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

Crime, justice and emergency services

Crime, punishment, the court system and emergency response.

Authorities take child after marijuana discovered in home (02/09/10)
A 3-month-old boy was removed from a Shelbyville apartment Saturday after marijuana was discovered, Shelbyville police said. Police were called when a Child Protective Services investigator noticed the marijuana while following up on a referral at the home of Gary Clayton Loyer, 25, Landers Street, Officer Justin Smith's report said...

Ritch sentenced to 36 months (02/09/10)
CHATTANOOGA -- Saying he would spend the rest of his life paying back those he harmed, home developer Roger Ritch was sentenced to 39 months in federal prison on Monday. U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr. sentenced a tearful Ritch to the three-year, three-month term for his involvement in a scheme which resulted in 61 Shelbyville families losing their homes through foreclosure and lenders suffering significant losses...

Federal case against Bell confusing for all sides (02/07/10)
The case involving former Shelbyville banker Ron Bell turned out to be a confusing one, both for investigators and the federal judge who passed sentence in the case on Monday. Bell pleaded guilty last October to charges of making a false entry in bank records while he was employed at Regions Bank, waiving indictment and arraignment...

Homicide charge in wreck may disappear (02/05/10)
A young woman charged with reckless homicide has reached an agreement with prosecutors and will appear in court next month to have her sentence passed. Shelby Lynn Tyson was indicted last month by the Bedford County grand jury on the charges, which stems from an accident in December 2008 that took the life of Ahmed Ali Elmi, 31, of Nashville...

Smith seeks re-election as Circuit Court Clerk (02/05/10)
Thomas A. Smith has announced his candidacy for re-election as Bedford County Circuit Court Clerk in the May 4 Democratic primary. Smith's duties include serving as the clerk for Circuit Court, General Sessions Court and Juvenile Court for the county. He is a 1988 graduate of the County Officials' Certificate Training Program and a member of the Middle Tennessee Clerks' Association...

Suspect charged in headlock death (02/05/10)
April 1 will be the day a Shelbyville man will decide to either go to trial or make a plea on charges of reckless homicide. Meanwhile, his defense attorney has stated that "interesting things" have been discovered in the case. Matthew Wayne Patterson made his first appearance Thursday in Bedford County Circuit Court before Judge Lee Russell for his arraignment and to have his disposition date set...

Prosecutors seek harsh sentence for Ritch (02/03/10)
Federal prosecutors have blasted a recent defense motion on behalf of Roger Ritch, asking for a harsh sentence for the home builder and calling Ritch's stated motives for his involvement in the multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme "ludicrous" and "laughable."...

DUI suspect said she couldn't drive (02/03/10)
Bonnie Loretta Keys told Shelbyville police she didn't know how to drive. But she tried anyway Monday despite being drunk, police said, resulting in an injured 5-year-old daughter and a wrecked truck. Keys, 43, of Tate Avenue was arrested after the accident, which police said occurred in a field across the street from her home. ...

Bell receives probation in loan case (02/02/10)
CHATTANOOGA -- Ronald Bell, a former Shelbyville bank branch manager, was sentenced to three years probation by a federal judge on Monday. Bell pleaded guilty last October to charges of making a false entry in bank records while he was employed at Regions Bank in Shelbyville, waiving indictment and arraignment...

Two men charged with stealing vehicle's CD player (02/02/10)
Two men were caught while allegedly burglarizing a vehicle early Sunday outside Absolute Auto Repair, Holland Street, Shelbyville police said. Matthew Bradley Burdette, 18, Purdy Court, and Michael Scott Shipley, 32, Shelbyville Mills Road, were charged with auto burglary and possession of burglary tools. They are being held on $11,500 bond each at Bedford County Jail...

'Horseplay' alleged in death (01/29/10)
Alleged horseplay at a party last August has resulted in reckless homicide charges against a Bedford County man. Matthew Wayne Patterson, 25, was indicted Monday by the Bedford County grand jury on the charges in connection with the Aug. 26, 2009 death of 39-year-old Anthony Kent "Rooster" Marlin of Flat Creek...

Caution signs taken from road work site (01/29/10)
Five caution signs marking construction of the new Shelbyville bypass at Fairfield Pike were stolen over the weekend, police were told Wednesday. Two "road work ahead" signs, two "road closed to thru traffic" signs and a "end of road work" sign were taken from the north end of the construction area between Saturday afternoon and Monday morning, an representative of Wright Paving said...

Officials accused of routing calls to one operator (01/28/10)
Trial dates have been set for October in a federal lawsuit filed by a tow truck operator against the city and county. Oct. 5 will be the date a federal jury will begin to hear arguments involving the suit brought by the owner of Quality Collision and Towing, Robert L. Bushnell...

UPDATED: Alleged chat addict charged with obscene texting (01/28/10)
A Watertown man who had been removed from the sexual offender registry faces charges that he sent obscene text and photo messages to an 11-year-old girl. Michael Paul Rutland, 34, of Smith Hollow Road, Watertown, has been charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means. He is being held on $20,000 bond and will appear next before General Sessions Judge Charles Rich on Feb. 24....

Continuance granted in Holmes murder case (01/26/10)
A continuance has been granted in a first degree murder case against a Shelbyville man so that more evidence can be given to attorneys in the case. Brandon Jamar "BG" Holmes, 21, appeared briefly before Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler on Monday. Holmes' defense attorney Robert Marlow asked for the postponement so that he would have more time for the discovery process...

Blanchard rips judicial system at sentencing (01/26/10)
The man convicted of robbing a Shelbyville convenience store at knifepoint last year was sentenced on Monday, but not before blasting the county's judicial system. Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler sentenced Richard Lowell "Rick" Blanchard II, 46, to 11 years in prison for aggravated robbery in connection with a holdup at the Kangaroo store at the Madison Street-Deery Street intersection early March 8, 2009...

Two more coin laundries burglarized over weekend (01/26/10)
Money was stolen from washers, dryers and vending machines at two Shelbyville laundromats Friday, police said. n All the change was taken from Galaga and Ms. Pac Man game machines and change plus most of the snacks from a food vending machine overnight Friday at Coin-O-Matic Laundry, South Cannon Boulevard...

Driver faces charge of reckless homicide (01/26/10)
A young Bedford County woman was indicted Monday on charges of reckless homicide for her role in a fatal accident in December 2008. Shelby Lynn Tyson was indicted by the Bedford County grand jury on the charges and was taken into custody after she was arraigned, but was already on bond for other charges. Bond on the new charges was set at $4,000...

Victim: Man ran from home after finding her hiding place (01/22/10)
It took a Bedford County jury less than 15 minutes to convict a Murfreesboro man of breaking into a home last February while a terrified teen hid under a bed. Larry Randall Henry II of Crater Road, Murfreesboro had a sentencing date set for March 19 by Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell after the jury returned a verdict of guilty on the charge of aggravated burglary...

Underage drinking suspects appear in court (01/21/10)
A number of people made their first court appearances Wednesday on charges related to an alleged underage drinking party discovered in Bell Buckle last month. Continuances were granted for five people until Feb. 17: n Heather D. Barrett, 36 of Liberty Pike, Bell Buckle...

Internet sex suspect granted continuance (01/21/10)
Another delay was granted for a Murfreesboro man accused of several sexually-related charges via the Internet involving a minor. Feb. 17 is the next court date for Brian Allen Bell, 27, who faces four counts of solicitation of a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means and distributing obscene material to a minor...

CORRECTED: EMS board gains backing from county committee (01/20/10)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners' rules and legislative committee, meeting Tuesday night, recommended keeping the Bedford County Emergency Medical Services board in place and asking County Mayor Eugene Ray to appoint a member to fill the one vacancy on the board...

Niles wants cop's relative as lawyer (01/20/10)
The family of murder suspect David E. Niles has hired a Nashville attorney to represent him, but a possible conflict of interest has court officials waiting on an advisory opinion before proceeding further. Niles, 24, has been charged with first degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 26-year-old Laura Parker on Jan. 11. He is also charged with unlawful possession of a weapon...

Vandals strike church, day care center (01/20/10)
Vandals have struck a church and day care center in Shelbyville since Friday, and both incidents are strikingly similar to several committed over New Year's weekend. A witness saw smoke billowing from the top of a bus at Gateway Church, Madison Street, Monday afternoon and two boys ran away as he approached, Shelbyville police said...

Lawyer: $1M too much blamed on Ritch (01/19/10)
The attorney for a home builder who has pleaded guilty to participating in a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme claims that losses attributed to his client have been miscalculated by over a million dollars. Roger Ritch is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 8 at 1 p.m. in Chattanooga before U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr. for his involvement in a scheme which resulted in 61 Shelbyville residents losing their homes through foreclosure and lenders suffering significant losses...

Scrap dealer must pay county $12.4K (01/19/10)
Bedford County's solid waste authority has been awarded judgment against a scrap metal dealer that owed money. A letter from attorney M. Wyatt Burk informed the authority that judgment was received against Southeast Recovery Group and Robert Madeo in an amount of $12,479.64, plus $150 in court costs...

Neal joins ex-wife in pleading guilty to thefts (01/17/10)
A man who testified against his ex-wife earlier in the week about theft charges pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme on Friday. Troy Neal pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of property between $500 and $1,000, and theft under $500, and was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell to serve 162 days in jail before he is eligible for parole...

Kelley pleads guilty to shooting into home (01/17/10)
Three guilty pleas were heard in Bedford County Circuit Court on Friday that involved gunfire, forgery and exploitation of a minor. Michael Adam Kelley, 27, of Chapel Hill, pleaded guilty to three counts of reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon -- a class E felony...

Copper's ordeal: second horse rescued from icy pond (01/15/10)
For the second time within a week, emergency crews were called Thursday to rescue a horse from a partially-frozen farm pond. Copper was discovered in the pond on property belonging to Tommy and Tewaan Tucker off Anthony Road northeast of Shelbyville about 3:45 p.m., Tommy Tucker said...

Guilty plea influenced by ex's testimony (01/14/10)
After her ex-husband took the stand and testified against her, a woman on trial for shoplifting items and selling them on the Internet changed her plea to guilty on Tuesday. Kerri Neal will be sentenced on Feb. 19 by Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell after she filed an open plea of guilty to two counts of theft of property between $500 and $1,000 and theft under $500...

Masked men hold up store (01/14/10)
Three masked men, one armed, got away with several hundred dollars from a Shelbyville convenience store Tuesday night, police said. The men, all clad in ski masks, entered Depot Street Market around 7:50 p.m., Officer Jose Garza said. "One subject was at the door apparently acting as a lookout while the second subject was at the counter with a black bag demanding money," Garza said. "The third subject was armed with a silver revolver and was demanding the money as well."...

Niles' bond: $1 million (01/13/10)
Bond has been set at $1,010,000 for a man accused of murdering the mother of his 4-year-old son. David E. Niles, 24, of Lucas Road has been charged with first degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Laura Parker, 26. Niles is also charged with unlawful possession of a weapon...

Man accused of shooting child's mother (01/12/10)
A man with no previous police record has been charged with shooting the mother of his 4-year-old child to death outside her Shelbyville apartment Monday night. Residents of Forrest Hills Apartments, Neeley Avenue, heard gunshots and looked out to see Laura Parker, 26, lying in a pool of blood near her car, Shelbyville police said...

BCEMS director defends board, agency's late collections (01/12/10)
Bedford County Emergency Medical Services director Chad Graham briefed his board members on Monday night about the presentations he will make to two county committees later this month -- one in defense of having a board, the other to explain the status of BCEMS's collections...

Thief steals Bible from locked car (01/12/10)
Three vehicles were entered at two South Cannon Boulevard locations over the weekend, Shelbyville police said. The items were taken from a locked, disabled car which had been parked for several days, the victim said. The car was still locked when the thefts were discovered, according to police...

Cunninghams overwhelmed by offers of help (01/08/10)
As Lee Roy and Elizabeth Cunningham rebuild their lives following a fire which destroyed their North Main Street home and floral business early Monday, they say one thing stands out: The generosity of their fellow Bedford Countians. "You know how many friends you've got when something like this happens," Lee Roy said. "People have offered everything we need. They're coming in constantly. We had a lot and we've still got more than we need...

Sexual advances toward minor result in jail time (01/08/10)
A Shelbyville man will spend the next 18 months in jail after pleading guilty to charges involving a minor on Wednesday. Charles Presley Jr., 63, of Landers Street received a sentence of nine months on the charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and another nine months for simple assault, which was amended from a charge of sexual battery by an authority figure...

Gambling house helpers won't ask for new trial (01/08/10)
Attorneys for two men convicted of helping to run a gaming house in Shelbyville in 2008 have withdrawn motions for a new trial. On Thursday, Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell briefly announced that lawyers for Andrew Welsh Craze and Samuel Cory Owens had asked to dismiss their motions for a new trial...

Dates set for two trials (01/08/10)
Trial dates have been set for two men, one facing charges related to a break-in and another accused of stalking a teen. On Thursday, Andy Lynn Wallace, 35, of Nashville Highway, Lewisburg, had trial dates set for April 5 and 6, with pre-trial motions scheduled for March 4...

Water leak reveals copper tubing theft (01/07/10)
A water leak led to the discovery that copper tubing was stolen from a central air unit at Shelbyville Record Shop, East Depot Street, city police said. The store's owner told police he was checking the leak Tuesday and discovered the tubing was broken or cut at the unit and again where it goes through the wall...

Missing mom, 13, and baby found (01/07/10)
A 13-year-old mother from South Carolina, who was reported as a runaway in December, and her baby were returned home late last week after she was found in Shelbyville. A 22-year-old man has been charged as a result of an investigation by the Shelbyville Police Department...

Guilty plea to animal cruelty carries jail time (01/07/10)
A Unionville man will serve 15 days in jail, pay restitution to the county and won't be allowed to own any more animals after pleading guilty to cruelty charges on Wednesday. In his second appearance in General Sessions Court, Thomas Snell of Halls Mill Road pleaded guilty to 11 counts of animal cruelty...

Bell sentencing reset for February (01/06/10)
Sentencing in federal court for a local bank branch manager has been reset for the first of next month. An order signed on Tuesday by United States District Judge Harry S. Mattice moved the sentencing hearing for Ronald Frank Bell of Shelbyville to Monday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.m...

Driver hits ditch to avoid stopped train (01/06/10)
A Shelbyville woman told police she was forced to drive into a ditch to miss a train pulled across Railroad Avenue after dark without warning lights Monday, city police said. Train cars were being moved into Sanford Corp. by Bedford Railroad Authority, a representative at the scene told police. The representative said he was on one side of the tracks acting as a spotter but no one was on the other side of the train...

Church, gym targets in teens' vandalism spree (01/05/10)
Three teenage boys left a trail of theft and vandalism from Elm to Madison streets Friday night and Saturday morning, targeting a church, gym and several businesses, Shelbyville police said. The boys surrendered to police after a parent found unfamiliar items inside a building behind his Deery Street home and began asking questions. Baseballs, bats, a handheld public address system and walkie-talkies were among items recovered by police...

Sentencing for Ritch continued (01/05/10)
Sentencing for Shelbyville home builder Roger Ritch, who has pled guilty for his participation in a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme, has been delayed until next month. Ritch was scheduled to be sentenced Monday. However, an order signed by U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr. on Monday has continued the sentencing hearing until Feb. 8 at 1 p.m....

Inferno: residents escape burning home, business (01/05/10)
As Shelbyville City Council member Lee Roy Cunningham stood in 11-degree pre-dawn chill Monday watching his North Main Street home and business burn, he seemed surprisingly at ease. "I thank the good Lord that he woke me up and told me to get out," Cunningham said. "I can replace a house but I can't replace lives."...

Stolen wrecker left at Shelbyville business (01/03/10)
A wrecker reported stolen from Ashland City was found behind a Shelbyville auto dealership Wednesday, police said. The wrecker, with towing equipment removed, had been at Victory Nissan, U.S. 231 North, since at least Monday, an employee told police...

Lawyer says Ritch was a victim (12/30/09)
The attorney for a home builder who pleaded guilty to his role in a mortgage fraud scheme in Bedford County is asking a federal judge for a lower sentence, stating his client was a victim of his co-conspirators. Roger Ritch is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 4 for his participation in a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme which resulted in 61 Shelbyville residents losing through foreclosure and lenders suffering significant losses...

Meals may prove costly for suspect (12/30/09)
A man who allegedly left a Shelbyville restaurant Christmas night without paying for two meals may end up paying a much larger price. Anthony David Brooks, 20, of Chapel Hill and another man who has not been charged, left La Hacienda, North Main Street, shortly before 10:30 p.m., Shelbyville police said. The other man had given Brooks money to pay for both meals and left earlier, a manager told police...

Henderson to serve 20 months in fraud case (12/24/09)
Another defendant in a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme centered in Bedford County has received a 20-month federal prison sentence. Jonathan Henderson of Murfreesboro was given a sentence below the federal guideline range and was also sentenced to three years probation by U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr. on Monday...

Jail intake (12/24/09)
The following were charged since Tuesday 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...

Blanchard sentencing awaits verified records (12/24/09)
A man found guilty of holding up a Shelbyville convenience market in March has had his sentencing hearing delayed until next month so that a previous conviction in another state can be verified. Richard Lowell "Rick" Blanchard II, 46, of North Main Street appeared before Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler Monday to learn his sentence, but defense attorney Hershell Koger questioned some of the data in Blanchard's pre-sentence report...

County to study 231/82 signals (12/23/09)
Members of Bedford County Financial Management Committee said Tuesday night they are not satisfied with the state's decision to place flashing warning lights at the intersection of U.S. 231 and State Route 82; the committee has asked for the full county commission to discuss the issue next month...

Court upholds dismissal of inmate's suit over alleged sexual assault (12/23/09)
The state Court of Appeals has upheld a ruling made last year that dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former inmate of the Bedford County Jail who claimed he was sexually assaulted by a guard in 2001 and 2002. Christopher Jones filed a suit against Bedford County in 2002 for negligent supervision of a corrections officer, who was accused of sexually assaulting Jones while he was incarcerated in the Bedford County Jail...

Merritt sentenced to 40 years for fatal crash (12/23/09)
A man who pled guilty last month to aggravated vehicular homicide received a maximum 40-year sentence Monday, even as the career criminal tried to withdraw his guilty plea. Claude David Merritt, 66, asked defense attorney Jack Dearing to withdraw his plea of guilty for causing the death of Mildred Misch over a year ago...

Warning lights ahead for 231 North (12/22/09)
Flashing warning lights will be posted at the intersection of U.S. 231 North and State Route 82 (Webb Road), State Sen. Jim Tracy announced on Monday. The intersection was the site of a traffic accident on Friday which killed a Cascade High School senior, but Tracy said he'd been talking to state officials about the intersection long prior to the accident. He said that the lights have now been ordered, and that the timing of the project was not related to the accident...

Holmes indicted in Thomison slaying (12/22/09)
The Bedford County grand jury indicted Brandon Jamar "BG" Holmes, 21, on Monday for first degree murder for the shooting death of a Shelbyville man. Holmes is charged in the Oct. 23 murder of 23-year-old Gary LeTron Cordelle "Tron" Thomison. Last Thursday during a preliminary hearing, Shelbyville Police Detective Brian Crews testified that the slaying was related to a dispute over drug dealing territory and a strong arm robbery that Thomison allegedly committed against Holmes the day before the shooting.. ...

Neal case continued to January (12/20/09)
The case against a man accused of taking items from local stores and selling them on the Internet has been continued until next year. On Friday, Troy Neal had his case continued until Jan. 15 by Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell. Both Troy and his wife, Kerri Neal, have been charged with two counts of theft of property between $500 and $1,000, theft under $500, and theft between $1,000 and $10,000, which is a felony...

Adult-minor sex cases continued until January (12/20/09)
Two cases involving sexually related charges with minors were continued in both General Sessions and Circuit Court this week. Charles Presley Jr., 63, of Landers Street, Shelbyville, has had his next General Sessions court appearance set for Jan. 6...

Cascade High senior killed in crash (12/19/09)
Cascade High School's seniors are mourning the loss of one classmate and deeply concerned for another after a serious accident late Friday morning near Deason. Brenda Golden, 17, Church Cross Road, was dead at the scene after the van she was driving was struck by a tractor-trailer at the intersection of U.S. 231 North and State Highway 82, State Trooper Patrick Turner said....

2 Cascade students killed in crash (12/18/09)
Two Cascade High School seniors were killed in a traffic accident near Deason late Friday morning, officials say. Brenda Golden and Victoria Atwell, both 17, were members of the school's band, according to principal Sharon Edwards. Golden pulled from State Highway 82 East across U.S. 231 North into the path of an oncoming tractor-trailer, Sheriff Randall Boyce said...

Murder suspect tells detective drugs led to shots (12/18/09)
A robbery and dispute over drug dealing territory may have been the motive behind the Oct. 23 murder of a Shelbyville man, a police detective testified on Thursday. Brandon Jamar "BG" Holmes, 21, of Shelbyville was bound over to the Bedford County grand jury after a preliminary hearing before General Sessions Court Judge Charles Rich. Holmes is accused of murdering 23-year-old Gary LeTron Cordelle "Tron" Thomison of Shelbyville...

Service allows status checks on offenders (12/18/09)
Sheriff Randall Boyce has announced that Bedford County is now online with VINE/SAVIN, an automated service which can be used by crime victims to keep track of the custody status of their attackers. Crime victims can call (866) 277-7477 or go to vinelink.com to submit the name or booking number of an offender whose status they wish to track. They will then be automatically notified when the offender is released, transferred or in the event of an escape...

Animals overrun filthy property (12/17/09)
A Unionville couple are facing multiple counts of animal cruelty and child neglect after authorities investigated conditions at a residence on Halls Mill Road late last month. Thomas and Brenda Snell of 1769 Halls Mill Road made their first court appearance Wednesday on the charges and will appear next in General Sessions Court on Jan. 6...

City quarry decision may await court ruling (12/17/09)
Shelbyville has yet to respond to a letter from a local business that has asked to have a 5-year-old application for a rock quarry heard. However, the city recorder said that the matter may have to wait until the Tennessee Supreme Court rules on an appeal requested last week by Shelbyville City Council...

Need for EMS board debated; director to address committee (12/17/09)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners' rules and legislative committee took no action Tuesday night on a proposal to eliminate the Bedford County Emergency Medical Services board; instead, the rules committee will invite BCEMS director Chad Graham to attend next month's meeting to discuss the board's role and importance...

Forgery suspect caught following foot chase (12/17/09)
An Alabama man has been charged in connection with alleged attempts to pass forged Tyson Foods payroll checks. Jose Angel Rocha, 39, Decatur, Ala., was captured after a short foot chase near Rite-Aid, Madison Street, last Friday, Detective Charles Merlo of the Shelbyville Police Department said...

Rings stolen from residence (12/15/09)
Items were taken from two Shelbyville residences last week, police report. n Two gold rings were stolen from a home on Warners Bridge Road between last Sunday and Tuesday. Visitors to the home are suspected, police were told. n A PlayStation 3 was stolen from an unlocked Quarry Street home Thursday...

Judge resentences leader of gambling operation (12/11/09)
Eight weekends of confinement have been added to the sentence of the ringleader of a local gambling operation, a federal judge ruled Thursday. Last month James Chadwick Tucker was sentenced to 42 months probation, a fine of $3,000 and a special assessment of $100 for his role in running a gaming house in Shelbyville in 2008...

Fire, 'explosion' stun Flat Creek-area neighborhood (12/11/09)
Heavy smoke and an explosion alerted a homeowner and neighbors to a blaze that broke out Thursday afternoon in a garage near Flat Creek. Members of Bedford County Fire Department from Flat Creek and other districts responded to the fire which broke out sometime after 2 p.m. in the garage at the home of Jerry and Dalphine Shadrick, 317 Ernest Campbell Road...

DNA from '02 case to undergo new tests (12/10/09)
A rape and kidnapping case against a Tullahoma man has been continued so DNA evidence can be retested. James Lynne Stewart, 51, was scheduled to stand trial this week on charges of especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated rape, aggravated assault and theft over $500 in connection with an alleged incident in 2002...

Electronic path studied in alleged Net abuse (12/10/09)
The case against a Murfreesboro man accused of several sexually-related charges involving a minor via the Internet has been continued so that his defense attorney can have access to electronic records. Brian Allen Bell, 27, is charged with four counts of solicitation of a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means and distributing obscene material to a minor. He has had a continuance granted until Jan. 20, according to his attorney, John Norton...

New court dates set for 2 accused in Walmart thefts (12/09/09)
A couple accused of shoplifting items from area Walmarts and selling them on the Internet had two different court dates set. Kerri Neal has a new trial date of Jan. 12 set while her husband, Troy Neal, had his case continued until Dec. 18 by Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell...

Narrow escape after car overturns (12/09/09)

EMS board may be eliminated (12/09/09)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners, meeting Tuesday night, asked its rules and legislative committee to study doing away with the Bedford County Emergency Medical Services board and placing the ambulance service under control of the commission's own law enforcement committee...

Drivers disobey school bus stop signs, putting children at risk (12/08/09)
Getting children safely off the bus and to their homes would be a lot easier if people would simply obey the law, said Bedford County school bus driver Charles Jones. At least three times in the last year, he has watched cars break the law by passing his parked bus when the stop sign was out and the red lights were flashing -- and each time, if he had not cautioned the children to remain where they were, they could have been injured or killed...

Woman loses life on ice-slick road (12/08/09)
A Shelbyville woman was killed and another driver seriously injured in a head-on crash on ice-coated Fairfield Pike Saturday morning, officials say. Anmarielines Rodriquez Taylor, 26, of Bell Buckle died in a LifeFlight helicopter while being transported from the scene to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, officials say...

Former banker's plea deal delayed until sentencing day (12/08/09)
A local bank branch manager has had his federal plea deal deferred until the day he will be sentenced, according to federal documents. A report and recommendation filed last week by Magistrate Judge Susan K. Lee in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in Chattanooga suggested that a decision on whether to accept the plea agreement of Ronald Frank Bell of Shelbyville "be deferred until sentencing."...

Snow to serve 2 years in prison (12/08/09)
Carrie Snow was sentenced to over two years in federal prison Monday for her role in a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme in Bedford County. Snow will serve a total of 27 months, followed by three years of supervised probation, according to notes from the proceedings held before District Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr. in Chattanooga...

Horseback rider celebrates too much (12/08/09)
One of the many horse riders in Saturday night's Christmas parade was arrested for public intoxication after passing out on her mount, Shelbyville police said. Officers were notified of a possibly-intoxicated woman "wearing a red coat who was riding on a white horse" on the Shelbyville square...

City may appeal court decision (12/06/09)
Shelbyville's city council will vote Thursday on whether to appeal a ruling to the Tennessee Supreme Court that involves a change in zoning laws. The city lost an appeal last month with Norma and Tommy Wright, Wright Paving Co. Inc. and Custom Stone LLC, who claimed the city did not give adequate notice of a change in zoning laws they say impacted their property...

Crash on icy Fairfield Pike (12/06/09)

Lewisburg man allegedly stalked teenager (12/04/09)
A member of the National Guard who faces charges in Bedford County won't be going to Iraq with the rest of his unit, a judge ruled Thursday. Andy Lynn Wallace, 35, of Nashville Highway, Lewisburg, was indicted last month on charges of soliciting and stalking a minor...

Mortgage fraud scam victims asked to report on impact (12/04/09)
Victims of a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme are being urged to let federal prosecutors and a judge know how they have been impacted by the scam. Last week, the ringleader of the crime, William T. McMahan, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison and was ordered to pay over $2.4 million in restitution...

Grieving mother had been conducting own search for son (12/03/09)
When Deborah Griggs sat in a parking lot in Tullahoma and watched police dogs search the area for her missing son, she wondered if he would ever be found safe and sound. "I had a bad feeling when I watched those dogs walk down there," she said. Her mother's intuition was right. Wednesday morning, days after the dogs searched fruitlessly, and 12 days after he was last seen, her son was found dead behind a Tullahoma car dealership on the AEDC Access Road...

Suspect wrecks while fleeing victim's husband (12/02/09)
A traffic accident led to a Shelbyville man being charged with sexual battery Sunday, city police said. Police found an abandoned, wrecked car belonging to Leonel Bautista Hernandez, 24, Shadow Drive, at the intersection of Dunnaway and South Brittain streets...

Non-officer flashes blues, tries traffic stop (12/02/09)
A man who said he was upset about speeding drivers conducted his own traffic stop Saturday, complete with a vehicle equipped with blue lights, Shelbyville police said. But the "officer" was detained by another driver, who notified real law enforcement officers...

Cash, marijuana confiscated in traffic stop (12/02/09)
A car with no taillights led sheriff deputies to the discovery of nearly $3,700 in cash and marijuana last Friday, resulting in two arrests. According to a report filed by Sgt. Nikia Elliott of the Bedford County Sheriff's Department, he pulled over a vehicle with no taillights late Friday night...

Robber strikes Shelbyville bank (12/01/09)
The Madison Street branch of First Community Bank was robbed shortly before noon Monday by a man who demanded money but didn't display a weapon, police said. "A male entered, he didn't make any reference to or brandish a weapon," Detective Charles Merlo of the Shelbyville Police Department said...

Fraud aftermath: Mortgage firms to be repaid, not home buyers (11/29/09)
The ringleader of a massive mortgage fraud scheme must pay $2.4 million in restitution to 15 mortgage and equity firms, according to federal documents. However, the Bedford County families that were defrauded will have to file their own lawsuits if they want to see any of their money returned...

Suspects in court on sex charges (11/27/09)
Two men who face sexually related charges involving minors made their first court appearance on Wednesday. Charles Presley Jr., 63, of Landers Street, Shelbyville has been charged with sexual battery by an authority figure, solicitation of a minor, contributing to the delinquency of a minor...

Hearing scheduled for slaying suspect (11/26/09)
A man who allegedly confessed to gunning down a Shelbyville man last month is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in December. Brandon Jamar "BG" Holmes, 21, of Shelbyville had his case continued in General Sessions Court Tuesday and will have a preliminary hearing on Dec. 17, when he will learn if he is to be bound over to the Bedford County grand jury, which meets Dec. 21...

Flashing lights can save lives (11/26/09)
In some types of medical emergency, the faster an ambulance can arrive, the better chance the patient has of survival. But a rural neighborhood sometimes poses challenges for ambulance, fire and law enforcement personnel. Homes may be located some distance from the road. ...

McMahan sentenced to 6 1/2 years (11/24/09)
William T. McMahan, the instigator of a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme in Bedford County, will serve six and a half years in federal prison, a judge in Chattanooga ruled on Monday. McMahan was ordered to pay over $2.4 million dollars in restitution, will have to serve three years of supervised probation, and must participate in 500 hours of substance abuse treatment...

New sentencing hearing ordered for Tucker (11/24/09)
The ringleader of a local gambling operation faces re-sentencing before a federal judge next month, according to documents filed in Chattanooga. Last week, James Chadwick Tucker was sentenced to three and a half years of probation in federal court for his role in running a gaming house in Shelbyville in 2008...

Intruder leaves Brookhaven garage as owner arrives (11/24/09)
An intruder entered the garage of a Graydon Street home in Shelbyville's Brookhaven area Sunday night, police said. A resident said a man dressed in black was leaving his garage when he arrived home at 7:45 p.m. The intruder appeared alarmed and surprised when he saw the resident and was last seen running through the back yard and into a field, police were told...

Court date set for man accused in shooting (11/22/09)
A man accused of firing a gun into a house last year has been appointed an attorney and has had his next court date set. The public defender's office will represent Michael Adam Kelley, 27, who was charged with three counts of reckless endangerment after his case was directly presented to the Bedford County grand jury on Monday...

Fire Academy holds graduation (11/22/09)
Pete Souphom of Shelbyville Fire Department was one of 22 graduates of the 22nd graduating class at Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy on Friday. The academy, operated by Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, is located on Unionville-Deason Road...

Gunshots scare off intruder (11/22/09)
Residents of southern Shelbyville from Brookhaven subdivision to the city limits are being warned by police to be on alert after a woman fended off an intruder in her home early Friday. Several reports have been received of a "peeping Tom" in the area over the past few weeks, Detective Sgt. Brian Crews said...

Police pursuit ends in crash (11/22/09)
A drunken driver being pursued by police walked away with relatively minor injuries after crashing his car near Wartrace late Wednesday afternoon, officials said. James Curtis Riley, 26, of Fairoak Street lost control of his Nissan Maxima while crossing the one-lane bridge on Bugscuffle Road, Wartrace Police Chief Lee Groce said. The car overturned down an embankment and landed on nearby railroad tracks...

Drunk drivers in BCSD's sights (11/20/09)
The Bedford County Sheriff's Department has a message for those out there who drink and drive: We're coming for you. And the department has a good reason for this stance: Over the past five years, Bedford County has ranked second in the state for alcohol related accidents...

Collectibles stolen as apartment ransacked (11/20/09)
Collectibles including cigarette lighters, a green dragon table, dragon treasure chest and Grand Theft Auto IV box were stolen from a Peacock Lane apartment within the past few days, police said. A maintenance worker told police a window screen was slashed to gain entry to the unit. The resident had been out of town for several days and the apartment appeared to have been ransacked, according to police...

Man accused of shooting into home near sleeping child (11/19/09)
A man who law enforcement claims fired a gun into a home where an infant was sleeping last year was arrested on Tuesday. Michael Adam Kelley, 27, of 157 Bottle Hollow Road was charged with three counts of reckless endangerment after his case was directly presented to the Bedford County grand jury on Monday...

Study shows facility has too many entrances (11/18/09)
Sheriff's department administrator Larry Lowman told Bedford County Board of Commissioners' law enforcement committee on Tuesday that there's no way to completely secure Bedford County Courthouse. Commissioner Mark Thomas, a member of the committee, asked about courthouse security, and Lowman said a consulting firm from Florida evaluated the courthouse and reported to law enforcement and court officials that it can't be properly secured due to the number of entrances. ...

Smell leads officer to marijuana in car (11/18/09)
Marijuana was allegedly found Friday night in a car stopped because a brake light was out, police said. Christopher Adam Hanley, 27, Smith Chapel Road, told Officer Waymond Boyd a partially-smoked marijuana cigarette was in the center console. Boyd said he questioned Hanley after allegedly smelling a marijuana odor in the vehicle...

Adult man charged with stalking teen (11/18/09)
A Lewisburg man who was arrested nine months ago on charges of soliciting and stalking a minor was indicted by Bedford County grand jury Monday. According to public records at Bedford County Sheriff's Department, Andy Lynn Wallace, 35, of Nashville Highway was arrested shortly after midnight on Wednesday, Feb. 4, and was also charged with driving under the influence in addition to the two other charges...

Pre-trial hearing held for rape, kidnapping suspect (11/18/09)
With only a request for interview transcripts from his attorney, a Tullahoma man who faces rape and kidnapping charges briefly appeared for a pre-trial hearing on Monday. James Lynne Stewart, 51, is scheduled to stand trial on Dec. 8 and 9 on charges of especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated rape, aggravated assault and theft over $500 in connection with an alleged incident in 2002...

Long prison sentence awaits child rapist (11/17/09)
David Wayne Phillips, 43, will spend the next 25 years behind bars after pleading guilty to a number of sexually related charges on Monday. Phillips pleaded guilty to rape of a child, two counts of aggravated sexual battery and five violations of the sex offender registry and will serve the entire 25-year sentence...

Ex-minister admits embezzlement, faces 9-month term (11/17/09)
A former youth minister will spend the next nine months in jail after pleading guilty to theft charges on Monday. William Charles Lohn appeared before Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler and entered a plea of guilty to theft over $60,000. Lohn was indicted in August after members of Shelbyville Mills Baptist Church contacted authorities with information that the former youth minister embezzled over $80,000 from church coffers...

Judge grants Tucker probation (11/17/09)
James Chadwick Tucker, who admitted being the ringleader of a local gambling operation, was sentenced to three and a half years of probation in federal court on Friday. Appearing in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Chattanooga before Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr., Tucker received the sentence of 42 months probation, a fine of $3,000 and a special assessment of $100, according to courtroom deputy Pam Scott...

Suspect drops meth in front of officers (11/15/09)
A man accused of possessing meth accidently dropped it in front of police, then allegedly tried to hide it as he stepped out of his car to perform field sobriety tests, Shelbyville police said Friday. Joshua Lee Taylor, 28, of Estill Springs admitted three small bags of meth belonged to him following his arrest abut 3:30 a.m. Friday, police said...

Sentencing delayed for James Chad Tucker (11/10/09)
Christina Tucker was sentenced to two years probation in federal court Monday for her role in running an illegal high-stakes poker game here last year. Sentencing has been delayed for her husband, James Chadwick Tucker, until Friday after a continuance request from defense attorney Peter Strianse was granted...

Attackers injure man, take money and phone (11/10/09)
A Shelbyville man told police he was attacked and robbed outside a Courtland Drive home early Friday night. Carlos Garcia said two men punched and kicked him about 6:15 p.m. while taking his wallet, which contained approximately $600, and cell phone...

Cobb completes state leadership program (11/08/09)
Bedford County Clerk and Master Curt Cobb is one of 16 local government leaders who successfully completed the 17th annual Local Government Leadership Program last month at the Jimmy Naifeh Center for Effective Leadership, part of the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service...

City loses appeal of zoning lawsuit (11/06/09)
The city of Shelbyville has lost an appeal with a local paving company who claimed the city did not give adequate notice of a change in zoning laws they say impacted their property. But the impact of the court ruling may be moot since the city will likely pass an identical ordinance next week after the appeals court declared the old one invalid...

Man escapes courthouse, then apprehended (11/06/09)
"He's frickin' Spider-Man!" That was the statement of one courtroom observer after a man escaped the custody of deputies by climbing out a second story window of Bedford County Courthouse Thursday afternoon and fleeing....

Gambling house workers receive jail sentences (11/06/09)
Despite pleas for leniency, two men convicted of helping to run an illegal poker house in Shelbyville last year will spend the next 45 days in jail and the rest of a 18-month sentence on probation. Andrew Welsh Craze and Samuel Cory Owens were found guilty in September of one count each of aggravated gambling promotion, a class E felony, and on Thursday, Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell handed down their punishment...

Couple loses residence to fire (11/06/09)
A Flat Creek-area couple lost their home and possessions to fire Wednesday, the Bedford County Fire Department said. Charles and Alice Warren arrived at their Mount Herman Road home to find flames erupting, a family member said. They left in an unsuccessful attempt to find a son who leaves nearby, then returned to what was left of their home....

CASA stands by troubled children (11/05/09)
When a child's safety comes into question, several agencies move to protect him. Police officers investigate and protect. Schools observe, counsel and protect. Social workers with the Department of Children's Services work with the Juvenile Court system to save and protect...

Wheels, camcorder taken by thieves (11/05/09)
Wheels and tires were stolen from a vehicle at Pirtle & Howerton Automotive, North Main Street, between Friday and Monday, Shelbyville police were told. A Hitachi digital camcorder was taken from its bag at a West Lane Street residence sometime since mid-October, police said...

Tow truck favoritism alleged in lawsuit (11/05/09)
A tow operator who is suing the city of Shelbyville made more claims of favoritism Tuesday, calling for the firing of the police chief and his deputy. However, the city council made no comment about the allegations and the city recorder told council members they can not be speaking with Bushnell about the issue, nor should he have been permitted to address the council...

Two more meth labs discovered (11/04/09)
Two more methamphetamine labs have been uncovered by Bedford County deputies -- except this time, authorities weren't even looking for the source of the dangerous drug. Officers who had been dispatched on matters unrelated to meth stumbled upon the labs, ending up making three arrests, and came away with a damaged patrol car as well...

Judge: Snow faces 'substantial jail time' (11/03/09)
Sentencing for one of the defendants who pleaded guilty to participating in a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme has been delayed until Dec. 7. However, the federal judge handling the case told Carrie Snow Monday that she is "looking at substantial jail time" for her role...

Documents show extent of fraud scheme (11/03/09)
Documents released by federal prosecutors in regards to Carrie Snow's sentencing memorandum included copies of Snow's and Roger Ritch's 2008 interviews with the FBI that detail how the mortgage fraud scheme evolved. The documents also contain a list of the losses on foreclosures from American Value Home sales from November 2004 to December 2006, with many of the homes in question located on Christopher Court, Saddlewood Drive, Cottonwood Drive and Southwood Lane in Shelbyville...

Tuckers' sentencing delayed until next week (11/03/09)
Sentencing for a husband and wife who plead guilty to operating a gaming house in Shelbyville last year has been delayed in federal court. James Chad Tucker and his wife, Christina Tucker, were scheduled to be sentenced last Monday but a scheduling conflict with their attorney has resulted in the hearing being postponed until Monday, Nov. 9...

Speeding driver endangers trick-or-treaters (11/03/09)
An unlicensed driver accused of speeding down a residential street filled with trick-or-treaters was arrested after allegedly trying to elude a police officer on foot, reports indicate. Javier C. Hernandez-Tavera, 20, of Saddlewood Drive, was clocked at 49 mph in a 30 mph zone on Davis Street Saturday night, Officer Waymond Boyd said...

Merritt pleads guilty to Misch accident death (11/01/09)
LYNCHBURG -- A Shelbyville man pleaded guilty Friday to aggravated vehicular homicide in an accident that claimed the life of Mildred Misch over a year ago. Claude David Merritt, 66, appeared before Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler at the Moore County Courthouse to make his plea. Merritt was previously scheduled to stand trial for the death on Nov. 7 and 8...

Flat screen TVs stolen from home (11/01/09)
Two large flat screen televisions, a sound system and a Nintendo Wii were stolen from a Parker Road home between 7 and 9:45 p.m. Thursday, Shelbyville police said. Windows in a door were broken to gain entry, police said. 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...

Bedford County woman accused of TennCare fraud (11/01/09)
A Bedford County woman was charged Friday with TennCare fraud related to prescription drugs. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced that Kimberly A. Rollins, 36, has been charged with two counts of TennCare fraud for the fraudulent use of TennCare to pay for prescriptions for the painkiller Lortab and the anti-anxiety medication Xanax...

Stay safe this Halloween (10/30/09)
Goblins, witches and superheroes won't be the only ones prowling the streets for Halloween Saturday night. You can expect to see more law enforcement officers, too. "We're going to have some extra patrols, some more people on duty," said Bedford County Sheriff Randall Boyce. "Including myself."...

Two meth labs discovered in county (10/30/09)
Bedford County deputies made several arrests after discovering two methamphetamine labs on Monday, one with fumes so powerful that three officers required medical attention. A report by Detective Sgt. David Sakich stated that he, Detective Todd Hammond and Special Agent Larry Campbell of the Moore County Sheriff's Department went to a Warners Bridge Road home in reference to a narcotics investigation...

Murder suspect arrested (10/30/09)
The main suspect in last Friday's shooting death of Gary LeTron Thomison has confessed, and another man Shelbyville police said they previously considered a suspect faces a lesser charge. Brandon Jamar "BG" Holmes, 21, of Shelbyville was picked up by Chattanooga police Thursday and was returned here by SPD Detective Sgt, Brian Crews and Detective Charles Merlo, arriving around 1 a.m. today. He has been charged with first degree murder, Crews said...

Six indicted by grand jury (10/30/09)
Bedford County's grand jury indicted only six people for its October session, including more charges for a man accused of stealing items and selling them on the Internet. Troy James Neal was indicted on two counts of theft over $500, one count of theft under $500 and a single count of theft between $1,000 and $10,000...

Home invaders face 25-year prison terms (10/29/09)
Two men who broke into a Shelbyville home and held three children at gunpoint will be spending the next 25 years behind bars following a pair of sentencing hearings this week. The lengthy sentences were handed down against Jose Gomez and Wilson Palacio of Smyrna on Monday...

Bank manager pleads guilty in fraud case (10/29/09)
The branch manager of FirstBank in Shelbyville pleaded guilty in federal court in Chattanooga Wednesday to a charge of making a false entry in bank records while he was employed with another local financial institution. Ronald Frank Bell of Shelbyville waived indictment and arraignment and pleaded guilty to making a false entry in bank records in violation of Title 18 United States Code Section 1005.

Precautions, planning are needed for fire safety (10/29/09)
Cold weather brings the sweaters out of the closet, the leaves off of the trees -- and fires. As people drag out the space heaters or light up the fireplace for the first time this year, simple precautions can make sure the home gets toasty instead of toasted...

Medication stolen from parked vehicle (10/29/09)
Xanax pills and other medications were stolen overnight Monday from a vehicle at a Bird Street home, Shelbyville police said. The medicine had been left in the vehicle's console, the victim told police. She returned to the vehicle Tuesday to find the window down, console entered and contents of her wallet strewn around the interior, police said...

Police name Holmes as murder suspect (10/29/09)
A man previously termed as a "person of interest" will be charged with murder in a Friday shooting death, Shelbyville police said Wednesday. "Based on evidence we have, we can now charge Brandon Holmes with first degree murder," Detective Sgt. Brian Crews of the Shelbyville Police Department said Wednesday....

Recovered weapon may have been used in shooting (10/28/09)
A weapon possibly used in last Friday's fatal shooting of Gary LeTron Thomison of Shelbyville was recovered Tuesday in Murfreesboro, while officers continue to seek another man who was allegedly at the scene of the crime. Two guns, one a .45 caliber handgun, were recovered from the Murfreesboro residence where George Aaron "G" Simpson, 24, was arrested early Tuesday, according to a Murfreesboro Police Department arrest report provided to the Times-Gazette by The Daily News Journal...

Fraud victim wired over $2,700 to Canada address (10/28/09)
More information has been released by Shelbyville police about a fraud case involving a local man. The victim told police he received a letter claiming he was the third place winner in the Reader's Digest Sweepstakes Lottery. Enclosed with the letter, which said he had won $60,000, was a check for $2,777 to cover taxes and fees associated with claiming the prize, police said...

Murder suspect in custody (10/27/09)
The alleged gunman in Friday night's murder of Gary LeTron Cordelle 'Tron' Thomison is in custody, authorities said today. George "G" Simpson, 24, of Murfreesboro, was arrested there about 1:30 to 1: 45 a.m. today by Murfreesboro police, Detective Sgt. Brian Crews of the Shelbyville Police Department said...

Man says he has no pot; police say he did (10/27/09)
Marijuana was found in the possession of a man who allegedly claimed he had none Saturday, police said. John Elbert Stanley Jr., 26, Unionville-Deason Road, was being patted down for weapons when Officer Jose Garza said he smelled marijuana. Stanley denied possessing drugs before Garza found a bag containing 5.94 grams of marijuana and rolling papers, the officer's report said...

Shots leave one dead; Murfreesboro man sought (10/25/09)
A Shelbyville man is dead after gunshots rang out during an argument Friday night at a Burt Street apartment complex. Gary Latron "Tron" Thomison, 21, of Shelbyville was shot multiple times in the parking lot of Oak Hill Village II Apartments, Detective Sgt. Brian Crews of the Shelbyville Police Department said...

BREAKING: Shelbyville man murdered (10/24/09)
A Shelbyville man is dead after gunshots rang out during an argument Friday night at a Burt Street apartment complex. Gary Latron 'Tron' Thomison, 21, of Shelbyville was shot multiple times in the parking lot of Oak Hill Village II Apartments, Detective Sgt. Brian Crews of the Shelbyville Police Department said...

Former ER worker arrested on rape charges in Alabama (10/23/09)
Harriet Neiman believes that if justice had been served in Bedford County 15 years ago, certain children might not have been abused in Alabama last year. Neiman is the mother of the teenage boy Dr. Michael Roy Sharpe allegedly slapped in the Bedford County Medical Center emergency room on Dec. 20, 1994...

Marijuana discovered in car parked at armory (10/23/09)
Officers patrolling the National Guard Armory, South Cannon Boulevard, early Wednesday night made an unexpected find: marijuana in a parked car. Kristopher Neal McAdams, 35, Woodland Avenue, who was in one of two cars in the back parking lot, allegedly told Officer Waymond Boyd no drugs were in his vehicle. Boyd said he smelled marijuana as he approached the vehicles...

Fire victim claims info ignored (10/23/09)
A man who lost his Warners Bridge Road home and belongings to fire early Tuesday says a girlfriend intentionally set the blaze. Johnny Wayne Crowson, 51, claims authorities failed to fully investigate the fire, or an alleged threat by the ex-girlfriend to burn the house, until the next day....

Child rape suspect ruled incompetent to stand trial (10/22/09)
A Shelbyville man accused of sexual acts against a young girl last year will not see a courtroom, it was ruled Friday. J.W. Frazier, 79, of Carney Street, has been committed to Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute in Nashville. "We had sent him for mental evaluations and the doctors ruled him incompetent to stand trial," according to assistant district attorney Richard Cawley. "He's a danger to himself and others."...

Store's money is safe after late-night burglary attempt (10/22/09)
An unsuccessful attempt was made to enter the office area at Save-A-Lot, South Cannon Boulevard, early Wednesday, Shelbyville police said. Officers, alerted by a burglary alarm, discovered outside and inside doors had been forced and the alarm keypad pulled from a wall and destroyed...

Physician suggests local drug court (10/21/09)
Dr. Joseph Rupard suggested to Bedford County Board of Commissioners' law enforcement committee on Tuesday that the county consider starting a drug court, a judicial initiative that diverts some drug-related offenders from jail or prison into a court-supervised rehab program...

Workhouse inmate dies following collapse (10/21/09)
An inmate at Bedford County Workhouse died at a Nashville hospital after suffering an apparent heart attack Monday morning, officials said Tuesday. Larry Dale Byford, 54, of Shelbyville was rushed to Heritage Medical Center after collapsing Monday morning, then taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center, Lt. Tim Lokey, who supervises the workhouse, said...

Twin killed as brothers' truck plunges into creek (10/20/09)
One man is dead after a truck driven by his twin brother plunged into a creek early Saturday night on Midland Road north of Shelbyville, investigators said. Louis Emerson Davis, 47, of Naron Road died at the scene when the truck in which he was riding plunged off a culvert and landed on its roof, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said...

Twin may be charged in accident which killed his brother (10/20/09)
One man is dead and his twin brother may face charges following an accident early Saturday night on Midland Road north of Shelbyville, investigators said. Louis Emerson Davis, 47, of Naron Road died at the scene when the truck in which he was riding plunged off a culvert and landed on its roof in a creek, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said...

Beloved boxer pet recovers from gunshot wound (10/20/09)
When Sarah McCurry's wedding got crashed, she didn't mind at all. In fact, the fellow sitting in the back was very polite. He sat up when the bride passed, grinned, then sat back down and waited patiently for her to say her wedding vows. He was, after all, a member of the family and the only reason he didn't get an invitation was because, well, dogs can't read...

Convicted professor deported to New Guinea (10/20/09)
A former Vanderbilt professor who pleaded guilty in Shelbyville of contacting a teen over the Internet for sex has been deported to his home country of New Guinea. Lason Lain Watai, 47, only served 99 days of a one-year sentence at the Bedford County jail before he was released to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to the district attorney's office and sheriff officials...

Driver leads police on three-mile pursuit (10/20/09)
A driver who Shelbyville police allege drove over three miles before yielding to blue lights was charged with third offense DUI early Saturday. Stacie Denette Shipley, 37, Murfreesboro was followed on U.S. 231 North from Heritage Medical Center to downtown Shelbyville shortly before 4 a.m., Officer Jerry Lawrence said...

Marijuana discovered during traffic stop (10/18/09)
Marijuana was confiscated from a man stopped due to "illegal tinted windows" on his car Thursday, Shelbyville police said. Michael Zakray Demonbren, 19, Wilson Street, was charged with possession of a schedule VI drug and possession of drug paraphernalia. He posted $1,000 bond at Bedford County Jail, records indicate...

Local agencies get highway safety grants (10/16/09)
Three Bedford County agencies have been awarded highway safety grants totaling $60,260, state officials announced this week. Agencies receiving the grants are: Funding for the Governor's Highway Safety Office grants were provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Sen. Jim Tracy worked to secure these funds for Bedford County...

Man escapes burning SUV (10/16/09)

Former local doctor in trouble (10/15/09)
A former Shelbyville physician is facing charges of rape and sodomy in Alabama. Dr. Michael Roy Sharpe was fired from three Tennessee hospitals -- twice when he was accused of sexual misconduct -- but was allowed to set up a pediatrics practice in Alabama, where he is now accused of having sex with a 15-year-old patient. The third Tennessee hospital that supposedly dismissed him was Bedford County General Hospital (now known as Heritage Medical Center)...

More than $14.4K stolen from truck (10/15/09)
A bank bag containing more than $14,400 in checks and cash was stolen from a delivery truck at a Shelbyville store Tuesday, police said. The truck, operated by Prime Meats of Tucker, Ga,, was outside La Azteca Market, Madison Street, when the theft occurred around noon Monday, Officer Justin Smith's report said...

False claim allows suspect to steal items (10/14/09)
A woman who falsely claimed permission to take items from a Kingree Road home Monday left with three cabinets and several folding chairs, Shelbyville police said. The suspect drove onto the property, which is being remodeled, and falsely told a workman that a family member's wife had said she could have the items, police said. She allegedly returned after the workman left and took folding chairs and three cabinets...

Two men charged after foot chase by police (10/13/09)
Two men were arrested, one on drug charges, after foot pursuits by Shelbyville police in the Colloredo Boulevard-Union Street area Sunday night. Shawn Lee Baffo, 21, Woodbury Street, led Officer Jose Garza on a brief chase before surrendering in bushes behind the store, police said. Cory Scott Melton, 21, West End Circle, ignored orders not to run and was arrested by officers Jody Shelton and Jerry Draine across the street a few minutes later, Garza said...

Blanchard found guilty of robbery (10/13/09)
A man who was caught on video was found guilty Monday of robbing a Shelbyville convenience market in March. Richard Lowell "Rick" Blanchard II, 46, of North Main Street, will be sentenced on Dec. 21 on the charge of aggravated robbery in connection with a holdup that took place at the Kangaroo store at the Madison Street-Deery Street intersection in the early morning hours of March 8...

Firefighter kept job despite five prior arrests (10/09/09)
A Shelbyville fireman is no longer on the job after being fired by city manager Ed Craig Thursday morning. However, questions are being asked over how John Sullivan remained in a public service job following five previous arrests. Sullivan was charged Wednesday with aggravated domestic assault and vandalism and was released under $30,000 bond following his arrest by Bedford County deputy Kevin Holton...

Man allegedly tased in argument over rent (10/09/09)
A Shelbyville bail bondsman was charged with aggravated assault Wednesday night after allegedly tasing a man in a dispute over rent payments, Shelbyville police said. The victim arrived at the Bedford County Sheriff's Department with a probe embedded in his lower abdomen and a "place" on his chest where another probe had been, Officer Sam Jacobs said. Jacobs was told the probes were from a Taser shot by "Carlos the bondsman."...

Firefighter accused of off-duty attack (10/08/09)
A Shelbyville fireman has been suspended from his job and was expected to be fired this morning following his arrest on Wednesday, city officials said. John Randall Sullivan, 35, of Tyler Drive was charged with aggravated domestic assault and vandalism and was released under $30,000 bond following his arrest by Bedford County deputy Kevin Holton...

Two break-ins reported at Fairground Heights (10/08/09)
Thefts occurred at two homes on Fairground Heights last weekend, Shelbyville police said. A new stove was stolen from a home under renovation and, about a block away, a vehicle jack and extension ladder were taken from a storage shed. Police said a lock was cut on the storage building while no signs of forced entry were found in the home...

Identity thieves try to harvest Social Security numbers (10/06/09)
When a man claiming to be a representative of Medicare asked Richard Barnes, 81, about his health, the Shelbyville resident didn't think much about it. He answered the questions, but began to grow suspicious. When the caller asked for his Medicare ID number, Richard's wife, Edna, called Medicare on her cell phone...

Fire results in total loss of home (10/06/09)

Man denies he took stolen property found in his truck (10/06/09)
A man who was allegedly driving a truck containing property stolen from a West End Circle home denies he took the items, Shelbyville police said. A portable DVD player, 32 DVDs, a Nintendo 64 unit and a Donkey Kong game were in a bag Officer Gregg Loyd said he had noticed in a truck driven by Jose Alfonzo Alcala, 21, Peacock Lane, during a traffic stop Friday night...

Sheriff wins appeal; judge orders certification (10/04/09)
Sheriff Randall Boyce has won a court appeal against the Tennessee Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission (POST), which had sought to deny him certification -- a status which made him ineligible for re-election and slashed his pay. POST had denied Boyce peace officer certification on the grounds that he had not completed basic recruit training when he became sheriff in 2006...

Davis promoted by Shelbyville police (10/04/09)
Mike Davis of the Shelbyville Police Department will have more responsibilities now that he has been promoted to sergeant. Chief Austin Swing made the announcement earlier this week, following the results of the latest sergeant exam. Davis has served Shelbyville since October 1992. He has been a motorcycle officer for three years "and has a very cool and calm demeanor," Swing said...

Court dates set for Web sales suspects (10/04/09)
A number of cases were either settled, continued or concluded in Bedford County Circuit Court on Thursday. n A couple accused of stealing items and selling them on the Internet had two different court dates set by Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell. Kerri Neal has a trial date of Nov. 2 while her husband, Troy Neal, had his case continued until Nov. 5...

Parker won't seek to question jury after all (10/02/09)
A man who asked that the jury in his trial be questioned has withdrawn that petition. Instead, Marvin Bobby Parker will have his motion for a new trial on Oct. 16. Parker had been found guilty of assault charges in connection with a incident at Duck River Speedway in 2008 in May...

Poker dealers found guilty (10/01/09)
A Bedford County jury found two men guilty Tuesday of helping to run an illegal poker house in Shelbyville last year. Andrew Welsh Craze and Samuel Cory Owens were both charged with one count each of aggravated gambling promotion, a class E felony, and will be sentenced Nov. 5 by Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell...

Jury selection begins in gaming trial (09/29/09)
Jury selection got underway Monday in the trial of two men who were allegedly involved in the operation of a gaming house that was raided last year. Andrew Welsh Craze and Samuel Cory Owen are facing one count each of aggravated gambling promotion -- a class E felony...

Bullet misses, but man thought he'd been shot (09/29/09)
A Shelbyville man who thought he had been shot in the head Sunday in an argument over $30 only suffered a deep gash, Shelbyville police said. Tamra Shenell Whitley, 28, Woodbury Street, whose gun allegedly went off while she was using it to hit William G. Lynch of Shelbyville, has been charged with aggravated robbery, Bedford County Jail records indicate...

Fatal wreck on Horse Mountain Road (09/27/09)

Shelbyville man accused in sex abuse incidents (09/27/09)
A Shelbyville man is being held under $100,000 bond after being arrested on serious charges of a sexual nature against a child. Joe Jernigan, 61, of Richland Drive has been charged with two counts of aggravated sexual battery. Jernigan allegedly had "unlawful sexual contact with a juvenile female that was 11 years of age," according to warrants filed by Detective Carol Jean of the Shelbyville Police Department...

Officals try to protect public from worst traffic offenders (09/27/09)
"Why is this guy still driving around?" "Can't they put a stop to these people before they kill someone?" These are examples of comments left by concerned readers of the Times-Gazette Web site whenever a story about a person with a long list of driving offenses is published...

Suspects brag about stealing $1,900 from wallet (09/27/09)
A wallet containing $1,900 in $100 bills and several more $20 bills was taken from a Tillett's Trailer Park home overnight Wednesday, police said. The victim named two suspects who he was told were bragging about spending the money, police said. Fifteen gallons of gas were stolen from a truck and money taken from two vending machines overnight Wednesday at the Shelbyville Public Works building, Industrial Parkway, police said...

Counterfeit $20s passed at convenience store (09/24/09)
More counterfeit $20 bills have been reported in Shelbyville, police say. Three fake $20s were given to a cashier at a BP convenience store late Tuesday afternoon, officers were told. The suspect was driving a white van or Ford Explorer, the clerk said and store video showed, according to Detective Brian Crews...

Church embezzlement suspect faces court date (09/23/09)
Oct. 26 is the next court date for a former youth minister accused of taking $73,000 from a Shelbyville church. William Charles Lohn appeared briefly with Murfreesboro attorney John Taylor in Bedford County Circuit Court Monday to have his case continued until next month...

Trial dates set for kidnapping suspect (09/23/09)
Several people with matters in Bedford County Circuit Court had trial dates set or had their cases continued on Monday. Trial dates for a Tullahoma man accused of kidnapping and other charges have been set. James Lynne Stewart, 51, goes to trial on Dec. 8 and 9 on charges of especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated rape, aggravated assault and theft over $500 in connection with an alleged incident in 2002...

Wallet stolen from unlocked car (09/23/09)
A wallet was stolen from an employee's unlocked car at Sonic Drive-In, North Main Street, between 6:30 p.m. Monday and shortly after midnight Tuesday, the Shelbyville Police Department said. The wallet contained $500 and a diamond ring valued at $300 in addition to personal cards and documents, police said...

Suspect indicted in 2007 incident (09/22/09)
It took less than an hour for the Bedford County grand jury to indict seven on a variety of charges Monday, including a Franklin County man for a break-in two years ago. Adam Keith Stewart, 26, of Huntland was indicted on charges of aggravated burglary and aggravated assault. He is free under $10,000 bond and is represented by Shelbyville attorney John Norton...

Gunman admits 'showing' weapon (09/22/09)
The man who held three children at gunpoint during a January home invasion in Shelbyville pleaded guilty Monday, just days after his partner-in-crime was found guilty by a Bedford County jury. Wilson Palacio will learn on Oct. 26 what his sentence will be after he admitted he was guilty of three counts of aggravated robbery and a single count of aggravated burglary...

Man's nose broken in road rage incident (09/22/09)
A rough weekend for drivers resulted in one injury from apparent road rage and several arrests by Shelbyville police. The man and his wife said they were attacked after driving around two cars which were parked in the roadway and almost colliding with an oncoming white Lincoln Continental...

Parker wants new trial, seeks to question jurors (09/20/09)
A man found guilty of assault charges in connection with a incident at Duck River Speedway in 2008 is asking a circuit court judge to force jurors who deliberated his case to answer questions as he tries to have a new trial set. Judge Lee Russell will decide on Oct. 1 whether to subpoena the jurors that served on Marvin Bobby Parker's trial in May...

Late-night thief pays another visit to store (09/20/09)
Walmart's electronics department was visited for the third time within a week by a late-night thief Thursday -- but this time a description was obtained, police said. A man, described as black and in his late 20s or early 30s, took a digital camera, then went to the women's clothing department and stuffed the camera under his shirt, police were told by Walmart security...

Gomez found guilty of robbing children at gunpoint (09/18/09)
A jury swiftly found a Smyrna man guilty Thursday after three Shelbyville children testified about the men who robbed them at gunpoint during a home invasion earlier this year. It took less than 30 minutes for the jury to convict Jos� Gomez on a single count of aggravated burglary and three counts of aggravated robbery...

Alleged Internet predator faces second court appearance (09/17/09)
A Murfreesboro man accused of several sexually-related charges involving a minor and the Internet will make a court appearance next month. Oct. 14 is the second court date for Brian Allen Bell, 27, who has been charged with four counts of solicitation of a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means and distributing obscene material to a minor...

Late-night thief targets high-tech items (09/17/09)
Late night brought out a thief at Walmart over the weekend, Shelbyville police said. A shoplifter took three mobile printers, a video camera and digital camera from the North Main Street store between 2 and 3 a.m. Saturday, police said Tuesday. The man entered the store with two women and purchased food before leaving alone, police said...

Smokers: keep your butts off the courthouse grounds (09/16/09)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners' law enforcement, workhouse and fire committee decided Tuesday night that stricter enforcement will be more effective than signs in discouraging people from dropping cigarette butts on the courthouse lawn. Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the courthouse lawn except for a designated smoking area (with a waste receptacle) on the west lawn. ...

Chase leads to more charges for suspect (09/15/09)
A Tullahoma man already wanted for several previous violations racked up a few more after refusing to stop for an officer Sunday morning, investigators said, James Edward Garrett, 21, allegedly tried to outrun a deputy who attempted to pull him over on Belmont Avenue about 10:30 a.m., Sheriff Randall Boyce said...

Firefighter memorial opened, dedicated (09/13/09)
Two events took place Friday on the grounds of the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy on Unionville-Deason Road. The first, a ribbon-cutting, was an upbeat story of goals achieved. The second was more somber. A crowd of 600 firefighters and family members from across the state gathered to open Phase I of the Tennessee Fallen Firefighter Memorial. ...

Court must consider Thompson's claims (09/12/09)
NASHVILLE (AP) -- An appeals court is giving death row inmate Gregory Thompson another chance to prove he had ineffective counsel at trial. Thompson was convicted in August 1985 of abducting former Times-Gazette reporter Brenda Blanton Lane from a Shelbyville Wal-Mart parking lot in January of that year, driving her to a rural area in Coffee County and killing her with a rusty butcher knife...

Woman lucky to survive as car plunges into dense brush (09/11/09)
Fortune was on the side of a Shelbyville woman whose car plunged off U.S. 41-A near Davis Hill and down an embankment Thursday morning. Ironically, the accident occurred as the driver was attempting to refasten her seat belt, State Trooper Chad McAnally said...

Police seek suspect in hit-and-run crash (09/11/09)
A Shelbyville man police say crashed into a truck on Blue Ribbon Parkway last week while speeding away from a traffic stop will be charged when found, police said in a report released Thursday. Darius Deonte Lewis, Cedar River Road, remained at large Thursday, police said. Lewis will be charged with reckless endangerment, evading arrest, leaving the scene of an accident, reckless driving and driving on a revoked license when found...

Lawyer for hog farmer asks for DNA results (09/10/09)
LEWISBURG -- The attorney for a Bedford County hog farmer, who's charged with polluting four water wells, is asking the state for results of chemical tests, according to court records filed Wednesday. "I'm told that there was DNA testing and that it was inconclusive," Fayetteville-based attorney Ray Fraley said on behalf of his client, Charles Edward "Charlie" Haskins, 61, of Haskins Chapel Road near Sutton Creek...

Firefighter memorial to be dedicated Friday (09/10/09)
Firefighters and dignitaries from across Tennessee will attend the long ribbon cutting ceremony and dedication Friday afternoon for the Tennessee Fallen Firefighter Memorial on the grounds at the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy on Unionville-Deason Road. The memorial will honor the many men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their communities and neighbors...

Drug dogs find little of substance at Central (09/09/09)
With the keen noses of five K-9 officers at work, Shelbyville and Bedford County authorities, along with help from Rutherford County and the city of La Vergne, conducted a drug sweep of Shelbyville Central High School Tuesday morning. "We're going to run several dogs through here and see if we can't find any drugs this morning," Bedford County Sheriff Randall Boyce said...

Officers taser pit bull to stop attack on patrol car (09/09/09)
Shelbyville police said they were forced to use a Taser on a pit bull which attacked a patrol car Monday. The dog was subdued and taken to Shelbyville's animal shelter, Maj. Jan. Phillips' report said. Officers found the dog, which had been reported at large behind a West Lane Street home, outside an unoccupied house on nearby Central Avenue near another dog tied to a tree...

Plea deadline set in eBay case (09/08/09)
Two people accused of selling stolen items on eBay have until Oct. 1 to decide if they want to make a plea or go before a jury. Meanwhile, one of the defendants in the alleged thefts was sentenced on drug related charges. Troy Neal, 31, of Shelbyville and Kerri Neal, 36, of Murfreesboro have been accused of lifting thousands of dollars worth of weight loss and make-up items from the shelves of area Walmarts and selling them on the popular Internet auction site...

Man killed as truck overturns (09/06/09)
A young Bedford County man lost his life in an early morning accident Saturday west of Shelbyville. The body of Matthew J. Cooke, 23, of Whitaker Road was found near his overturned pickup truck in a field near Joe Fleming Stables, HIghway 64 West, authorities said...

Mother of meth-positive baby faces at least 1-year term (09/06/09)
A Shelbyville woman who gave birth to a baby that tested positive for drugs will spend at least the next year in jail after pleading guilty Thursday. Kristine T. Buie agreed to a sentence of three years on the charge of aggravated assault before Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell...

Marijuana found during search of suspect (09/06/09)
Marijuana was found on a man being searched at Bedford County Jail Tuesday, Shelbyville police said. Timothy Aaron Newsom, 23, Frank Martin Road, allegedly attempted to conceal a bag containing 1.27 grams in his left side waistband, Officer Gregg Loyd's report said...

Accident reports to cost less as city complies with open records law (09/04/09)
The cost of getting an accident report from Shelbyville police will drop considerably once the city passes a resolution to come into line with the state's open records laws. City manager Ed Craig explained during Tuesday's study session that the state's open records law was amended in 2008, creating the Office of Open Records Council...

13th DUI conviction leads to seven-year prison sentence (09/04/09)
A man arrested for his 13th charge of DUI will spend the next seven years behind bars before being eligible for parole. Phillip Ray Burns, 45, of Hopkins Bridge Road pleaded guilty to the charge Thursday before Circuit Court Judge Lee Russell, as well as charges of being a habitual traffic offender, simple possession of schedule VI, violation of implied consent and evading arrest...

Unregistered sex offender sought by area officials (09/04/09)
Shelbyville police are looking for a man who has not registered as a sex offender in Tennessee and is facing a number of charges. Brett Tyler Hill, whose driver's license places his residence as Woodly Court in McMinnville, is wanted for theft and forgery that he allegedly committed in Shelbyville, according to Detective Sgt. Brian Crews. He is also wanted for a probation violation...

Final fraud suspect will plead guilty (09/03/09)
The final defendant accused of a bank fraud and money laundering conspiracy in Bedford County has filed notice of his intent to plead guilty. Meanwhile, a Shelbyville man who intends to enter his own guilty plea has had a hearing date set. Jonathon B. Henderson gave notice Tuesday of his decision to plead guilty to counts one and four of the federal indictment that was handed down against him and three others in May...

Video piracy suspect hires lawyer, remains free (09/02/09)
A man accused of running an elaborate video game and movie piracy operation at his residence told a judge Tuesday he has an attorney and had his next court date set. Lemuel Earl Houston, 33, of Templeton Street, appeared in court to tell General Sessions Judge Charles Rich that Rhonda Hooks will be his lawyer...

School ransacked but safe does its job (09/02/09)
An unsuccessful attempt was made to gain access to the safe at Thomas Magnet School, Tate Avenue, over the weekend, Shelbyville police said Tuesday. School officials said $50 was taken from the School Age Care Program office and three sets of keys to the building are missing, according to Officer Josh Leverette's report...

State appeals court rules for Horse Hub (09/02/09)
NASHVILLE -- The Tennessee Court of Appeals last week upheld a trial court's decision for the woman who runs The Horse Hub in Wheel just east of the Marshall County line. Horse Hub proprietor Bonnie Cady was fined $17,000 in March 2005 by the state Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners for practicing veterinary medicine, including artificial insemination and ultrasound exams...

Ritch will admit guilt in fraud case (09/01/09)
Real estate developer Roger Ritch has filed a notice of intent to plead guilty in his involvement in a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme. Ritch of Shelbyville along with William McMahan, Jonathan Henderson and Carrie Snow, all of Murfreesboro, were charged in May with bank fraud and money laundering in an alleged scheme involving hundreds of homes in Shelbyville...

Cocaine, marijuana found in suspect's car (09/01/09)
Multiple charges were filed against a man who allegedly possessed cocaine and marijuana when arrested early Monday, Shelbyville police said. An estimated 50.54 grams of cocaine base and 6.88 grams of marijuana were found in a car occupied by Shaun Earl Gibson, 31, Lorien Circle, after he allegedly drove down Woodland Avenue with lights off at 12:54 a.m. as officers responded to a fight call nearby...

Aydelott plea hearing delayed (08/30/09)
A continuance has been granted for one of the five defendants accused in a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme. Bradley Aydelott's change of plea hearing has been moved to Sept. 21 at 2 p.m. in Courtroom 1A at the federal courthouse in Chattanooga before District Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr, according to documents filed in federal court Thursday. The hearing had been originally scheduled for Monday...

Suspects allegedly hand over drugs to officers (08/28/09)
A narcotics investigation by the Bedford County Sheriff's Department last week has resulted in two arrests and the seizure of a variety of drugs. Arrested were Anthony Joseph Bryant, 28, and Melinda Kay Ferguson, 33, who were both charged with manufacturing/selling/delivering a schedule II drug, possession of a schedule VI drug, possession of a legend drug, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both were freed on $12,000 bond...

Meth found after traffic stop (08/28/09)
A brief foot chase Wednesday night ended with a Shelbyville man's arrest on drug and weapons charges, police said. Steven Dean Brown, 23, Hickory Drive, was captured after a traffic stop on Madison Street near Whitthorne Street intersection, Officer Waymond Boyd said...

Meth delivery by mail leads to drug charges against Unionville family (08/27/09)
A package allegedly containing methamphetamine delivered to a Unionville home from California last month has resulted in drug charges for a local family. Larry Scott Blacksmith, Roberta Jane Blacksmith and Brian Scott Bartlett made their first appearances in General Sessions Court Wednesday...

County finances may prevent buying, leasing bank building (08/27/09)
Bedford County Financial Management Committee chairman Joe Tillett said Tuesday night that the county isn't in a position to either buy or lease the Regions Bank building on the square, which has been proposed as a location for new courtroom and court clerk space...

Judge Rich reprimanded for delay in child custody case (08/26/09)
Bedford County General Sessions Judge Charles Rich was reprimanded this week by Tennessee Court of the Judiciary over an eight month-delay in a child custody case. But Rich says that the serious nature of the case and the interests of the child were the reasons behind the delay...

Suspect allegedly sent porn photos to teenager (08/25/09)
A Murfreesboro man who tried to make contact with a Bedford County teen through the Internet site MySpace is being held on several sexually related charges. Brian Allen Bell, 27, has been charged with four counts of solicitation of a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor by electronic means and distributing obscene material to a minor...

Suspect charged in $300 robbery (08/25/09)
A suspect was charged Sunday in the robbery of a Shelbyville man last week, police said. Feysel Hassan, 21, South Maple Street was arrested as he arrived at his home Sunday night, Detective Charles Merlo of the Shelbyville Police Department said. "The victim picked him from a photo lineup," Merlo said. "Officer Gregg Loyd's shift found out when he was coming home and picked him up at his apartment."...

Robbery victim expected girls instead of attackers (08/23/09)
Three men robbed a Shelbyville resident after luring him to a South Maple Street home early Friday, police said. The victim's wallet, containing $300, and cell phone were taken while he was on the ground being beaten, Officer Jose Garza said. Police said the victim, 23, who lives on Purdy Court, was notified by telephone that "they had girls there" on South Maple Street and he needed to come over...

Former teacher pleads guilty in sex sting (08/23/09)
A former teacher and baseball coach pleaded guilty Friday to charges that he propositioned a "13-year-old girl" over the Internet who was actually a Shelbyville detective. He told the "girl" during chats that he hoped to get a job in Bedford County's school system and perhaps become her teacher, authorities said...

Driver avoids serious injury by inches (08/21/09)
"It gave me quite a jolt." Johnny Presley of Petersburg says he's a lucky man following a single-vehicle accident Thursday morning that totaled his truck, but did little damage to the driver. Presley had just crossed into Bedford County on Hannah Gap Road when his truck left the road, striking a tree before coming to a stop...

Hearing scheduled for sex suspect (08/21/09)
A man who is accused of attempting to entice a juvenile into sexual activity will appear in a hearing in October. Aaron J. Chaney will have a preliminary hearing on Oct. 30 to decide if his case will be bound over to the Bedford County grand jury. He is facing three counts of exploitation of a minor by electronic means...

Jail intake listed (08/21/09)
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...

Fraud suspect to plead guilty (08/20/09)
A third person indicted in connection with a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme will be changing his plea to guilty at the end of August. Bradley Aydelott has a change of plea hearing set for Aug. 31 at 1 p.m. in Courtroom 1A in Chattanooga before District Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr, according to documents filed in federal court Monday...

Rezoning recommended for Deason store (08/20/09)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners' rules and legislative committee, meeting Tuesday night, recommended a zoning change from A-1 (agriculture) to C-1 (commercial) for a site at 3225 U.S. 231 North in Deason which has been proposed for a Dollar General Store, according to County Mayor Eugene Ray...

Jail rape offenders sentenced to 20 years (08/19/09)
Two of the women who pleaded guilty to a rape in Bedford County Jail will be spending the next 20 years in prison after sentences were handed down on Monday. Brooke L. Whitaker was sentenced to 12 years by Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler, the maximum punishment available. This sentence will be served consecutively with the eight and a half years that Whitaker must also serve for other offenses, making it more than 20 years of incarceration...

Needles stolen from ambulance (08/18/09)
The theft of hypodermic needles from a Bedford County ambulance Friday wasn't discovered until their container was opened during an emergency call several hours later, officials said. But patient treatment wasn't compromised, said Chad Graham, director of Bedford County Emergency Medical Service...

Youth pastor indicted in embezzlement case (08/18/09)
The former youth minister of Shelbyville Mills Baptist Church was indicted by the Bedford County grand jury Monday on charges he took $73,000 from church coffers. William Charles Lohn was taken into custody by Shelbyville detectives Brian Crews and Charles Merlo and brought before Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler for arraignment...

Fire destroys Covered Bridge Estates home (08/18/09)
An early morning blaze Sunday destroyed a home in Covered Bridge Estates subdivision near Bell Buckle, according to Volunteer Fire Services Inc. The Roy Haddock family's residence on Mountain View Road was a "total loss," a VFSI spokesperson said. Cause of the fire was uncertain but VFSI investigators determined it started in the kitchen...

Officer sprays suspect to halt angry rampage (08/14/09)
A Shelbyville police officer said he was forced to use chemical spray to stop a suspect from damaging his patrol car Wednesday morning. The suspect, Charles Antwain Smith, 32, of Apache Drive, repeatedly slammed his head into the partition that separates the car's front and rear seats and kicked the right rear door and window, Officer Justin Smith said...

Prison term is no joke for bomb threat caller (08/13/09)
Tennessee's court of criminal appeals has upheld the conviction of a man who phoned in a bomb threat to a Shelbyville restaurant. Christopher Franklin had appealed his conviction of filing a false report, a Class C felony, after a jury trial in Bedford County Circuit Court...

Lawyer hopes to resolve Cheetos assault case (08/13/09)
The attorney for a couple accused of using Cheetos in an alleged case of domestic violence says he hopes to have the matter resolved next month. James Earl Taylor, 40, and Mary S. Childers, 44, will make their next appearance in General Session court on Sept. 9, according to their attorney, John Norton...

Soap dispenser taken from laundry (08/13/09)
Two men, one wearing camouflage and the other in all black, tore a detergent dispenser off the wall of North Main Laundry last Thursday, Shelbyville police reported Wednesday. The owner of the business told police the machine contained no more than $20 but replacement cost is $1,200...

Four-year-old honored for preventing fire (08/14/09)
Four-year-old Alexa Powers, whose keen eye and determination may have saved a Bedford County landmark from fire, was named an honorary "junior deputy state fire marshal" and presented with everything from proclamations to stuffed animals during Tuesday night's meeting of Bedford County Board of Commissioners....

Man cut, threatened in robbery attempt (08/12/09)
A Shelbyville man was charged with aggravated robbery after allegedly slashing his victim with a knife Monday morning, police said. Gerald Dean Marise, 50, of Highland Court allegedly went twice to a Madison Street Apartments residence asking for beer, Detective Sgt. Brian Crews said...

Youth pastor accused of embezzlement (08/11/09)
Allegations that a former youth minister embezzled $73,000 from a Shelbyville church will be presented to the Bedford County grand jury next Monday, according to a Shelbyville police detective. Charles Lohn, the former youth minister at Shelbyville Mills Baptist Church, was brought in for questioning "concerning his involvement in the embezzlement of approximately $73,000 from the church," Detective Sgt. Brian Crews said...

9-1-1 caller arrested after pot found by officer (08/11/09)
A man who called 911 complaining of someone outside his motel room's window was arrested after police found marijuana inside the room. Officer Tracey Nelson said she noticed a bag of marijuana "in plain view" while talking to Sean Edward Green, 18, Adams Drive, at Best Western Celebration Inn, Madison Street, Friday night...

VIDEO: Security camera footage of coin laundry theft (08/10/09)
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Fleeing suspect leaves shoes in his path (08/07/09)
A suspect apparently ran out of his shoes while evading a Shelbyville police officer during a foot pursuit early Thursday. The shoes were found near America's Best Value Inn, North Cannon Boulevard, following a car and foot chase, police said. Officer Jose Garza said he clocked a white Cadillac at 70 mph in a 30 mph zone on North Main Street at Colloredo Boulevard...

In pursuit of safer chases (08/06/09)
Shelbyville police officers simulated vehicle pursuits during a training session last week at the old Walmart parking lot on Madison Street. Most of the department's officers, who were joined by a police officer from Huntland, practiced on a "street course" marked off by plastic pylons spread across the lot...

Real estate suspect will change plea to guilty (08/06/09)
Another person accused of a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme has filed a motion to change his plea while one of the suspect faced a federal judge on Monday. Meanwhile, the U.S. attorney in the case says the suspects could face up to 40 years in prison, but would likely only serve a few years...