SHERIFF'S REPORTS:

 

 

 

 

Aggravated burglary

Birtell Huff, 86, of Woodson Road, in Newport, said someone broke into her home sometime in the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 30. The person went through her dressers, cabinets, and closets, but she said that nothing was missing at the time of Deputy Sheriff Brian Holt writing a report.

 

Identity theft/credit card fraud

Connie Carol Whiteley Caldwell, 68, of Shady Rest Drive, in Newport, went to the Cocke County Sheriff's Department on Thursday, Dec. 31, to report that her identity was stolen in 2007. Caldwell said an acquaintance admitted to getting a credit card - now with payments three months behind - without Caldwell's permission, Deputy Sheriff David Crowder reported.

 

Charge of public intoxication and arrest

Lewis O. Rickard, 49, of 154 Rocky Bluff Road, was arrested Thursday, Dec. 31, at 11:15 p.m., and charged with public intoxication, Deputy Sheriff Jason Oury reported. Oury wrote that he observed Rickard walking and staggering as he headed west on Highway 25/70 in front of Newport Quick Lube. Oury wrote that, following a stop to investigate, he "deemed the defendant a threat to himself and others due to his high level of intoxication."

 

Public intoxication arrest

Jason H. Gunter, 26, of 1106 Wonder Road, in Newport, was arrested Thursday, Dec. 31, at 10:45 p.m., and charged with public intoxication, according to a Cocke County Sheriff's Department report.

 

Burglary/vandalism

Edward Knight, 58, of Hill Road, in Newport, said on Thursday, Dec. 31, that someone forced their entry into his storage shed, damaging two doors and a hasp, and stealing three items, Deputy Sheriff David Crowder reported. Stolen items were an air tank (valued at $50), and two 50-foot extension cords ($50). Damage was estimated at $170.

 

Theft reported

Jacob George Formberg, 26, of Cove Hollow Road, said he returned home the evening of Thursday, Dec. 31, and found a door open to his home and several items missing, Constable Mike Shropshire reported. Neighbors said that between 4 and 5 p.m., a female in her late 20s, driving a gray or silver small car (possibly a Camry or Accord), stopped at their home asking for the victim. Total value of stolen items was $3,740. Items included a Dell Inspiron 6000 Series ($1,200), a Hitachi chopsaw ($600), a 9 mm Ruger P89 ($450), a Dewalt cordless drill ($250), a Craftsman circular saw ($200), a Remington 12-gauge Wingmaster 7800 ($500), and other tools.

 

Vandalism over $1,000

Christine Zepatos, 53, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., said someone vandalized the exposed basement area of her property on Harts Hope Mountain, off Caney Creek Road, in Cosby, in October. She told Deputy Sheriff David Crowder she found about 50 paint cans in various sizes thrown and broken on the floor and walls of the basement. Zepatos said vandals wrote threatening messages on the floor and set two fires. She also said in the past she found a dead cow on her property with its head cut off and its body burned. Damage from vandalism was estimated at $2,500.

 

Vandalism under $500

William Travis Thomas, 29, said an acquaintance told him he had to move out of his rented mobile home by Thursday, Dec. 31, Deputy Sheriff David Crowder reported. Thomas also said that on Monday, Dec. 28, the acquaintance came to his mobile home, broke the back window out of the back door, slung clothes onto the floor from the laundry basket, broke window blinds, and removed the front door's knob. Thomas said he owned the blinds, which he valued at $10. Other damages, which he said were not his responsibility, were estimated at $95.

 

Break-in reported

Jamie Holdway, 42, of Holt Town Road, in Newport, said that on Wednesday, Dec. 30, someone broke into his home and stole several items, Lt. Rick Laws reported. The items included a 30-06 Savage rifle (valued at $1,000), a 12-gauge shotgun ($600), a Huskivarna chainsaw ($400), a bolt-action rifle and scope ($400), a 20-gauge Revolution shotgun ($100), a Tradition 45 caliber muzzleloader ($600), and a Marlin 30-30 rifle with scope ($500).

 

POLICE REPORTS

 

Aggravated assault charge and arrest

Amy W. Ramsey, 40, whose address was listed as homeless, was arrested Friday, Jan. 1, and charged with aggravated assault. Ramsey allegedly hit a woman in the head with a plate and pushed her out the front door of an apartment on Masters Circle, Patrolman Justin Vinson reported.

 

Criminal impersonation

William C. Raines, 36, of 438 Old Sevierville Highway, in Newport, was arrested Friday, Jan. 1, at 11:45 p.m., at the Time Out Travel Center on West 25/70, and charged with criminal impersonation, Patrolman Matthew Elliott reported.

 

Violation of community corrections

Mitzi Gibson, 39, of 421 Cosby Highway, in Newport, was arrested on Friday, Jan. 1, at 02:30, during a routine walk by police through Freddy's Lounge. Gibson was charged with violation of community corrections, Patrolman Ricky Parton reported.

 

Criminal trespassing

Gerald Burke, 44, of 141-B Cove Hollow Road, in Cosby, was arrested Thursday, Dec. 31, and charged with criminal trespassing, at the Walmart on Cosby Highway. Burke had allegedly been placed on notice the day before his arrest not to be on Walmart's property, Patrolman David R. Smith reported.

 

Harassment/verbal assault

Mary Smith, 44, of Filbert Street, in Newport, said an acquaintance had been harassing her and making death threats towards her, between Dec. 9 and Friday, Jan. 1, Patrolman Heather Lawson reported.

 

Check on the welfare of a child

Officers responded to a tip to check on a child that had allegedly been screaming for several minutes, on Wednesday, Dec. 30. A four-year-old at the home said her father kicked her in the left leg and put a diaper on her, apparently to punish her. Officers noticed the girl had scratch marks on her arms, and what appeared to be bruising on her leg. She also had small round scars on her back consistent with cigarette burns. Police called the family's caseworker at Department of Child Services, Patrolman Amy Elswick reported.

 

A 42-year-old man reported missing

Kelly Shane Greer, 42, of Highland Street, in Newport, reportedly left the home of a friend on Wednesday, Dec. 30, at about 7 a.m., and has not been seen since the following day. Greer was described as having brown eyes, black hair, and numerous tattoos on both arms. Greer was allegedly last seen wearing a blue jacket with orange design on the back, blue jean coveralls, and black tennis shoes, Patrolman Justin Vinson reported.

 

Harassment alleged

Doris Ball, 77, of First Street, in Newport, said an acquaintance came to her house intoxicated and took her granddaughter's dog, on Dec. 19, Patrolman Joshua Veridal reported

 

Vandalism over $1,000/theft under $500

An employee of JBA Vending said that on Wednesday, Dec. 23, at about 2 a.m., someone broke into a vending machine at Best Western, at 1015 Cosby Highway, in Newport, causing severe damage to the machine and taking $45 in cash. The total cost to repair the machine and replace the money was $1,423. A disc that recorded the person committing the vandalism was given to police, Patrolman Travis Gorrell reported.

 

Harassment alleged

Ashley Nikole Watson, 23, of East Broadway, in Newport, said on Friday, Jan. 1, that an acquaintance began calling and texting her, threatening to take her belongings from her residence, and threatening to call the Department of Child Services to have her children taken from her, Patrolman Joshua Veridal reported.

 

Accident at Baptist Hospital

Charles Joseph Kochert, 46, of Gallahad Court, in Sevierville, was on Friday, Jan. 1, at 7:30 p.m., backing a 2009 Subaru from a parking spot at Baptist Hospital of Cocke County, at 435 Second Street, and collided with a 2002 Ford van owned by Allied EMS. Patrolman Billy Woody wrote that he noticed damage to the Subaru, but no visible damage to the EMS van.