Greeneville, TN (WOKI) A traffic stop in Greeneville Thursday night leads to the arrest of a man and a woman suspected in the death of a four-year-old child.
An officer with the Greeneville Police Department stopped a white Ford Expedition around 10:00 p.m. on West Andrew Johnson Highway, arresting Cody Williams and Miranda Crowe. Both reportedly had charges out of Hawkins County.
Officials with the Greeneville Police Department say Williams is facing felony charges for second-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated child neglect and tampering with evidence.
Crowe had warrants out for child neglect, aggravated assault and failure to report child abuse.
Both Crowe and Williams were taken to the Greene County Detention Center before being handed over to the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office, according to Sheriff Ronnie Lawson.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knoxville Police Department is investigating a fatal, single-vehicle crash that happened Friday morning at Buffat Mill Road and Loves Creek.
KPD says the crash happened around 11:45 a.m. when a van traveling east on Buffat Mill Road went through the intersection at Loves Creek and crashed through a guardrail, ending up in the woods.
A woman driving the van was pronounced dead at the scene. Two adult passengers were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of injuries believed to be non-life-threatening.
KPD says speed was a possible factor in the crash.
Deadly crash at Loves Creek (Courtesy: Knoxville Police Department)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knoxville Fire Department continues to investigate a large commercial fire happening overnight Thursday in North Knoxville.
Crews were called to the scene at the Fort Loudon Waste and Recycling facility on Hancock street around 10:30 for a fully-involved fire inside a large metal warehouse.
Fire investigators are still working to determine the cause of the blaze.
“We’ll take our time as we go in the building. Of course, our investigators will have to spend a considerable amount of time trying to figure out exactly how this fire started,” said Knoxville Fire Department Communications Officer Mark Wilbanks speaking with WOKI news partner, WVLT.
Wilbanks says the warehouse, the only one on the property, was “burned from one end of the building to the other.”
KFD reported the bulk of the fire was out by 12:30 Friday morning, and they were monitoring hot spots.
No injuries were reported.
The plant was also the site of a massive fire back in 2019, causing over 100 people living in the Oakwood-Lincoln Park neighborhood to be evacuated as that fire burned.
Anyone with information about Thursday’s fire can contact the department’s arson hotline anonymously at 865-637-1386.
Firefighters responded to a commercial fire at the Fort Loudon Waste and Recycling facility, the same location as a fire that forced evacuations back in 2019. (Courtesy: KFD)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) An East Tennessee man, driving for the popular rideshare service Lyft, is convicted Friday of raping a passenger.
Officials with District Attorney General Charme Allen’s office say 44-year-old Christopher Wayne Stanifer picked the victim up from Drake’s, a restaurant on Morrell Road in Knoxville, around 2:00 a.m. in September of 2020.
In court records, the victim stated she was not sure how she ended up in the back seat of Stanifer’s car with Stanifer having sex with her and that she was too intoxicated to have given consent, prompting her to report the incident to the Knoxville Police Department.
“It is critical to understand that consent is the presence of a ‘yes’ and not just the absence of a ‘no,’ and the ‘yes’ must be made by someone who is not so impaired that they cannot fully understand what they are consenting to,” said District Attorney General Charme Allen.
Stanifer was convicted of rape and public indecency.
Christopher Wayne Stanifer, 44 (Courtesy: DA Charme Allen)
Moorseburg, TN (WOKI / WVLT) An investigation is underway after a plane believed to be piloted by an East Tennessee racing legend crashed Thursday morning in Hawkins County.
The crash happened around 8 :00 a.m. near Brooks Road in Moorseburg.
According to the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the area, finding a plane that had crashed into a barn.
HCSO says unidentified remains found inside the plane are “believed to be [those] of Scott Bloomquist.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed Bloomquist was the only individual onboard the aircraft.
Bloomquist is a nationally-touring and award-winning dirt car driver whose racing headquarters are located in Moorseburg.
The nine-time national champion has had a 40-year career in dirt racing, most recently taking home the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2016 and the Dream XXIV feature at Eldora Speedway in 2018.
He also competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the ARCA Mendards Series.
World of Outlaws, a racing league in which Bloomquist was known to race, released a statement about his possible passing:
Scott Bloomquist’s legendary status not only grew out of his accomplishments on the track, but his innovations throughout the dirt Late Model industry.
He played a hey role with DIRTcar Racing and the World of Outlaws, helping to re-build the World of Outlaws Late Models so it could grow into what it’s become today. His influences also helped the evolution of racetracks and chassis over the years.
Bloomquist’s passion for the sport and innovative mind will be deeply missed by all. – Brian Carter, World Racing Group CEO
Officials with the sheriff’s office say the county’s forensics department will make the final identification.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash.
This is a developing story.
Bloomquist had a 40-year career in dirt racing, most recently winning the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2016. (Courtesy: Eldora Speedway Press Release)
Sevier County, TN (WOKI) The Sevier County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help in finding a missing man.
SCSO officials say 50-year-old Eugene Frederick Blair was last seen in the Oldham Creek Road area of Sevier County.
According to SCSO, Blair walked off Thursday, August 15 around 11 a.m. with his brown shorthair dachshund dog and has not been seen or heard from by his family since then.
Blair is said to have undiagnosed dementia.
If you have any information that can help in the search for Blair, you are asked to contact Detective Alexander Smuk or the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office at 865-453-4668 or 865-774-3912.
Missing 50-year-old man Eugene Frederick Blair from Sevier County. (Courtesy: Sevier County. Sheriff’s Office)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Millions of dollars in state money is going to parks across the state, including right here in East Tennessee.
The state’s Office of Outdoor Recreation says they’re giving away over $21 million dollars in grants to parks in Tennessee, all through a program (Local Parks and Recreation Fund), that helps buy land for parks and improve greenways and recreational facilities.
“The LPRF program is a critical resource that the Office of Outdoor Recreation manages to help expand access to recreational opportunities in our local communities,” said Brian Clifford, director of the Office of Outdoor Recreation. “These grants directly contribute to improving the quality of life, health, and economy in our cities and counties.”
The grants were awarded to 27 communities across the state, including the following in East Tennessee:
Bean Station in Grainger County – Awarded $125,000 for upgrades to the existing playground area, parking and two ballfields at City Park.
Blaine in Grainer County – Awarded $75,000 for milling/resurfacing of the parking lot, striping and accessible parking, signage, park benches and fence toppers for the ballfield at City Park.
Dandridge in Jefferson County – Awarded $500,000 for playground, restroom building, access paths, a shade structure, accessible parking and pickleball courts at Field of Dreams Playground.
Harriman in Roane County – Awarded $300,000 for improvements at the Community Center that will include new flooring for the gymnasium, an HVAC system and parking lot paving. Improvements at Riverfront Park will include Phase I of the installation of new trail lighting.
Norris in Anderson County – Awarded $375,000 for the redevelopment of tennis courts into a new complex to including a tennis court, pickle ball courts, and a new outdoor basketball court, upgrades to the existing restroom, parking, and accessible pathways at Memorial Park.
Oliver Springs in Roane County – Awarded $29,000 for accessible pathways to the ballfields, concrete pads for the bleachers and accessible seating areas, and LED security light replacements at Arrowhead Park.
Rocky Top in Anderson County – Awarded $566,000 for an upgrade of the existing restroom facility, replacement of bleacher structure with a press box on top and accessibility features at Community Center Park.
“Communities across the state need resources to provide Tennesseans with excellent recreational opportunities, and these grants support those projects,” said Greer Tidwell, deputy commissioner for the Bureau of Conservation at TDEC. “The grants and local teamwork our Tennessee legislators established in this funding program will continue to support many exciting new features at the local level.”
Click here for more information about the LPRF program and for guidance on how to apply.
A total of 27 communities across Tennessee were awarded grants. (Pexels)
Kingston, TN (WOKI) A man driving on a suspended license is facing charges after hitting a 12-year-old boy in Kingston and leaving the scene.
Kingston Police Department officials say the crash happened Wednesday around 4:00 p.m. near Woodlawn Drive.
Officers arrested 34-year-old Nicolas Debord a short time later after an interview with the victim and nearby security camera footage placed Debord’s vehicle at the scene.
Police say the child suffered minor injuries as a result of the incident.
Debord was charged with reckless driving on a suspended license, leaving the scene of an accident and reckless endangerment. Additional charges are pending.
The crash happened Wednesday around 4:00 p.m., Kingston Police Department officials said. (Frankly Media)
Roane County, TN (WOKI) A Roane County man is facing 33 years in jail for his role in a double murder two years ago.
According to District Attorney General Russell Johnson’s office, Lonnie Dale Wright, of Harriman, was sentenced Wednesday to the murders of Steve Groover and Cindy Scruggs in May of 2022.
Groover and Scruggs were found dead in their Kingston home on Buck Creek Road.
Officials with the Roane County Sheriff’s Office say after Wright was arrested in July 2022 that he was suspected of unlawfully breaking into the home and murdering both Groover and Scruggs.
On Wednesday, Roane County Criminal Court Judge Jeff Wicks agreed with the District Attorney’s request to give Wright the maximum number of years with his sentence. Additionally, DA Russell Johnson said the judge gave Wright three six-year sentences consecutively with the maximum of 15 years on the attempted robbery conviction.
Johnson added that Wright has been in jail since his arrest and will receive credit for time served.
Lonnie Dale Wright (Courtesy: Roane County Sheriff’s Office)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Knoxville husband and wife have been arrested on charges of wire fraud, money laundering and tax offenses.
The United States Department of Justice said a federal grand jury returned a 14-count indictment last week on 53-year-old Kenneth Francis Lee and 54-year-old Susan Amie Lee, both of Knoxville.
The Lees are accused of concocting a scheme to defraud investors and obtain money by falsely claiming that Kenneth was in litigation to sell a company to a large U.S. based investment firm and that, in exchange for help with “legal fees” for the transaction, victims would receive a percentage of the sale.
According to the DOJ, the victims never saw any money as there was no settlement, and the Lees allegedly spent it on personal expenses, including funding Kenneth Lee’s gambling habit.
Additionally, the DOJ says Kenneth did not report any of his income to the IRS despite being required to do so.
Susan is alleged in the indictment to have helped in collecting the fraud proceeds into accounts in her name and spending those funds.
Kenneth was indicted on seven counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering and three counts of tax offenses, and Susan was indicted on three counts of money laundering offenses. The DOJ said they appeared in court on Wednesday and entered not guilty pleas.
If convicted, the DOJ said Kenneth and Susan both face up to 20 years in prison.
Their trial is scheduled for October 22.
They allegedly executed a scheme to defraud investors and obtain money by falsely claiming to be in litigation to sell a company to a large U.S. based investment firm.(Credit: Frankly Media)
