Shelbyville Times-Gazette: News : Crime, justice and emergency services

Crime, justice and emergency services

Crime, punishment, the court system and emergency response.

Cook's lawyers backed by judge in appeal (05/26/13)
A Bedford County woman found guilty of the 2007 shooting death of a Shelbyville auto salesman has lost her post-conviction appeal. Ashley Mai Cook had claimed that the public defender's office gave her ineffective assistance by failing to properly advise her with regard to whether to testify at her second trial...

Third vehicle taken in northeast spree (05/26/13)
A third vehicle, in addition to two others reported in Thursday's T-G, was stolen from an area of northeast Shelbyville on Wednesday night. The car was found in the roadway on East Lane Street at 5:14 a.m. Thursday. The owner told police she had left the keys inside...

Fall from falls hurts Bell Buckle resident (05/26/13)
A Bell Buckle man was rescued following a fall Wednesday night at Rutledge Falls in Coffee County. Thomas Bannister, 19, was injured when he fell about 6:15 p.m, Coffee County Sheriff's deputies said. Members of the Coffee County Rescue Squad lifted Bannister to the top of the falls. He was treated at Harton Regional Medical Center in Tullahoma.Fall from falls hurts...

Stolen items found in stolen car (05/24/13)
Items suspected to be stolen were found in a vehicle, also reported as stolen, stopped by police in Circle O Trailer Park, Railroad Avenue, early Thursday. Moments after the car was reported stolen officer Todd Sanders spotted it on North Hillcrest Drive. Sanders said in his report he followed the car into the trailer park before attempting a traffic stop...

Swimmers urged to be careful (05/24/13)
The family of a Cascade High School student who drowned two years ago is urging teens to think before they go swimming in non-designated areas and to check the water temperature. Robert Alan Moore, 17, who went by Alan, drowned Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at Normandy Reservoir. The Wartrace teen and a friend had dived off the middle of the Barton Springs bridge near the border between Bedford and Coffee Counties...

UPDATE: Crash seriously injures wrestling referee (05/24/13)
A well-known professional wrestling referee was among the injured Thursday afternoon in a head-on crash west of Shelbyville on State Highway 64. Eric Hix of Shelbyville was en route to Thursday night's All State Wrestling matches, promoter Glen Mullins said...

Teacher, assistant appear in court (05/23/13)
A Harris Middle School teacher's assistant accused of slapping a special education student made his first court appearance Wednesday. W. Bret Lawrence, 53, of Lantern Lane stood before General Sessions Judge Charles Rich, and at first stated he would represent himself, but then later told prosecutors he would hire his own attorney...

Tornado survival depends on plans (05/22/13)
Scott Johnson of Bedford County Emergency Management Agency says that this week's tragic EF-4 tornado in Oklahoma should cause local residents to take a moment to consider their own tornado preparedness. "Any simple plan should include how to get tornado warnings in a timely manner and where to go to for protection," wrote Johnson. ...

Habitual offender's sentence remains intact (05/22/13)
A repeat offender from Bedford County lost an appeal for a reduced sentence and an overturned conviction. William Henry Smith, Jr. is serving a six-year sentence for being an habitual motor vehicle offender, but special judge Christopher Craft ruled that the sentence is "supported by the record."...

Judge upholds gun sale conviction (05/22/13)
A federal appeals court has upheld the conviction of an man who sold a fully automatic weapon to an undercover Bedford County officer two years ago. In 2011, Thomas Lee Stetler of Port Clinton, Ohio, was convicted of illegally possessing 14 firearms he had sold to undercover agent David Sakich of Bedford County Sheriff's Department...

THP checkpoints scheduled for June (05/22/13)
Four Tennessee Highway Patrol checkpoints are scheduled for June. Driver's license checkpoints will be held June 8 at the Midland Road-Whiteside Road intersection, June 21 on State Route 64 at the 18 mile marker and June 28 on State Route 82 at the 6.5 mile marker. A sobriety checkpoint will be held June 28 on State Route 82 at the 9 mile marker...

Boston terrier pups stolen from home (05/22/13)
Two Boston terrier puppies were stolen from the back porch of an Oak Street home Monday, Shelbyville police said. A man who was at the home earlier asking about the puppies is listed as a possible suspect. The following were arrested since Monday by the Bedford County Sheriff's Department, Shelbyville Police Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol or 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force. They are only charged; guilt or innocence will be determined by the courts...

Pot found in wallet left at probation office (05/21/13)
A small bag of marijuana was discovered Friday in a wallet left at the Bedford County probation office, McGrew Street, police said. Probation Director Joyce Reed told officer Mitchell Warren she opened the wallet seeking an identification, smelled marijuana, saw the bag and called police...

Crigler nears final session (05/21/13)
Monday was the last time that retiring Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler arraigned grand jury suspects in Bedford County. With Crigler due to step down from the bench Friday, May 31, he said he still has one more court proceeding to handle here -- a trial -- with other court dates set for the rest of the week in the other counties in the 17th Judicial District...

UPDATE: Pursuit ends in death; chase policies explained (05/20/13)
A young Shelbyville man is dead after a long, high-speed pursuit involving city and county officers early Saturday, and law enforcement officials are explaining their pursuit policies. Michael Jay Sudberry, 22, died at a Nashville hospital after he ran a stop sign at the Coble Road-Highway 64 West intersection and rammed the side of a passing vehicle, State Trooper Dallas Rife said...

Murder try nets Velasquez 18 years (05/19/13)
A man who nearly killed his neighbor last year accepted an 18-year prison term as part of a plea agreement. Alfredo Velasquez, 62, made the plea Friday to a single count of attempted first degree murder before Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell. Last September, Velasquez stabbed 29-year-old Roberto Morales numerous times following an argument...

Long high-speed pursuit ends in crash (05/18/13)
A driver's refusal to stop for blue lights early Saturday ended with his serious injury and another motorist hurt after a long police chase. The chase, which police said lasted almost 30 minutes, ended when Michael Jay Sudberry, 22, of Coble Road ran a stop sign near his Coble Road home and rammed the side of a vehicle on State Highway 64. He was airlifted to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, investigators said...

Missing man found dead (05/17/13)
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One pill enough for police to press charges (05/17/13)
Possession of one Xanax pill led to a drug charge against a Shelbyville woman Wednesday night. Ashley Lynn Edmondson, 30, of Highway 64 West was charged with possession of a schedule IV drug during a traffic stop of a car in which she was riding. Edmondson, the owner of the car, allowed a search requested by officer Cody Swift after driver Jeffrey Brent Cunningham, 46, of Chestnut Drive was stopped on Evans Street because a headlight was out. ...

Local man charged in Columbia assault (05/17/13)
A Shelbyville man has been charged with sexually assaulting a co-worker, also from Shelbyville, on the roof of the Columbia Walmart last year. Timothy Lee Farliss, 30, surrendered to Columbia authorities Tuesday, The Daily Herald reported. The incident occurred Nov. 25 as the man and woman, 24, were cleaning a roof hood vent. They were employed by a Shelbyville industrial services company, according to the report...

Madison Street crash (05/17/13)
Emergency workers prepare to replace a utility pole struck by the overturned truck at left this morning on Madison Street. The driver, Garrett Winnette, 75, of Wartrace told medical personnel he felt no pain except from the seat belt. He was taken to Heritage Medical Center to be checked. A witness told the T-G the truck was airborne before striking the pole. (T-G Photo by David Melson)

Missing man sought in woods (05/16/13)
Searchers were scouring wooded northeastern Bedford County this morning for a missing Murfreesboro man thought to be in the area. David Cunningham, 53, was last seen driving on Beechwood Road, Sheriff Randall Boyce said, and his truck was found Wednesday afternoon near Fox Lane...

Finder returns wallet but keeps cash, silver dollar (05/16/13)
Returning a stolen wallet didn't pay off for the finder Wednesday. Michael Dewayne Claxton, 40, of Wartrace Road turned in the wallet at a North Main Street store several blocks away from where it was reported stolen, police said. The wallet's owner met Claxton and questioned why $108 and a heirloom silver dollar were missing...

Police Memorial Week (05/16/13)
Three of Shelbyville's newer policemen -- from left, Jarred Frazier, Russ Grubbs and Brock Horner -- gather at the marker honoring the city's fallen officers on Wednesday, Police Memorial Day. Those who died in the line of duty were officers Charles Henry and Redden Purdie, shot Oct. 31, 1911 by a man seeking revenge following his arrest earlier in the day; Chief Sumner A. Dillard, shot by a friend of a suspect being driven away from his home; officer Floyd T. Collins, who died of a heart attack while on patrol Nov. 27, 1985; Sgt. G.J. Jordan, killed in an accident Jan. 22, 1995 while responding to a call; and officer Melvin Claxton, who collapsed during a foot pursuit Feb. 17, 1999. (T-G Photo by David Melson)

County wants funds back (05/15/13)
The Bedford County Commission wants to replace E911 funds allegedly misspent by a former dispatch director. An audit released last month by the Division of Local Government Audit of the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury accuses former com center director Cathey Mathis of $46,807 in undocumented or questionable purchases...

Struggle doesn't prevent drug charge (05/15/13)
A suspect who briefly struggled with a police officer Tuesday night was arrested on drug charges. Terrance Terrell Hollis, 29, of Ray Street allegedly was upset as officer Tory Moore knocked on his front door following a reported disturbance. Hollis was placed in restraints outside as officers did a "safety sweep" of the home to see if anyone was injured. ...

Vandals don't find church sacred (05/14/13)
For more than 160 years, the little white church has stood northwest of Bell Buckle. Hundreds, if not thousands, of worshipers over the years walked the grounds of Cross Roads Church of Christ and occupied its pews weekly for many years and, up to the early years of the 21st century, at services held at least yearly...

Elderly at risk in unlicensed group home fire (05/14/13)
A Saturday night fire in an unlicensed assisted care facility on Enden Avenue originated from the cigarette of a caregiver who had been drinking, investigators said Monday. The caregiver -- Phyllis J. Marise, 52, whose home address is listed as the single-family residence -- has a history of alcohol use and has been fired by the home's operator before, Sgt. Fred Harvey of the Shelbyville Police Department said...

Two arrested on drug charges over weekend (05/14/13)
The "suspicious person" reported to police outside the door of a Park Trail Apartments resident had marijuana in his vehicle, officers said. Officer Gregg Loyd noticed a partially smoked marijuana cigarette on the vehicle's dashboard and requested a search...

Sobriety checkpoints to be held next week (05/12/13)
Roadside sobriety checkpoints are scheduled next week on Highway 64 West at Whitaker Road and U.S. 41A North at Old Columbia Road by the Bedford County Sheriff's Department. The specific days were not announced. "Impaired driving is a serious crime that kills more than 16,000 people and injures 305,000 others every year in the United States," a BCSD press release said. ...

Stolen grill goes on wild journey (05/12/13)
A witness watched as a barbecue grill was stolen from the patio of a King Arthur Trailer Court home Thursday night. The witness told police the grill was loaded into the bed of a gold truck. The truck and a gold car left together with the witness following...

Status report sought in quarry case (05/10/13)
A federal judge has ordered both sides involved in a $10 million lawsuit over a proposed rock quarry to update him on the status of the case. The city of Shelbyville and Wright Paving/Custom Stone LLC have until June 7 to file a status report with U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice, according to an order issued Tuesday...

Mediation fails, so ECDs go to court (05/10/13)
Mediation involving a suit filed by the county's Emergency Communication District (ECD) has failed, and a federal judge has offered three choices on how the case could proceed. The ECD and nine other districts filed the suit last April against BellSouth over 911 charges, demanding the recovery of $76,000 in service fees...

Traffic stop nets drugs, paraphernalia (05/10/13)
Three people were arrested on drug-related charges resulting from a traffic stop Wednesday night. A car driven by Berry Chase Bennett, 27, of Coop Road, who allegedly handed over an identification card with a different name, was stopped on East Highland street because its brake lights stayed on constantly, officer Jody Shelton said in his report...

Student was in hall due to TCAP testing (05/09/13)
The teenager allegedly slapped and pushed by a Harris Middle School teacher's assistant last week was in a hallway during one of the incidents, authorities say. "We were told the student was 'very disruptive' so he was put in a hallway during TCAP testing," Detective Sgt. Charles Kimbril of the Bedford County Sheriff's Department said...

Driver without license, insurance causes wreck (05/09/13)
An unlicensed driver with no insurance on his vehicle was arrested following an accident Monday night on Quarry Street at Green Lane, police said. David Lucas Tadeo, 21, of Bridlewood Drive turned himself in at police headquarters a short time after the accident...

It's safe to release roadblock info (05/09/13)
Roadblocks -- as we call them or, as they're officially called, driver's license or sobriety checkpoints. Since last year the Tennessee Highway Patrol and, on one occasion, Bedford County Sheriff's Department have issued press releases with times and somewhat non-specific locations of their checkpoints...

More charges filed vs. Harris aide, teacher (05/08/13)
The Harris Middle School teacher's assistant accused of slapping a special education student last week faces a second assault charge involving the same child. Also, the teacher in whose class he worked has been charged for failing to report the incidents...

THP plans license, sobriety checkpoints (05/08/13)
The Tennessee Highway Patrol will conduct two driver's license roadside checkpoints and one sobriety checkpoint later this month. Driver's license checkpoints are planned for State Route 82 at the 6.5 mile marker at 9 p.m. Friday, May 17, and State Route 64 at the 15 mile marker at 6 p.m. Friday, May 24. The sobriety checkpoint is scheduled for Friday, May 24 at 11:30 p.m. on U.S. 41A at the 23 mile marker...

Teacher assistant faces 2nd assault charge; teacher charged (05/07/13)
The Harris Middle School teacher's assistant accused of slapping a special education student last week faces a second assault charge involving the same child. Also, the teacher in whose class he worked has been charged for failing to report the incidents...

Learning Way briefly evacuated (05/07/13)
Smoke from an electrical issue forced students of Learning Way Elementary to evacuate briefly Monday afternoon while firefighters checked out the problem, before giving the all-clear to return to class. The timing worked out well, since the skies opened up with another round of heavy rain minutes after the students made it back inside. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely)

Driver wrecks during chase through traffic (05/07/13)
A driver led police on a high-speed chase Thursday afternoon across northern Shelbyville. Bobby Jerome Merrell, 27, of Pass Road was clocked on radar at 68 mph in a 30 mph zone in front of the Bedford County Schools administration building on Madison Street by officer Rod Stacy...

Horse trainer denies charges (05/03/13)
Tennessee walking horse trainer Larry Wheelon of Maryville has issued a statement denying abuse of horses at his facility. Wheelon was charged with one count of animal cruelty and 19 horses were seized from his farm. "I would like to first state that I am innocent on the charges alleged against me," Wheelon said. "These are serious allegations that carry serious consequences and I look forward to the opportunity to have my story known and my name cleared of these allegations...

Guitar, whiskey: A theft, not a song (05/03/13)
A thief with somewhat cultured tastes took a 12-string acoustic guitar, a 12-piece harmonica set, a 1929 Liberty dime, a Zippo cut class lighter and bottles of Beefeater gin, ouzo and Ardmore scotch whiskey from a Woodbury Street home. The items were taken between March 16-April 25 while the owner was in jail, Shelbyville police said...

Funds asked for higher EMS pay (05/02/13)
During budget hearings Tuesday night, Bedford County Emergency Medical Services director Chad Graham asked the county's Financial Management Committee for a salary adjustment for his employees -- separate from whatever county-wide pay increase is considered by the county commission -- in order to recruit and retain paramedics...

Sirens' costs to be eyed (05/01/13)
A cost proposal for installation of tornado sirens at more locations in the county was presented to Bedford County Financial Management Committee on Tuesday night. Finance committee member Joe Tillett had asked Bedford County Emergency Management Agency to prepare the proposal...

Taser stun stops angry arrestee (05/01/13)
An intoxicated man intent on avoiding arrest allegedly attempted to fight off police officers before being subdued with a taser Monday. Police were called to Elizabeth Street twice within an hour concerning Scotty Ray Haynes, 42, of Hobson Avenue, accused by a caller of wanting to "pick a fight" with a visitor at her home...

Officer grabbed in bar fight (04/30/13)
A man accused of interfering with a policeman as he attempted to break up a bar fight early Saturday has been charged with assault on an officer. Christopher Michael Rippy, 24, of Blue Ribbon Parkway allegedly became angry as officers investigated a report of a stolen purse at Pop A Top, Madison Street, about 12:45 a.m, officer David Dye said...

Owner fires shot after shot until dog dies (04/30/13)
The owner of a dog that suffered between attempts to kill it Saturday has been charged with animal cruelty, police said. John Mark Phillips, 44, of Madison Street shot the dog several times as it was chained in his back yard, officer Cody Swift said...

'Crime spree' appeal falls flat (04/30/13)
A man with gang ties who is serving time for a series of robberies has lost a post-conviction appeal of a long sentence. Christopher Evonne Rodriguez had claimed his defense attorney was ineffective because he "failed to raise any defense . . . of a crime spree."...

Teen hit by car recovers at home (04/30/13)
The teenager struck by a car on East Depot Street last Thursday is recovering well, a family member told the T-G. Sean Hinton, 15 is at home with 20 staples in his head but no broken bones or internal injuries. The driver who said she fled the scene due to fear is in the country legally, police said...

Three televisions stolen from home (04/28/13)
Three television sets, Wii games and controllers and a bean bag chair were stolen between Tuesday and Thursday from a Bates Street home described by police as "completely ransacked." A bicycle left outside a Neeley Avenue apartment was taken between 3-4 p.m. Thursday. It is described as an orange 12-inch model with a "busted" back tire...

Fake DUI crash makes big impact (04/28/13)
Drinking a couple of beers is a big deal when you're driving, an emergency responder told vocational students Monday. "Think about the repercussions legally and who it affects," said Brian Bruce, a supervisor with the Bedford County Emergency Medical Service. "Think about when we pull the sheet off you so your mother can identify you. You may think it's no big deal to have a couple beers and drive down the road."...

East Tenn. horse trainer faces abuse charges (04/26/13)
A horse trainer from Maryville has been charged with felony animal cruelty after 19 horses were removed from his barn Thursday. The Blount County sheriff's office assisted the U.S. Department of Agriculture in serving a search warrant to Larry Wheelon, 68, last week after receiving a tip about possible animal cruelty, reported The Daily Times of Maryville...

Hard hit hurts teen; Scared driver flees after striking pedestrian (04/26/13)
"I was scared." Erika Rojas Sanchez told Shelbyville police that's why she sped away after striking Sean Hinton, 15, leaving him lying in a pool of blood on East Depot Street late Thursday afternoon. Hinton suffered a fractured skull and was airlifted to Vanderbilt Medical Center, police said today...

Quarry request denied (04/26/13)
Shelbyville's Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) voted to reject the conditional use of industrial property for a proposed rock quarry. In a meeting that lasted until midnight, the BZA voted 6-1-1 that the quarry Wright Paving and Custom Stone LLC has been trying to build on L. Fisher Road for the past nine years would not meet "performance standards."...

Ambulance rates may rise (04/25/13)
Bedford County Emergency Medical Services, the county-owned ambulance service, may soon be raising most of its rates. BCEMS director Chad Graham presented a proposal for a new rate schedule Tuesday night to the county's Financial Management Committee...

Lottery player loses -- his phone (04/25/13)
Playing the lottery made a Shelbyville man a loser Tuesday -- at least in the sense of losing his cell phone. The victim told police as he chose his lottery numbers and paid the clerk at the Kangaroo store on North Main Street, he left the phone on the lottery display...

A true survivor: Childhood of abuse leads to adulthood of helping others escape (04/23/13)
An advocate for abused children shared horrific details from her own heart-wrenching childhood during a fundraiser Monday for CASA Works. The non-profit agency held its fourth annual CASA Works Inc. Bedford County Luncheon at First Baptist Church on East Depot Street...

Quarry proposal on planning agenda (04/23/13)
A proposed rock quarry will be the main topic of discussion Thursday for Shelbyville's planning commission and board of zoning appeals (BZA). The planning commission will consider a site plan for a rock quarry on L. Fisher Road requested by Wright Paving, the company which is currently embroiled in a $10 million federal lawsuit with the city over the matter...

Mears pleads guilty, takes 20-year offer (04/23/13)
A Shelbyville man accused of planning two murder attempts accepted a 20-year sentence after making a plea Friday. James Otis Mears pled guilty to two counts of attempted first degree murder, and will have to serve 30 percent of the 20-year sentence before being eligible for parole...

Suspect can't remember attacking ex-lover's friend (04/23/13)
A Murfreesboro man allegedly attacked his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend with a steel pipe after entering her Tyne Road home Friday morning -- and now says he doesn't remember it. Justin Carvis Majors, 23, of Murfreesboro hit the victim in the crown and forehead area of his head with the 18-inch pipe, officer Jeff Goodrich's report said...

Million Dollar Bond (04/23/13)
Susan Walls appeared before Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell Friday with her attorney Chris Westmoreland for a brief hearing in which she accepted a bond of $1 million. Walls is charged with first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder in the death of her husband Larry Walls, which occurred last August. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely)

Trial scheduled in Hord suit (04/23/13)
A federal magistrate has set a trial date involving a lawsuit filed by Bedford County's former child abuse investigator. A jury will convene March 31, 2014 in Chattanooga to hear the case filed by Rebecca Hord against Bedford County and Sheriff Randall Boyce...

Fraud Watch: Callers claim $80K sweepstakes win (04/23/13)
An alert recipient of phone calls from scammers fended off two attempts last week. The victim said a caller last Monday told her she'd won a sweepstakes and the check was being held at a warehouse since it was from Canada...

Career of helping (04/23/13)
"I really don't have much to say," 67-year volunteer firefighter Johnny Deason said after an awards ceremony honoring his service Friday. "Everyone else's already said it all." And they had a lot to say. Deason, who actually retired in 2011, was honored by fellow firefighters and representatives of other law enforcement/emergency agencies at a ceremony Friday at Shelbyville Fire Department headquarters...

Highway 82 crash (04/23/13)
A trail of truck tires fills a ditch alongside Highway 82 east of Bell Buckle after a tractor-trailer crash early Monday morning. Stanley Baldwin, a driver for Trott Group, lost control of the eastbound truck on a curve about a mile and a half east of Bell Buckle and overturned, according to Sgt. Monty Terry of the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Baldwin was complaining of neck pain and was taken to Heritage Medical Center. (T-G Photo by David Melson)

Fake 'investment brokers' take more than $60K from man (04/21/13)
A father and son are accused of tricking an elderly Shelbyville man out of more than $60,000 after convincing him they were investment brokers -- and investigators are concerned there may be other victims. Johnny R. Lovell Sr., 53, and Johnny R. Lovell Jr., 29, both of Lebanon, were arrested Friday in Shelbyville after attempting to cash a check for $29,000 at a local bank, Detective Sgt. Brian Crews of the Shelbyville Police Department said...

Stereo stolen from vehicle (04/21/13)
*The in-dash stereo was stolen from a Jeep at Mid-Tenn Auto Brokers, Madison Street, overnight Thursday, Shelbyville police reported. *A license plate was taken from a Centerstone Mental Health Center of Tullahoma transport van parked at Life Solutions, Woodbury Street, overnight Wednesday, police said...

Bomb suspects terrorize Boston (04/19/13)
WATERTOWN, Mass. -- The two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing killed an MIT police officer and hurled explosives at police in a car chase and gun battle overnight that left one of them dead and his brother on the loose, authorities said Friday as thousands of officers swarmed the streets in a manhunt that all but paralyzed the Boston area...

Photographers urged to stay clear of train tracks (04/19/13)
As warmer weather arrives, Union Pacific Railroad and Operation Lifesaver, the rail safety education nonprofit organization, are urging professional photographers to refrain from taking photos of high school seniors, wedding parties, and other subjects on train tracks or trestles...

Terrorism charges filed against Watts (04/18/13)
A Tullahoma man now faces two counts of terrorism in connection with alleged threats made at a Bedford County school late last year. Tyrone L. Watts, 43, was indicted on a direct presentment to the county grand jury Monday. He was taken into custody Tuesday, then released from the county jail on $50,000 bond...

Laptops missing from Shelbyville school (04/18/13)
Two Apple MacBook Air laptop computers are missing from Deery Eakin Elementary School, Shelbyville police were told Monday. The laptops were among many kept on a computer cart for which teachers are required to sign in. The cart was last signed in and locked and in March 21 with all computers intact, police said. The computers were missing and cart unlocked Friday,...

E-911 payback put on hold (04/17/13)
Members of the Bedford County Emergency Communications District (E-911) board indicated Tuesday night that they may have to wait to see whether criminal charges are filed against former com center director Cathey Mathis before taking action to seek reimbursement for the money she's alleged to have misspent...

Community Middle SRO requested (04/17/13)
Bedford County's Board of Education is requesting that the county supply a full-time school resource officer for Community Middle School. Board member Ron Adcock made the motion during Tuesday's meeting. Chad Graham amended the motion to clarify that the request is for SRO coverage whenever the Sheriff's Department ends its extended school coverage. Off-duty deputies are filling in as acting SROs at schools that do not have trained SROs...

Attack nets man 20-year sentence (04/17/13)
A Shelbyville man will spend the next few years in jail after pleading guilty to a brutal case of domestic violence. David Wayne Johnson Jr., 29, was sentenced to 20 years on charges of attempted especially aggravated kidnapping and attempted aggravated rape...

Officials say arson likely in fire at EPA cleanup site (04/16/13)
Arson is suspected in a blaze which destroyed the warehouse portion of an abandoned office complex off Horse Mountain Road early Sunday, officials say. "It's a suspicious fire. We believe it was set," Assistant Fire Chief Brian Nicholson said as firefighters wrapped up their efforts at mid-morning Sunday...

Local runners react (04/16/13)
BOSTON -- The bombs that blew up seconds apart at the finish line of one of the world's most storied races left the streets spattered with blood and glass, three dead, including an 8-year-old boy, more than 140 wounded and gaping questions of who chose to attack at the Boston Marathon and why...

Grand jury indicts 4 in Walls murder (04/16/13)
The county's grand jury returned indictments Monday charging four with first degree murder, and conspiracy to commit the crime. Sean Gearhardt, 20 and Jason Starrick, 25, both of Antioch, and Susan Walls, 54, and Dawn Walls, 27 -- the wife and daughter of murder victim Larry Walls Sr. -- were indicted on one count each of first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder...

Cell phone taken from restroom (04/16/13)
A Droid Razr cell phone was stolen Saturday from a restroom at La Hispana Restaurant, North Main Street, police said. The victim told police she had left the phone in the restroom for several minutes before returning. The following were arrested since Friday by the Bedford County Sheriff's Department, Shelbyville Police Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol or 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force. They are only charged; guilt or innocence will be determined by the courts...

$200 won't get you $5,000 (04/16/13)
Don't believe it if a caller claims you've received $5,000 in government grant money for having good credit. A Shelbyville man lost $200 as a result, police say, in what is one of the more common scams reported nationwide. The victim said a woman claiming to be Nancy Cooper of the U.S. Treasury Department told him he'd receive the grant if he sent $200...

CASA Works Luncheon signup deadline nears (04/14/13)
Monday is the last day to register for the fourth annual Bedford County CASA Works Luncheon. The free luncheon on April 22 is a way to celebrate a year of accomplishments and provide a look forward to next year, as well as raising awareness and inspiring people to donate or volunteer, said Mindon Whalen, Americorps VISTA development coordinator for CASA. April also is Child Abuse Prevention Month...

911 at issue (04/12/13)
City, county and Emergency Communications District (E-911) officials met Thursday morning to clear the air over com center funding issues and learn more about state laws governing com centers from Curtis Sutton, assistant director and general counsel to the Tennessee Emergency Communications Board...

City has questions, but wants to talk (04/12/13)
Shelbyville's council, meeting Thursday night, approved entering negotiations with the county's E-911 District regarding a proposed inter-local agreement. However, the council has posed a long list of questions for the district, with the council saying they need "additional information to make a fully informed decision," according to a letter to district chairman Mark Thomas from Shelbyville city manager Jay Johnson...

Help fight crime, DA tells GOP (04/12/13)
District Attorney General Robert Carter told Bedford County Republicans Thursday night that citizens need to take a more active role in talking to others about criminal behavior -- not just their own family but others in the community as well. "If you wait until it gets to me, it's too late," said Carter, the keynote speaker for the GOP's annual Reagan Day dinner at the Blue Ribbon Circle on the Celebration grounds...

Jail intake, April 12 (04/12/13)
The following were arrested since Monday by the Bedford County Sheriff's Department, Shelbyville Police Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol or 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force. They are only charged; guilt or innocence will be determined by the courts...

UPDATE: Teen runaways found (04/11/13)
Two teenage girls reported missing after leaving a Shelbyville home early Tuesday have been found in Jackson, according to a tweet from Shelbyville police. Selena Brooke Haynes, 15, left a note at the home of her grandparents on North Main Street between 12:30 and 6 a.m. Tuesday saying she and a friend, Katlyn Marie Rogers, 14, were okay and would be in contact, Shelbyville police said...

Teen runaways sought (04/11/13)
Area law enforcement are on the lookout for two teen runaways reported missing from Shelbyville. One of the girls was seen Tuesday night at a Tullahoma apartment complex, according to a Facebook post not confirmed by authorities. Selena Brooke Haynes, 15, left a note at the home of her grandparents on North Main Street between 12:30 and 6 a.m. Tuesday saying she and a friend, Katlyn Marie Rogers, 14, were okay and would be in contact, Shelbyville police said...

Tracy honored by sheriff's group (04/11/13)
State Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) has been recognized for his work in the State Senate by the Tennessee Sheriffs' Association, receiving their annual "Outstanding Legislative Initiative Award." Tracy received the award at a meeting on April 3 attended by sheriffs statewide in Nashville...

THP sobriety checks set April 26 (04/10/13)
Two Tennessee Highway Patrol sobriety checkpoints are scheduled for Fri., April 26 in Bedford County. Checkpoints will be held at State Route 82 at the nine-mile marker at 9:30 p.m. and on State Route 64 at the 15-mile marker at 11:30 p.m. "Impaired driving is a serious crime that kills more than 16,000 people and injures more than 305,000 others every year in the United States," the THP said in a press release. ...

Fire razes home (04/09/13)
Flames soar through the roof of the Nancy Berken residence, Shipman's Creek Road, in a fire reported shortly before 10 p.m. Sunday. Firefighters from the main Bedford County station, Wartrace and Normandy responded. The fire's cause is undetermined, the BCSD said Monday. (T-G Photo by David Melson)

Driver allegedly drag races with kids in car (04/09/13)
A man police said was drag racing with his three children in his SUV received a lecture and an arrest for reckless endangerment Friday night. "I wasn't going that fast, when I looked at my speedometer I was only going 55," Michael Anthony Campbell, 38, of Bates Street was quoted as telling officer Jody Shelton after a traffic stop on Madison Street...

Scam Watch: Scammer collects $65,000, keeps demanding more (04/09/13)
A Shelbyville man fears "losing everything" after being scammed out of as much as $65,000, police say. He initially received an email from a man identifying himself as Gary Summers of England claiming to be an attorney handling a large amount of money inherited by the victim from a trust or will...

Man accused of assaulting motel desk clerk (04/07/13)
A desk clerk at a Shelbyville motel told police a frequent lobby visitor attempted to assault her Tuesday night. Jerry Rowe Sumners, 69, allegedly attempted to hug and kiss the clerk at Best Western Celebration Inn, Madison Street, and after being rebuffed, told her not to tell anyone...

He's still fired up after 67 years (04/05/13)
Volunteering is what Tennesseeans are known for, and later this month, a man who has donated 67 years of his time to firefighting will be recognized. Johnny Deason has been a volunteer fireman in Shelbyville since 1944, when he was still in high school, and on April 19, he will be honored as the oldest serving volunteer firefighter in the state...

June trial dates set for school threat suspect (04/05/13)
June trial dates have been set for a Tullahoma man accused of making violent threats at Thomas Magnet School last year. A jury will be seated on June 24-25 to hear accusations that Tyrone L. Watts, 43, uttered the threats two days before the Sandy Hook school shooting last December, resulting in two counts of filing a false report...

Massive search for missing scheduled (04/05/13)
What organizers call a "massive search effort" is planned for Saturday in various areas of Bedford County. Searchers for clues to the disappearances of Shelley Jones Mook, Antonio "Tony" Taylor, Chloie Leverette, Gage Daniel and Bobbu Smelcer will meet at 8 a.m. at Bedford County Agriculture Center...

Anti-freeze mixed with food kills dog (04/05/13)
A dog died after eating poisoned food at a Briar Patch Drive home Tuesday, Shelbyville police said. Eight-year-old Gracie died from ingesting antifreeze while her mate, 7-month-old Sassy, is expected to recover, their owner was told. The dogs were let out briefly at 8 a.m. Tuesday and returned with what appeared to be pizza, police said...

Restoring order (04/04/13)
Well over 100 pages of testimony have been submitted to a federal judge in an effort to dismiss a lawsuit against Bedford County and a deputy. Attorney Michael T. Schmitt asked U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr. to summarily dismiss the complaint of Ricky Robertson, who has been suing the county and Deputy Kevin Roddy since 2010...

City faces additional 911 costs (04/03/13)
Shelbyville's council will be requesting more information from Bedford County's E-911 District before moving forward on a request for an interlocal agreement. But no matter which choice the council makes, more funding will be needed. The E-911 board voted in January to begin negotiating the terms of an agreement with the city, as required by the Tennessee Emergency Communications Board...

Thief grabs over $1,000 from vehicle (04/03/13)
More than $1,000 was stolen from a vehicle at a Belmont Avenue home Sunday night, police said. The theft wasn't discovered until police were told a purse and most of its contents were scattered across the front yard of a Deery Street home. The purse contained the victim's identification...

Talks scheduled in Hord lawsuit (04/02/13)
A conference has been set before a federal magistrate regarding a lawsuit filed by the county's former child abuse investigator. Parties involved in the litigation filed by Rebecca Hord against Bedford County and Sheriff Randall Boyce will meet for a scheduling conference with U.S. Magistrate Judge William B. Mitchell Carter on April 19 in Chattanooga...

Need to hide stash doesn't register with suspect (04/02/13)
The suspect in a burglary at a Shelbyville antique store didn't make much effort to hide his stash. He left his stash -- a cash register, empty except for personal papers, and $2 -- in a truck he allegedly stole from a neighboring business, police said...

Audit hits former E-911 director for purchasing (04/02/13)
An investigative state audit of Bedford County Communications Center charges former director Cathey Mathis with $46,807 in undocumented or "questionable purchases," including clothing from well-known clothing chains, from the com center's uniform line item, electronics, furniture and various dining and travel expenses...

City to study request for E-911 financial help (03/31/13)
The city council will discuss a request for financial help and an interlocal agreement from the county's E-911 District on Tuesday. However, making such an agreement could mean a hike in Shelbyville's property taxes. The request was made earlier this month by District chairman Mark Thomas, who explained they have been providing dispatch services to the city at no cost for years, with no agreement in place...

Dispatcher arrested on porn charge (03/29/13)
A practical joke turned serious for a Bedford County Sheriff's Department dispatcher charged with a child pornography-related charge. Michael Spray, a night shift employee for the past four years, was charged with one count of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor after a fellow worker found obscene images of young girls on his cell phone...

Higher tech, lower cost (03/29/13)
Bedford County officials are considering adding technology to elementary schools to improve security as an alternative to hiring more school resource officers (SROs). During a Board of Education budget committee meeting Thursday, interim Superintendent Mike Bone recommended the technology option. Securing elementary schools would cost approximately $125,000, he said...

StormReady once again (03/29/13)
Bedford County has been re-certified by the National Weather Service as a StormReady Community for a new three-year term. "We deal with 39 counties in Middle Tennessee, and Bedford County is one of the best," said Tom Johnstone of NWS, who made the formal presentation to Mayor Eugene Ray and Bedford County Emergency Management Agency officials on Thursday...

Convicted drug dealer loses 3rd appeal (03/29/13)
A Bedford County man serving 12 years on a drug conviction lost his third appeal this week. Appellate Judge Jerry L. Smith ruled that issues dealing with the appeal made by Derrick Lemon Goode "are without merit." Goode was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler following a jury trial to the 12-year sentence for one count each of selling and delivering 0.5 grams or more of crack cocaine...

Fake credit cards, stolen numbers used in purchase attempts (03/28/13)
Two men accused of buying thousands of dollars worth of gift cards with forged credit card numbers -- or fake cards -- at two Shelbyville stores have been arrested in Smyrna. Modesto Cabo Sanchez Jr., 26, and Carlos Ernesto Del Pino, 22, both of Tampa, Fla., used the cards Jan. 29 at Walgreens and Walmart, a Secret Service special agent told Shelbyville police...

A young life is lost: Man found dead in truck after Hwy. 130 crash (03/28/13)
A Shelbyville man who died Wednesday morning on State Highway 130 East had a gunshot wound to his neck, investigators say. Landry Holt Galbreth, 19, of Cloverdale Road was found dead in his smashed truck after it almost struck an oncoming SUV before running off the roadway, State Trooper Jackie Smith said. The truck slid down a steep embankment and landed upside down in a private pond...

Man killed in Highway 130 East crash (03/27/13)
A Shelbyville man lost his life when his truck ran off Highway 130 East and overturned into a pond at mid-morning Wednesday. Landry Galbreath, 19, of Cloverdale Road died at the scene, investigators said. Galbreath lost control of his southbound truck and veered into the path of an oncoming car, State Trooper Jackie Smith said. The truck struck a culvert at a driveway and went airborne before plunging down a steep embankment and landing upside down in the pond, Smith and witnesses said...

Scam Watch: $200 for $300,000 just doesn't add up (03/27/13)
For a Unionville-area woman, the $200 she sent didn't result in the $300,000 she was promised. The victim told Shelbyville police Monday she has been in contact for some time with a woman claiming to be Marlene Simmons of London, Calif. "Simmons" told her over two weeks ago she'd won the $300,000 but must send $200 before the check could be issued. The victim sent a $200 Western Union MoneyGram and talked with "Simmons" by phone several times afterwards, police said...

Claxton assigned public defender (03/27/13)
The public defender's office will represent a man accused of plotting the death of his wife and a potential business partner. April 23 is the next time David Lee Claxton, 59, of Warners Bridge Road is scheduled to be in court, although he was not seen making any appearance before General Sessions Judge Charles Rich on Tuesday...

Be quiet, or you go to jail (03/27/13)
A packed courtroom with noisy defendants didn't sit well with a Bedford County judge on Tuesday. With 125 individuals on the docket, General Sessions Judge Charles Rich had a lot of business to conduct, silencing the courtroom with a threat to jail those who would not be quiet...

Winds of fate: Fire destroys Alta Avenue home (03/26/13)
Fire whipped by high winds destroyed an Alta Avenue home Sunday afternoon and threatened a neighbor's residence. The family of Matt and Christy Tiller lost their home, but escaped unharmed after the stove caught fire while she was cooking chicken, she told the T-G...

Enough of this 'cuff stuff, judge says (03/26/13)
A federal lawsuit against the city over tight handcuffs has been ordered back to the local level. Last February, George Scott Mason filed suit in the county's Circuit Court against the Shelbyville police department and officer Tracey Nelson. Mason claimed Nelson put on his cuffs too tightly during a February 2011 drug arrest, which he says resulted in a loss of sensation to his arms, wrists, hands and fingers and that his fingers no longer function properly...

Rape, drug suspect charged for third time in two months (03/26/13)
Marijuana was found in the possession of a man out on bond for other charges Sunday night, Leonel Remmanuel Gutierrez, 26, of East Depot Street had 49.6 grams of marijuana in his vehicle along with $401 and scales, Deputy Cam Farrell said. The deputy said he was aware Gutierrez's driver's license was revoked when he saw him driving on Depot Street...

Scammer loses it after hearing the truth (03/26/13)
One Shelbyville woman probably won't be getting any more calls from one scammer after telling him off Monday. "He said I would need a new Medicare card and he needed my banking information," the victim said. "I told him he needed to get a good job and quit scamming people. He got vulgar with me. He was hostile, I'm telling you."...

Flames destroy home (03/24/13)
'We'll work it out. Everything will be okay," Matt Tiller told his wife, Christy, in an emotional moment after their family escaped alive from their burning Alta Avenue home late Sunday afternoon. Christy Tiller told the T-G she was cooking chicken when the fire broke out, spreading quickly from the kitchen...

Call could have spared Walls' life; TBI says abuse a factor in murder (03/24/13)
Domestic abuse may have been the motive in an alleged murder-for-hire plot last year, according to testimony from a TBI agent. Following a preliminary hearing Friday, General Sessions Judge Charles Rich found there was "more than sufficient evidence" to bind over Sean Gearhardt, 20 and Jason Starrick, 25, both of Antioch, and Susan Walls, 54, and Dawn Walls, 27 -- the wife and daughter of murder victim Larry Walls Sr. -- to the April 15 session of the Bedford County grand jury...

Robbery suspect accused of 15 others (03/24/13)
Two suspects have been identified in recent incidents at Shelbyville businesses, police said Friday. Clemente Bell, 41, of Nashville, who is being charged with the Feb. 22 robbery of the Waffle House on Feb. 22, was arrested Tuesday morning on Interstate 440 in Nashville by Metro police...

One 'prize' will remain unclaimed (03/24/13)
A voice mail claiming a $120,000 prize seemed too good to be true for the recipient, he told the T-G Friday. "The guy said he was from a prize center in Chicago and this was my lucky day," the recipient of the call said. "He said I won a $120,000 prize which I knew was a scam. I didn't call it back."...

Suit vs. sheriff, jailers dismissed for good (03/22/13)
A 2009 federal lawsuit against the sheriff and jailers over an alleged beating which was thrown out once has been dismissed again, and cannot be brought back. This week, U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice "dismissed with prejudice" a suit brought by Christopher L. Richardson, for failure to prosecute...

Ohio man charged with November bomb threat (03/22/13)
An Ohio man has been charged with making a bomb threat to the Bedford County courthouse, as well as 29 others across Tennessee and many more in several other states, last year. Lonny Lee Bristow was arrested Wednesday in Mansfield, Ohio, according to an FBI press release issued Thursday...

Locals lead new state E911 group (03/21/13)
Emergency Communications Districts across the state, hit by declining revenues caused by a shift in the way we communicate, are joining a new advocacy group founded by Bedford County Emergency Communications District (E-911). TN911 was to hold its second meeting at noon today at Bedford County Business Complex in Shelbyville. ...

Drug test charges could be reduced (03/21/13)
Bedford County offenders on probation are currently being charged $35 for a drug test that costs the county only $4 -- and that means that in many cases, probation officers aren't ordering the drug tests very often because they know the offenders won't be able to pay...

UPDATED: Arrest made in bomb threats (03/21/13)
A suspect was charged early today with making two bomb threats to Bedford County Courthouse on Wednesday. Shawn Haven Tipton, 24, was arrested at his Gowen Drive home shortly after midnight, Deputy Kevin Holton of the Bedford County Sheriff's Department said....

Jail sites will be studied (03/20/13)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners' courthouse and county property committee, meeting Tuesday night, discussed the process for evaluating sites for a new county jail. County planning and information technology director Chris White, who has both law enforcement and property development experience, gave the committee a proposed form that he will use to evaluate potential sites...

Park guard can't pursue (03/20/13)
A H.V. Griffin Park security guard has been told by Shelbyville police not to pursue vehicles after attempting to stop a man who allegedly drove on the park's walking trail Saturday night. Lt. Mike Baker met the guard shortly after officer David Dye stopped the vehicle he was following...

Stabbing suspect indicted (03/19/13)
The county's grand jury returned an indictment of attempted first degree murder against a man accused of stabbing his neighbor last year. Alfredo Velasquez, 62, was one of only four people indicted Monday, appearing before Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell...

Mears faces important April court decision (03/19/13)
An April court date has been set for a man accused of planning a pair of murders. On Monday, James Otis Mears, 54, appeared briefly before Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell, who scheduled the date of April 19 as Mears' disposition day. That's when Mears, who is charged with two counts of criminal attempt to commit first degree murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, must decide if he wants to make a plea deal in his case, or stand trial...

Annoyed neighbor takes aim at loud music (03/19/13)
Loud music led an intoxicated Woodbury Street man to demand a neighbor turn it down at gunpoint Saturday night, Shelbyville police said. The neighbor told police Robert Lee Henderson, 44, walked into their yard within 5 feet of a group listening to music, pointed a shotgun and ordered them to turn down the volume of their car stereo...

Incorrect 911 center dispatch sparks discussions (03/17/13)
A request from the county's 911 district for an interlocal agreement with Shelbyville will be discussed next month, but there are likely to be questions about costs and a recent emergency where there was a delay in a call being dispatched. Bedford County Emergency Communication District chairman Mark Thomas sent a letter this past week to city manager Jay Johnson, saying they have been providing dispatch services to the city at no cost for a number of years, with no interlocal agreement in place.. ...

Former local store operators indicted in Florida probe (03/17/13)
Five former Bedford County residents have been indicted in a probe into alleged Internet gambling which has led to the resignation of Florida's lieutenant governor. Bennie James Prince, 62, Peggy Ann Prince, 61, their daughter Cynthia Michelle Weaver, 38, aka Cynthia Prince Weaver, her husband, Brandon Scott Weaver, 40, and Shaheen Max Mosavi, 25, have been arrested by Florida authorities...

Pills found in car during DUI arrest (03/17/13)
Four Xanax pills were found in a vehicle following a traffic stop Thursday on Union Street, Shelbyville police said. The driver, Tracie Labet Dale, 42, of Hawkins Drive was charged with possession of a schedule IV drug, among other charges. Police received a call that a vehicle fitting the description of Dale's was "all over the road" and almost hit a bridge on U.S. 41A North...

Wartrace: You're on radar (03/15/13)
Wartrace's town board approved guidelines this week for the use of a new manned speed radar camera. The board unanimously approved the use of the device by Chief Danny Odeneal, which functions the same as robotic traffic cameras do in Murfreesboro. But in Wartrace, speeding incidents must also be witnessed by an officer, not just a machine...

Finance committee discussion becomes spirited (03/14/13)
A special called meeting of Bedford County Financial Management Committee to discuss law enforcement and school security issues failed to have a quorum Wednesday, and so no business could be conducted. But the meeting still led to some spirited discussion of the county's financial needs...

Safety checkpoints scheduled by THP (03/14/13)
Two driver's license roadside safety checkpoints are scheduled during April in Bedford County by the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Checkpoints will be held at the Midland Road-Whiteside Road intersection at 10 a.m. Monday, April 1 and the 18-mile marker on State Highway 64 at 10 a.m. Monday, April 15...

Jail, school needs tax finances (03/13/13)
The state or federal governments can force a county to build a new jail sooner than they can force one to build a new high school. And yet, Bedford County commissioners say both are needed here. County Mayor Eugene Ray updated Bedford County Board of Commissioners Tuesday night on last week's meeting with personnel from Tennessee Corrections Institute, which sent the message that the current jail overcrowding can't be addressed by any other means and the county would need to build a new jail. ...

58 November's legacy (03/13/13)
The adult son of the only Tennessee pilot to die in a hijacking is trying to produce a documentary for PBS that will ensure his father's memory lives on. Andy Downs is raising funds to produce "58 November," a film examining the Oct. 4, 1971, hijacking that resulted in the deaths of his father, Brent, another hostage and one of the hijackers. Brent Downs was a Shelbyville native...

Medicare ID card calls aren't legit (03/13/13)
At least one local resident has reported being contacted as part of a nationwide Medicare scam; he was alert enough not to fall for it. The scam involves a caller claiming to represent Medicare or some other government agency. The caller claims that new Medicare ID cards are being issued and asks to confirm the recipient's banking information, including the account number used for direct deposit of benefits...

Wallet taken from table at post office (03/13/13)
A wallet was stolen from a table at the Shelbyville post office Monday, police were told. The victim said he suspected a woman described as black, accompanied by four or five children, and driving a maroon van. She had been in the room with him at the time, police said...

17th Judicial District may remain same (03/12/13)
At a Monday press conference, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey unveiled a consensus plan for judicial redistricting that would leave the 17th Judicial District untouched. The 17th District includes Bedford, Lincoln, Marshall and Moore counties. The districts were last drawn nearly 30 years ago in 1984. Circuit judges, district attorneys and chancery court judges serve by judicial district...

Habitual offender tackled during chase (03/12/13)
A foot chase resulted in the arrest of a habitual traffic offender on drug charges early Saturday. John Jason Mooneyhan, 30, of Warners Bridge Road allegedly ran after sliding his vehicle into a curb in the parking lot of Heritage Medical Center Plaza as officer Tory Moore attempted a traffic stop...

Man accused of seeking murders of wife, businessman (03/12/13)
A Shelbyville man is accused of soliciting the murder of his wife and a potential business partner, investigators say. David Lee Claxton, 59, of 2189 Warners Bridge Road was arrested Saturday at his home. Claxton hoped to have Johnny Overcast, 52, of Shelbyville and Vickie Claxton, 57, killed, TBI spokesperson Kristen Helm said...

Three finalists chosen for Circuit Court seat (03/10/13)
Tennessee's Judicial Nominating Commission, meeting Friday in Shelbyville, recommended three finalists for the position of circuit court judge for the 17th Judicial District. The names of attorney Forest A. Durard Jr. of Shelbyville, assistant district attorney Brooke Charles Grubb of Fayetteville and attorney Barbara G. Medley of Lewisburg have been submitted to Gov. Bill Haslam, who will make the final choice...

Taser strikes halt angry man (03/10/13)
Two taser strikes halted a Shelbyville man allegedly threatening police officers with a pick ax early Friday. Thomas Corbitt of Madison Street dropped the ax and fell to the floor, officer David Dye's report said. Corbitt was charged with aggravated assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest following the alleged incident at his home...

Woman, children targets of sex requests (03/08/13)
A man who allegedly made lewd requests of a mother and her young children and sent obscene photos to her cell phone is in Bedford County Jail under a high bond today, officials said. Investigators arrested Jeremiah Thomas Sullivan, 21, of Stonefield Circle at a Shelbyville motel where he thought he would meet the woman and her daughter, Detective Sgt. Charles Kimbril of the Bedford County Sheriff's Department said...

Next court date set for Watts (03/08/13)
A Tullahoma man accused of making violent threats at Thomas Magnet School has an important court date next month. Tyrone L. Watts, 43, must decide on April 4 if he wants to make a plea or have a jury decide his fate on two counts of filing a false report...

Breaker box leaves home with departing resident (03/08/13)
A departing tenant took the breaker box from an Apache Place home as he left last November, the rental property's owner told police Monday. The following were charged since Monday by the Bedford County Sheriff's Department, Shelbyville Police Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol or 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force. They are only charged; guilt or innocence will be determined by the courts...

New jail a must: Study (03/07/13)
When Bob Bass and his colleagues prepared to drive to Shelbyville to meet with Bedford County officials, they thought they'd be able to show the county some alternatives to building an expensive new jail. They thought wrong. Bass works for Tennessee Corrections Institute, the state agency that inspects and certifies local jails. ...

Lawyers fight county try to cut damages (03/06/13)
Lawyers are describing an effort by Bedford County to reduce damages from a recent lawsuit "baseless," also stating they are entitled to full legal fees. Last week, the county filed documents seeking lower attorney costs and a smaller judgment for five sheriff department employees who successfully sued the county and Sheriff Randall Boyce for unpaid overtime and retaliation...

Fatal crash happened near construction area (03/06/13)
Driver confusion near a construction zone may have played a part in the death of an 83-year-old Petersburg woman in a three-vehicle crash Tuesday in southern Shelbyville, investigators say. Wilma C. Pyrdom died when her small Ford Escort struck a tractor-trailer head-on during the noon hour on South Cannon Boulevard at Brookhaven Circle, Lt. Trey Clanton, an accident investigator for the Shelbyville Police Department, said. Heavy rain was falling at the time...

Wall heater suspected in fatal blaze (03/05/13)
Investigators believe problems with a wall heater may have caused the blaze in which a 2-year-old girl died Saturday morning on Hoover Street. The victim has been identified by authorities as Bianka Sarai Sandoval. She died when the fire broke out in a front bedroom of the home, Fire Chief Ricky McConnell said...

Needles, marks due to chickens: Suspect (03/04/13)
Needles in possession of a Shelbyville man facing drug charges -- and the scars on his arms -- are related to chicken fighting, he told police Thursday night. Brandon Burton Stafford, 27, of Unionville-Deason Road said he uses the needles to give vitamins to his chickens, not on himself, and told Sgt. Merlo he could check his arms for needle marks...

UPDATE: VIctim of house fire identified (03/02/13)
A 2-year-old girl lost her life in a Hoover Street house fire late Saturday morning, authorities said.

County wants fewer, no damages in suit (03/01/13)
Bedford County has filed a motion to either reduce or throw out the awarded damages in a lawsuit involving the sheriff's department, or hold a new trial. A federal jury awarded substantial damages last month to David Sakich, Kevin Holton, Scott Jones, former detective Todd Hammond, and maintenance worker Jeremy Beech, who sued the county and Sheriff Randall Boyce under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) over unpaid overtime, and retaliation for reporting the matter to officials...

BZA to meet on quarry lawsuit (03/01/13)
Shelbyville's Board of Zoning Appeals, which also meets as the planning commission, will be holding an attorney/client session this month over the ongoing lawsuit concerning a rock quarry. City manager Jay Johnson told the commission that an executive session would be held Tuesday, March 12 starting at 6 p.m. for current members and those who were on the BZA in 2010...

Televisions stolen from pawn shop (03/01/13)
Two televisions were stolen from Pawnbrokers of Shelbyville, North Thompson Street, early Wednesday, according to Shelbyville police. A passerby noticed shattered glass in the front door and had a nearby convenience story clerk notify police. Officers said an unsuccessful attempt was made to break a padlock and enter another area of the building...

Fees in lawsuit called 'excessive' (02/28/13)
An attorney representing Bedford County in a costly wage and hour lawsuit is objecting to "excessive" legal fees in the case -- asking they be slashed by almost 40 percent. Earlier this month, a federal jury awarded damages to members of the sheriff's department who sued the county and Sheriff Randall Boyce for unpaid overtime, and retaliation for reporting the matter to officials...

Supreme Court denies Tyler Mook custody try (02/28/13)
Two years after a Bedford County teacher went missing, her former husband has been told he will not regain custody of their child. The Tennessee Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of Tyler Mook and his parents, Jim and Kim Mook, who have been fighting for custody of Shelly Mook's daughter...

2 years, no signs of Mook (02/28/13)
Two years after the unsolved disappearance of Shelley Mook, the concern over the case is evident in the voice of Sheriff Randall Boyce. "It's the most frustrating thing you can imagine," Boyce said Wednesday. "It's just eating at me." The Mook case, as well as those involving two children missing after a Rover-area house fire last September and the fate of Shelbyville resident Bobby Smelcer, weigh heavily on Boyce's mind...

Spending cutbacks feared if tax revenues keep falling (02/28/13)
Bedford County Financial Management Committee discussed a rather bleak picture for county finances on Tuesday night. County sales tax revenue, prior year's property tax revenue, prior year's court collections and mineral severance tax proceeds are all running behind where they were at this point a year ago. Current year property tax collections are ahead, but not enough to make up for the lag in other areas...

School officers to stay, for short term (02/27/13)
Bedford County Financial Management Committee will allow the current system of law enforcement officers at county schools to remain in place while the county looks for a less-expensive solution, possibly involving private security guards...

Several indicted by county grand jury (02/27/13)
A number of other defendants indicted by the Bedford County grand jury appeared before Judge Robert Crigler on Monday in addition to those reported in Tuesday's T-G. They are: Joe Henry Angus, 44, DUI, fourth or subsequent (two counts), driving while license revoked...

Convicted sex offender loses another appeal (02/27/13)
A man convicted of a sex crime against a 3-year-old girl in 2009 has lost another appeal in his case. Derek Alton Badger, convicted of aggravated sexual battery, claims he had ineffective assistance of defense counsel during his jury trial. He had been convicted of touching the girl inappropriately in April 2008 and was sentenced to 11 years in prison by Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler...

Stereo equipment taken from vehicles (02/27/13)
Radar detectors, a stereo system, an amplifier and two speakers were stolen from two vehicles at an Industrial Parkway home overnight Tuesday, Shelbyville police said. The following were arrested since Monday by the Shelbyville Police Department, Bedford County Sheriff's Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol or 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force. They are only charged; guilt or innocence will be determined by the courts...

Guilty verdict reinstated in death (02/26/13)
Tennessee's supreme court has reinstated a jury verdict against the parent company of a local assisted living facility in a wrongful death suit. The high court ordered the reinstatement of compensatory damages totalling $300,000 against Americare Systems, Inc., the management company of Celebration Way in Shelbyville...

R.O.K.ing the town (02/26/13)
Organizers of Saturday's Reaching Our Kids (R.O.K.) Concert estimate attendance at between 1,500 and 2,000, but say the event reached many more children than that when community appearances are included. The concert, held Saturday night at Calsonic Arena, was organized by personnel from local emergency services and was free for children and students. It featured Christian bands Burning Yesterday and Seventh Day Slumber as well as vocal group Unity...

Slaying plan suspect indicted by grand jury (02/26/13)
A man accused of plotting a pair of slayings last summer was indicted on the charges by Bedford County's grand jury Monday. James Otis Mears, 54, will appear before Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler on March 18 on two counts of criminal attempt to commit first degree murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm...

Identity thief hits Shelbyville man hard (02/26/13)
The Social Security and credit card numbers of a Shelbyville man were stolen, police said. Police said the victim received a letter from a Virginia bank, from which he did not have an account, saying his address had been changed to a Chicago street. He contacted the bank, which said someone had opened a savings account in his name using his correct Social Security number...

Safety Day activity (02/24/13)
Ranger Tennessee Walker, a Tennessee walking horse which is part of a campaign teaching children to make right choices, makes a new friend at Safety Day on Saturday at Calsonic Arena. The annual event, in which emergency and public service agencies display their equipment and explain their services, was to be followed Saturday with a Christian rock concert sponsored by local emergency personnel. (T-G Photo by John I. Carney)...

Cash-hungry robber strikes Waffle House (02/24/13)
A man suspected of robbing the Waffle House, North Main Street, early Friday also smashed windows at two Shelbyville convenience stores, police said. Two Waffle House employees said a man armed with a black handgun pointed it at one of the workers and ordered her to empty the cash register...

One of three defendants wins appeal (02/24/13)
Three recent appeal court cases resulted in the dropping of charges against one man, but other convictions and sentences made in Bedford County courts were upheld. Frank L. Glavin had appealed his conviction of evading arrest, and violating the noncriminal implied consent law, which means refusing to submit to a blood alcohol test. In a split decision, the criminal court of appeals in Nashville reversed the implied consent charge...

Van stolen from Charles Street home (02/24/13)
A van was stolen from a Charles Street home overnight Wednesday, police said. The owner said the van was taken between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 7 a.m. Thursday. Police were told the van was left unlocked, with the main key inside the home and a spare key hidden under "a lot of papers and other items" in the van...

R.O.K. concert (02/23/13)
Burning Yesterday opened Saturday night's R.O.K. (Reaching Our Kids) concert at Calsonic Arena, sponsored by personnel from local emergency agencies. (T-G Photo by John I. Carney)

Failed thief leaves stolen gun behind (02/22/13)
A gun lying near the entrance to Walmart, North Main Street, caused quite a stir early Thursday. The gun -- later determined to be a BB gun -- had been stolen from the store a few minutes earlier, police determined. An employee saw the gun at 1:32 a.m., talked to a deputy who entered the store moments later then called police...

First Responder Youth Academy held (02/22/13)
This year, 23 Bedford County teens got a taste of health care and public safety careers through a unique First Responder Youth Academy program operated by Bedford County Emergency Medical Services. BCEMS has managed the county's First Responder program for some years now. ...

TIMELINE: How quarry case reached this point (02/21/13)
With the state supreme court refusing to hear Shelbyville's appeal surrounding a rock quarry, a new chapter has opened in the continuing legal dispute. All legal avenues in the state case have run out, meaning a $10 million federal lawsuit against the city will be able to proceed...

City firefighters will serve as first responders (02/21/13)
Effective March 1, Shelbyville Fire Department will take over the job of medical first response for emergencies within Shelbyville, a job previously done (and still done in the rural areas) by Bedford County Fire Department. First responders, as defined by Tennessee, are specially-trained personnel, sometimes volunteers, who provide first aid or prepare an emergency scene while waiting for trained medical personnel (such as paramedics, emergency medical technicians, doctors or nurses) to arrive. ...

Scam target outsmarts phone caller (02/21/13)
A phone caller claiming to be a representative of Publishers Clearing House attempted to scam money from a Wheel-area woman Wednesday morning. The victim, an older woman, told the T-G the caller said a Postal Service truck would arrive at her home to make a delivery at 1:25 p.m. and verfied her address...

Autopsy confirms 'homicide' in baby's death (02/20/13)
Investigation continues into the 2011 death of a young Shelbyville child, police say. A recently-released state autopsy report confirms 9-month-old Kylynn Sturgeon died of "blunt force trauma" to the head on Nov. 10, 2011. The report states "manner of death" as "homicide" due to injuries inflicted by "others."...

Guilty means guilty, judge tells inmate (02/20/13)
A woman who pled to raping a fellow Bedford County inmate in 2008 has lost another appeal -- this time over the definition of "guilty." Evetta Mai McGee had been sentenced to 11 years for the sexual assault, which in addition to a previous drug conviction, amounts a 20-year stint in prison...

Jail intake, Feb. 20 (02/20/13)
The following were arrested since Friday by the Shelbyville Police Department, Bedford County Sheriff's Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol or 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force. They are only charged; guilt or innocence will be determined by the courts...

Five apply to be next circut judge (02/17/13)
Five attorneys have applied to fill a vacancy created by the impending retirement of a Circuit Court judge. Tennessee's Judicial Nominating Commission will hold a public meeting at 9 a.m. Friday, March 8 at the Blue Ribbon Circle Club/Celebration Grounds to interview the following candidates:...

Area suspect on state's Top 10 list (02/17/13)
A Coffee County gang member wanted for attempted first degree murder to Tennessee's Top Ten Most Wanted list after a shooting incident in Manchester left a man injured last weekend, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. John O'Keefe Varner, 42, whose last known address was 1510 Rogers Circle in Manchester, is wanted by the Manchester Police Department. ...

ID question stops scam calls cold (02/17/13)
Constant calls asking for a meeting to explain new health care rules have become too much for one Shelbyville woman. "They were supposed to be explaining the rules of the new health care law, saying it had been changed," said the recipient of the calls, who is in her 80s...

Two suspects bound over to grand jury (02/15/13)
Two men accused of either plotting or attempting to commit a homicide were bound over to the Bedford County grand jury Thursday. James Otis Mears, 54, waived his right to a preliminary hearing and voluntarily bound himself over to the Feb. 25 session of the grand jury...

CORRECTED: Bell Buckle takes closer look at fire truck loan (02/25/13)
Bell Buckle's Board of Mayor and Alderman deferred action on the purchase of a truck for the volunteer fire department so that the loan terms could be more closely examined. Fire Chief Ronnie Lokey asked permission for a $55,000 loan to pay off a previous loan to Regions Bank, but also to help pay for a one-ton truck that can be used both as a grass truck and a first responder vehicle for $42,500. The 2005 model truck comes from a fire department in Alabama...

A matter of paying, not blaming (02/14/13)
On Tuesday night, I covered a meeting of Bedford County Board of Commissioners at which, among other items of business, the county's attorney, John T. Bobo, reported on the wage and hour lawsuit against the county by former sheriff's department employees...

Judgment offsets savings (02/13/13)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners faced both good news and bad news, in quite comparable dollar amounts, during its regular monthly meeting Tuesday night. Commissioners approved a refinancing of $8.4 million in outstanding debt from a 2003 school bond issue, a refinancing which Commissioner J.D. "Bo" Wilson said would save the county somewhere in the neighborhood of $700,00 to $800,000...

Wartrace considers speed detectors (02/13/13)
Speeders zipping through Wartrace may have a harder time beating that next traffic citation in the near future. The board of Mayor and Aldermen approved the first reading of an ordinance allowing the use of handheld laser speed detectors that work the same ways as the robotic traffic cameras do in Murfreesboro...

Non-prescribed pills found in car (02/13/13)
The driver of a car reported as being driven recklessly Monday night faces drug charges today, Shelbyville police said. Chad Andrew Prince, 28, of Tullahoma allegedly drove for some distance on Madison Street, followed by a patrol car with emergency lights flashing occupied by deputies Garcia Jordan and Shane White, before stopping after officer David Dye joined the chase...

Suspect reaches for $20s at store (02/12/13)
A Shelbyville man has been charged with grabbing money from a clerk at a drug store early Sunday. Police were on the lookout for William Marcham Hardin, 48, of Cedar Street when he was picked up on an unrelated traffic stop Monday by Bedford County Deputy Cam Ferrell, Detective Sam Jacobs of the Shelbyville Police Department said Monday...

Suspicious call doesn't fool potential victim (02/12/13)
An apparent scam attempt didn't get past one alert Bedford County resident Monday. A 76-year-old woman, who asked not to be identified, told the T-G she received a call shortly after 11 a.m. from a man claiming she was a winner in the Publishers Clearinghouse sweepstakes...

Tennis group asks city for more courts (02/10/13)
Anyone for tennis? That question was posed to Shelbyville's council this past week by a local group wanting more tennis facilities constructed. David Beavers, a representative of the Shelbyville Tennis Association, thanked the council and parks board for the newly resurfaced courts at H.V. Griffin Park, explaining that the group boasts over 100 members from around the midstate area...

Stolen items found (02/10/13)
A state-designated habitual traffic offender was charged with possession of marijuana during a traffic stop Thursday night. William Michael Beech, 23, of Unionville-Deason Road was clocked at 44 mph in a 30 mph zone on Deery Street, officer Cody Swift said in a report...

Ex-jailer allowed cell phone, tobacco (02/08/13)
A former Bedford County correctional officer received three years probation after admitting he smuggled forbidden items -- a cell phone and tobacco -- into the jail in exchange for money. Jeremy Ryan Tyre, 25, of Fort Circle, Wartrace pleaded guilty Thursday to official misconduct and introducing contraband into a penal institution...

Central High student killed in Marshall County crash (02/07/13)
A Shelbyville Central High School sophomore died Wednesday morning in a two-vehicle crash near Farmington in Marshall County, authorities said. Jackie "Trey" White III, 16, of Helton Road in western Bedford County died at the scene, according to investigators...

Shelbyville man dies in Chattanooga crash (02/07/13)
A Shelbyville man was killed Wednesday night in Chattanooga as a car pulled in front of his motorcycle, sources say. Adam Bailey, 41, was riding his Honda CBR600 motorcycle on Highway 153 when a car driven by Samantha Stearns, 43, of Georgetown pulled from the parking lot of a funeral home into his path, WRCB-TV and WTVC-TV reported...

Traffic stop, shoplifting case lead to discoveries of drugs (02/07/13)
An officer spotted a joint and small bag of marijuana in a car during a traffic stop Tuesday night, Shelbyville police said. As Earl Nicholas Caron, 48, of Dunnaway Street stepped out of his vehicle, officer Jose Garza allegedly noticed the joint in the floorboard and a small bag of marijuana next to a sheet. The total amount of marijuana was 2.48 grams, Garza said...

Drug case must be retried (02/06/13)
The state court of appeals has ordered a new trial for a man convicted of selling crack due to "prosecutorial misconduct." Alfonzo Marquis Sutton was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to sell and deliver .5 grams or more of cocaine, sentenced to 45 percent of a 13-year term before being eligible for release...

Alleged theft attempt stopped by officer (02/05/13)
Police arrested a man accused of stealing tools from a pickup truck at a Landers Street apartment complex Thursday night. Officer Jose Garza said he saw Kyle Benjamin Burgett, 31, of Hickory Drive looking into the truck's bed, then taking items from a tool box as he drove by a second tome moments later...

Two taken to Vanderbilt after wreck (02/06/13)
Both of the men in a truck that struck a tree on South Cannon Boulevard early Tuesday were taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Shelbyville police said. Dusty Ray Hedstrom, 32, of Sinking Creek Road, the driver, was still in Vanderbilt's emergency room at mid-afternoon, Sgt. Mike Davis of the Shelbyville Police Department said...

Motlow players deny pot is theirs (02/05/13)
Six members of Motlow State Community College's basketball teams -- four men and two women, most backups -- were charged with possession of marijuana after a traffic stop late Sunday night, Shelbyville police said. All were charged after none admitted possessing the drug, officer Chris Vest said...

Three guns stolen; suspect captured (02/05/13)
Bond was set at $205,000 for a Bedford County man charged with breaking into a home near Flat Creek on Sunday afternoon. Shawn Lewis Watson, 18, was arrested by Bedford County deputies at a home south of Shelbyville. "He is accused of burglarizing a home and taking a rifle and two shotguns," Deputy Lindsey Puckett said...

Suspect takes off in girlfriend's car after argument (02/05/13)
A Shelbyville man was charged with stealing his girlfriend's car after allegedly driving away from an argument late Sunday night. Brandon Hart was arrested in Lewisburg early Monday driving the girlfriend's PT Cruiser, which police say is owned by her mother. He was charged with theft of property (motor vehicle)...

Bypass crash seriously injures Ohio woman (02/05/13)
Yet another crash at the dangerous 437 Bypass-Fairfield Pike intersection left an Ohio woman seriously injured late Sunday night. Laynie Laginess, 31, of Proctorville, Ohio was briefly pinned in her Ford Ranger pickup truck after it was struck in the driver's door, Lt. Trey Clanton of the Shelbyville Police Department said...

Detectives win lawsuit vs. county, sheriff (02/03/13)
A federal jury has awarded over $375,000 to individuals suing Bedford County and Sheriff Randall Boyce for unpaid overtime -- as well as for retaliation after reporting the matter to officials. However, sources have explained to the T-G that the damage and attorney fees paid could total close to $1 million...

Ammo orders miss target, but cops still armed (02/03/13)
Civilian gun enthusiasts are not the only ones having trouble finding ammunition -- some police agencies report months-long delays in rearming officers. National media reported this week that Walmart was limiting customers to three boxes of ammunition per day so the world's largest gun seller does not run out of bullets. But some police agencies are also having trouble resupplying...

Discovery of pill leads to drug charge (02/03/13)
A driver was charged with drug possession after a traffic stop Thursday night on 437 Bypass near Fairfield Pike, Shelbyville police said. Police responding to a report of a van "all over the road" found Mark Wallace Reynolds, 42, of Frank Martin Road driving 73 mph in a 55 mph zone while straddling the center line, officer Jerry Draine's report said...

Houston found guilty of robbery, kidnapping (01/31/13)
Following a two-day trial, a jury found a man guilty of serious charges stemming from a beating and robbery inside a Shelbyville home last May. Emmanuel Bibb Houston, 39, was found guilty of especially aggravated kidnapping, facilitation of especially aggravated robbery and especially aggravated burglary...

Murder case hearing delayed until March (01/31/13)
Scheduling conflicts and illness has delayed a hearing in a murder-for hire case until late March. Sean Gearhardt, 20 and Jason Starrick, 25, both of Antioch, and the wife and daughter of murder victim Larry Walls Sr. -- Susan Walls, 54, and Dawn Walls, 27 -- will appear before General Sessions Judge Charles Rich on Friday, March 22 for a preliminary hearing...

Theft suspects return to Walmart for third time: Police (01/30/13)
The couple who stole items from Walmart during two visits Saturday struck again early Tuesday, police said. The couple, along with an infant, were in the store shortly after 5 a.m., Detective Sam Jacobs of the Shelbyville Police Department said. They were accused of taking approximately $2,000 worth of computer software in the Saturday visits, then going to other departments, hiding the items in their clothing and leaving. The list of items taken Monday was not immediately available...

Judge hopefuls have until Feb. 14 to apply (01/30/13)
Local attorneys have until Valentine's Day to apply for a judge's seat that will become vacant later this year. The state's judicial nominating commission has announced they are accepting applications for the Circuit Court vacancy in the 17th Judicial District which will be created by the retirement of Judge Robert Crigler on May 31...

Longer sentences sought by DAs (01/30/13)
The state's district attorneys are planning an aggressive agenda for Tennessee's legislature during the upcoming year, pushing for changes in the law. The proposed changes would help the prosecution of serial child sexual abusers, toughen sentences for aggravated child neglect and the most serious attempted first-degree murder cases...

New police cars (01/30/13)
Shelbyville's police department took possession of four new Dodge Chargers that were purchased recently at a cost of $98,812. Deputy Chief Mike Rogers said two will be unmarked administrative vehicles, while the other pair will be for patrol duties. Rogers also said that the Chargers will also sport a new graphic design, similar to the look of Tullahoma's patrol cars, which will be spread to the entire police fleet over time. The department also received a new Chevrolet Impala at a cost of around $16,000 to replace a patrol car that was totalled last month. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely)

Wreck takes 2 lives (01/29/13)
As many area residents and Facebook users pray for the families of two men killed -- and one survivor -- in a wreck west of Shelbyville early Sunday, a witness wishes she could have been of more help. "I just wish I could have done something more," said Robin Swindle of Highway 64 West...

Couple suspected of taking over $1.2K from store (01/29/13)
Two suspects spent an hour and a half stealing computer equipment and over $1,200 worth of software late Saturday afternoon at Walmart, Shelbyville police said. They are described as a man and woman, both white with dark hair and dark clothing, and carrying an infant. The suspects left in a gold van, possibly a Chrysler Town and Country, police said...

Driver fires pistol shots into nearby vehicle (01/28/13)
A man who allegedly fired shots from his truck at another vehicle Friday afternoon while driving on Madison Street has been charged with aggravated assault with a weapon. Two bullets fired from a Jennings semi-automatic pistol by Lawrence Joseph Haynes, 27, of South Cannon Boulevard struck the back of a van directly ahead of him, police said...

Two killed in crash (01/27/13)
Two men died in a single-vehicle crash on State Highway 64 west of Shelbyville early Sunday, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said. Nathan Doyle Pugh, 29, the driver, and Benjamin D. "Jarrad" Ray, 28, both of Shelbyville, lost their lives, State Trooper Jackie Smith's report said. ...

Jail intake (01/27/13)
The following were arrested since Wednesday by the Shelbyville Police Department, Bedford County Sheriff's Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol or 17th Judicial Drug Task Force. They are only charged; guilt or innocence will be determined by the courts...

Crigler's final verdict: Retire (01/25/13)
A familiar face in Bedford County's court system has announced his upcoming retirement. Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler will be stepping down from the bench effective May 31. He had been appointed in 2005, replacing Judge Charles Lee, and was elected in 2006...

R.O.K.ing out and reaching out to youth (01/24/13)
A two-fold event -- a community-wide safety day followed by a Christian pop and rock concert -- is being organized by personnel from local emergency service agencies as a way of reaching out to children from the community, said organizer Jason Barber...

Mears case goes to court in February (01/24/13)
The county's general sessions judge will hear evidence next month against a man accused of planning a pair of slayings. A preliminary hearing is set on Feb. 14 for James Otis Mears, 54, who faces two counts of criminal attempt to commit first degree murder, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, as well as violation of probation...

Driver attempts to flee wreck -- backwards (01/24/13)
Witnesses were horrified to see a car speeding - backwards -- for a long distance on Madison Street shortly before noon Wednesday. The driver was attemptimg to flee after striking the rear of a truck, Shelbyville police said. Patty Whitaker of South Brittain Street was treated at Heritage Medical Center, officer David Curley said...

Suspect accused of raping 8-year-old (01/24/13)
A Woodbury man has been charged with raping an 8-year-old child in Bedford County. Jonathan Allen Brannon, 23, of Woodbury was taken into custody Tuesday after admitting to the incident, Detective Sgt. Chad Webster of the Bedford County Sheriff's Department said...

Safer schools (01/23/13)
A committee has been formed to study ways to improve safety in Bedford County schools. "We're here trying to come up with the best plan that we can for the safety of our kids," County Mayor Eugene Ray said. The committee includes members from Bedford County Schools, the county mayor, a private school counseling company, the Sheriff's Department and school safety consultants. ...

Higher security is temporary fix (01/23/13)
School system, county government, mental health, safety and emergency service personnel met Tuesday to discuss school safety issues. The committee, created by the county commission earlier this month, was chaired by County Mayor Eugene Ray, and included interim school superintendent Mike Bone...

Caller demanded $1.5K for son's life (01/23/13)
One of at least five people targeted in extortion attempts Monday told police a caller said her son was being held hostage and demanded $1,500 for his life. The caller, from (787) 209-3710, told the woman her son and the alleged kidnappers had been involved in a traffic accident in front of Shelbyville Police Department and would allow him to go to the hospital if she'd meet them there...

Marijuana confiscated from 3 suspects' vehicles (01/23/13)
After denying he used marijuana, a Shelbyville man moments later told police they could find some in his vehicle's dashboard, police said after a traffic stop Friday night, Colby Palmer Perryman, 19, of Austin Avenue made the denial to officers Cody Swift and Chris Vest after they said they smelled marijuana in the car, according to an SPD report...

Callers falsely claim kidnaps (01/22/13)
Calls falsely claiming a family member has been kidnapped have been received by several people in Bedford County within the past week, the Shelbyville Police Department said Monday. "It's not localized, but all over the nation," Detective Sgt. Brian Crews said today...

Man, 35, pursues 14-year-old girl (01/22/13)
A 35-year-old man couldn't control his alleged obsession with a 14-year-old runaway girl, investigators say -- and he was arrested Sunday night as a result. Billy Melton of Jack Pickle Road thought the girl was waiting for him in Wheel, but he was met by Bedford County Sheriff's Department investigators -- including a male deputy who had been portraying the victim in cell phone messages...

Sex offender denied lighter sentence (01/22/13)
A local man convicted of sexual offenses against a child has lost an appeal for a reduced sentence. Desi Kris Moore received a 25-year sentence from Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler in 2011 after being convicted of rape of a child, a class A felony, and aggravated sexual battery, a Class B felony...

Close inspection (01/20/13)
A firefighter inspects a cargo hook on a Bell 206 helicopter at the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy. The helicopter, which belongs to the U.S. Forest Service, was at the academy Friday for training as part of the Tennessee-Kentucky Wildland Fire Academy. (T-G Photo by Jason Reynolds)

Fire burns home; occupants were away (01/20/13)
Shelbyville firefighters were relieved to hear the cry, "Nobody's inside," while fighting a blaze that consumed a Midland Road home early Saturday. The home of Abad Petatan was totally engulfed shortly after 4 a.m. Saturday when firefighters arrived...

Fire department calls rise 43 percent in 2012 (01/20/13)
Shelbyville Fire Chief Ricky McConnell told Shelbyville City Council that his department had a busy and productive year, with 943 calls -- an increase of 43 percent from 2012. Those calls were broken down into 63 different types of incidents. For example, 456 calls were for medical assistance, helping an EMS crew, or other emergency medical calls...

Police were busy in 2012, statistics show (01/20/13)
Shelbyville's police and fire departments had a busy 2012, with a marked increase in emergency responses and traffic citations. Police Chief Austin Swing and Fire Chief Ricky McConnell (see related story) briefed Shelbyville's city council Thursday about their activities during the previous year...

Reward increased for info on missing children (01/20/13)
The reward fund for information on the disappearance of two children after a house fire last year has been increased to $2,000. The family of the late Leon and Mollie McClaran, along with friends and neighbors, have raised the reward for information on Chloie Leverette and Gage Daniel, last seen before a fire at the McClaran home on Kingdom Road Sept. 23, 2012...

Judge explains Mook custody decision (01/20/13)
A man suspected in the disappearance of his ex-wife has been barred "indefinitely" from having any visitation or parenting time with their child. In a 28-page opinion, Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell gave his reasons why Tyler Mook and his mother, Kim Mook, should have not contact with the girl, who has been the center of a bitter custody dispute since Shelly Mook vanished...

School threats case goes to grand jury (01/18/13)
Alleged threats made at Thomas Magnet School last month were serious enough for a Tullahoma man to be bound over to the Bedford County grand jury. Meanwhile, a judge said that Tennessee needs a law that "falls more squarely" with the alleged crime that was committed...

Outdoor firefighters brave chill for Academy training (01/18/13)
Nearly 400 people from the outdoor firefighting industry have been conducting training exercises in northern Bedford County this week. While the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy hosts firefighter training year-round, this time of year is always busy...

Fatality rate up, but still lower than past (01/18/13)
The number of traffic deaths in Bedford County doubled last year over 2011, but remained below previous years, Tennessee Highway Patrol statistics show. Eight were killed locally in 2012, a number skewed by a three-fatality crash in December. Bedford County had four fatalities in 2011, nine in 2010, 13 in 2009, and 12 in 2008. the THP said...

E-911 sees revenues fall (01/17/13)
Bedford County Emergency Communications District (E-911), like similar groups across the state, is fighting a decrease in revenue as customers drop traditional land lines for mobile phones and for Internet-based telephone services. Local communications centers are funded by a surcharge on landlines; there's also a surcharge on mobile and Internet phone service, but that goes to the state, not to the local com centers...

Longview land offered for fire station (01/17/13)
The trustees of Longview Community Center, which has become little-used in recent years, have offered the property to Bedford County if the county will place an active fire station on it within three years, according to discussion at Tuesday night's meeting of Bedford County Board of Commissioners' courthouse and property committee...

Shots in home bring out police (01/17/13)
Officers blocked several streets in southern Shelbyville late Tuesday after an armed man who had allegedly been drinking fired shots inside his home. A home on Riverview Drive just off South Cannon Boulevard was surrounded by city and county officers after Troy Alen Cleek, 41, allegedly shot walls and objects, Detective Sgt. Brian Crews of the Shelbyville Police Department said...

CASA volunteers (01/17/13)
Bedford County Juvenile Court Judge Charles Rich swore in three CASA Works Inc. volunteers on Jan. 14. The volunteers will advocate for abused and neglected children in juvenile court. Pictured, from left, are: volunteer supervisor Melissa Wilson; Cynthia Lorrow; Carolyn Fisher; Judge Rich; Executive Director Lynne Farrar; and volunteer supervisor Peggy Ruhl. Wilson, Lorrow and Fisher were the ones sworn in. (Submitted photo)

Fired up for visit (01/17/13)
The AEDC Fire Department hosted Mark Kelly Olson in a recent visit. Olson, 10, of Shelbyville, was diagnosed with very high-risk, acute lymphocytic leukemia in May and was later "adopted" by the Arnold AFB Fire Department as their new deputy fire chief. Olson conducted roll call, inspected firefighting equipment and helped demolish a car, symbolizing his battle with cancer. His father, Mark, is an ATA operations controller at Arnold. (AEDC Photo by Rick Goodfriend)

Officials lukewarm about wine sales (01/16/13)
Bedford County's two top law enforcement officers say they have mixed feelings about a petition urging state legislators to vote against allowing wine sales in grocery stores. Wine is now only available in package stores in Tennessee. More than 100 police chiefs and sheriffs from across the state -- including Shelbyville police chief Austin Swing -- have signed the petition, organized by a group calling itself Tennessee Law Enforcement for Strong Alcohol Laws...

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