was allegedly driving a 1999 Nissan Frontier behind Self's Hummer, applied the brakes and collided with the vehicle, according to a report by Cocke County Deputy Sheriff Timothy N. Snapp of the Cocke County Sheriff's Department.

Accident in CF Group parking lot
Baudelio Jaime Valdez, 47, of El Paso, Texas, was allegedly pulling his 1998 Freight Liner tractor-trailer around the parking lot of the CF Group at 810 Highway 25/70 West on Wednesday, June 3, at about 11 p.m., when the trailer allegedly caught the back of a 1993 Ford F-150, causing damage to the driver side tail light at the back of the bed and the tail gate, according to a report by Cocke County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Ricky Holt.



Police


Two charges in arrest
Kevin D. Shelton, 48, of 325 Whisper Way, in Newport, was arrested Wednesday, June 3, and charged with a traffic control device violation and driving on a suspended license. Patrolman William Garber wrote in a report that he observed Shelton fail to stop for a stop sign at the intersection of Smith Street and Rankin Road. Dispatch informed the officer that Shelton's license had been suspended for failure to satisfy Aug. 28 citations issued in Cocke County.

Fraudulent check reported
Lowland Credit Union, at 451 West Broadway, alleged that on May 13, an individual passed a worthless check from a fake account for $450. The person allegedly also went to Morristown to a branch of Lowland and passed a similar check, was caught, and is currently serving time in Hamblen County jail, according to a report by Patrolman Justin Vinson.

Damage to vehicle alleged
Morgan N. Payne, 17, of 104 Majestic Way, in Newport, told Capt. Scott Lamb that on Saturday, May 30, about 6:15 p.m., a 2000 Jeep Cherokee she was driving was forced off the road when an elderly woman merged into Payne's lane. Payne said that in order to keep from hitting the elderly woman's car, she had to go up upon the sidewalk, which damaged her vehicle's tires.

Vandalism alleged
Angel Neece, 37, of Lamons Circle, Newport, told Patrolman William Garber that sometime around May 1 someone broke a window at the rear of her apartment. Neece said she was unsure who broke it or how it got broken, Garber's report stated. The window is valued at $65.

Accident in Walmart parking lot
Adam Harper Briggs, 19, of 1527 Timber Trail, in Newport, said that on Thursday, June 4, as he entered the Walmart parking lot from Cosby Highway, a black Nissan Maxima coming towards him turned left into the Wendy's parking lot, causing him to swerve left to avoid hitting the Nissan, according to a report by Patrolman William Garber. Briggs said with wet conditions on the road, when he hit the brakes of his 2003 Honda Civic, the vehicle slid into a concrete barrier that supports a stop sign, causing damage to the front of the vehicle.

Assault, vandalism alleged
Brian Valentine, 43, of 126 Heather Way, in Newport, told Capt. Scott Lamb that on Thursday, June 4, around noon, he was assaulted by the boyfriend of an acquaintance in a dispute involving phone calls from Valentine to the acquaintance. Valentine said the boyfriend punched him in the mouth and tried to choke him, breaking safety glasses worth $400 and a Motorola Razr cell phone worth $200. The boyfriend and acquaintance said Valentine attacked them. A witness said he saw Valentine make a move to the boyfriend as if to hit him, but did not swing. That's when the boyfriend punched Valentine, knocking his glasses from his head.

Theft over $500
Donnie Costner, 44, of E. Main St., in Newport, told Patrolman Billy Woody that he left a trailer at 256 North St. on Friday, May 22. When Costner returned Thursday, June 4, the trailer was missing. He said he did not know who could have taken the trailer, a 2000 five-by-10-foot landscape trailer worth $650.

Theft under $500
Karen Cody, 45, of 663 Epley Road, in Newport, said on Thursday, June 4, she accidentally left her purse in a dressing room at Walmart. At least one other lady allegedly entered the dressing room before she realized she left her purse in the dressing room. Allegedly stolen were a driver's license, GreenBank check card, and $16 in currency, according to a report by Patrolman Jason Hensley.

Threats alleged
Lucas Allison, 24, of Seabrook Street, in Newport, contacted police on Thursday, June 4, alleging a relative of his wrote a threatening letter to him on Monday, May 25. The letter allegedly accused Allison of stealing a gun from the relative and to return it or the relative would kill Allison. A second letter from the relative also allegedly threatened Allison. The relative was allegedly in Allison's driveway on June 4 about 9:30 a.m., drinking beer. Allison said he feared for his life as well as for the wellbeing of his family. Capt. Scott Lamb said police advised Allison on the steps he could take to receive an order of protection for himself and his family.

Burglary under investigation
Margaret Smith, 44, told Patrolman Amy Elswick that on Wednesday, June 3, she left her car unlocked in the Walmart parking lot, went inside the store for about 45 minutes, and when she returned to her vehicle, she found a CD player had been stolen. Two males were reportedly caught on a Walmart video camera breaking into her car, then fleeing in a silver Honda. The CD player is valued at $100, two bag chairs at $40, and two black lights at $40.

Hit-and-run accident alleged at Walmart
Michele O. Wine, 45, of 900 Stokes Valley Way, in Newport, told Capt. Ronnie Landers that on Friday, June 5, about 11 a.m., while she was in Walmart, a vehicle struck her 2000 Ford Escort in the right front fender and then left. Wine said she noticed the damage to the car at a later date.

Two violations of probation alleged
Heather Verdier, 25, of 1764 Bullard Drive, in Newport was arrested Friday, June 5, and charged with two violations of probation. Verdier allegedly missed her court date and several appointments with her probation officer, according to Patrolman Donna Hopkins.










Police


Motorcycle violations
Brandon Keith Carter, 18, of 715 Eighth St., in Newport, was riding a 2005 Suzuki 500 on Friday, June 5, when Capt. James Holt of the Newport Police Department stopped him on Filbert Street and cited Carter for not having a motorcycle license on him and for not wearing a helmet.

Hit-and-run accident
Michael A. Sane, of 114 Warbler Way, in Newport, said when he returned on Thursday night, June 4, to his 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix that was parked at Fred's, at 122 Five Rivers Plaza, in Newport, he noticed his front bumper was pushed in. There was no paint transfer and no suspects, according to a report by Patrolman Donna Hopkins.

Accident in parking lot
Ashley K. Shelton, 20, of 25 Toby Road, in Mohawk, reported on Friday, June 5, that when she attempted to exit the upper parking lot next to East Tennessee Tire and Retreading Company, Inc., at 131 East Broadway, in Newport, in a 2004 Honda Accord, she missed the driveway and went over a curb. According to a report by Capt. Ronnie Landers, damage was visible to the right front fender, tire, and rim.

Domestic assault alleged
Ricky Testerman, 19, of 811 Commanche Drive, in Newport, told Patrolman Donna Hopkins that on Friday, June 5, about 4:10 p.m., a relative got a 2 x 4 board and came into the house and swung it at him. Testerman allegedly took away the 2 x 4 and they had a physical fight.

Theft over $1,000 alleged
Jaimy Hill, 36, of 345 Filbert St., in Newport, told Patrolman Donna Hopkins on Friday, June 5, that he had been notified by his bank, US Bank, that money had been fraudulently withdrawn from his account several times. A woman allegedly went into the Newport branch of the bank on Friday, May 29, and withdrew $300 from Hill's account by forging his wife's signature. A bank official said it had a video of the transaction.