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Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves Suspends Inmate Work Detail In Tullahoma

Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves

Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves has temporarily suspended the use of an inmate work crew by the City of Tullahoma because of a disagreement over medical expenses.
Graves told The Tullahoma News that an inmate from the Coffee County Jail had incurred $10,000 in medical expenses while on work detail with Tullahoma Public Works Department, but that city had thus far not paid for the medical costs. The male inmate suffered some type of foot injury.
City of Tullahoma Administrator Jody Baltz expects to get the situation resolved soon and plans to continue the work program.
The cities of Tullahoma and Manchester, as well as several county departments and nonprofit organizations, use inmates on work detail as a source of free labor, but must agree to a long list of responsibilities in the process.

I-24 Crash Disrupts Traffic For Several Hours

Crash scene photo provided by Coffee County Emergency Management

Saturday there was a crash around 1pm involving a tractor trailer that ran off the roadway between mile markers 111 and 110 on I-24 in Coffee County. Wreckers and other emergency crews worked for many hours to remove the truck and debris. TDOT had to close the westbound side on Interstate 24 at the 111 mile marker for a long period of time. The 18-wheeler clipped a light pole, knocking it to the ground. Troopers diverted traffic off onto Exit 111 where people traveled down Interstate Dr. and then got back on the Interstate at Exit 110.
Traffic was snarled for 31 hours, finally opening completely at 8pm Sunday night.
According to Coffee County Emergency Management the driver was unhurt.

Tullahoma Woman Charged With Attempted First-Degree Murder

An Estill Springs woman is in a Chattanooga hospital and her accused attacker is in the Franklin County Jail following an incident in Estill Springs Thursday night.
According to Estill Springs Police Chief Allen Rhodes, Amanda Mines, 40, of East Grizzard Street, Tullahoma entered the Ake Street residence of David Miles and Andrea Gurien and attacked them.
According to the police chief, Mines pulled out a knife and cut Miles on the upper part of his body and arm. He was transported to Southern Tennessee Medical Center for treatment of his injuries. He was then released.
His girlfriend, Gurien, was stabbed in the chest. The chief stated that the woman suffered “about a four inch cut to the chest.” After paramedics from Rural Metro Ambulance arrived they request a helicopter land in the area. Life Force helicopter landed nearby and flew Gurien to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga where she is undergoing treatment for her injuries.
“Ms Mines is the former girlfriend of Mr. Miles and she was upset,” Rhodes explained. “She broke into his house and then cut them.”
Mines was arrested a short time later by police and charged with especially aggravated burglary and two counts of attempted first-degree murder.

All Inmates Removed From The Grundy County Jail

Large yellow school buses began pulling up in front of the Grundy County Jail in Altamont in the early morning hours of Wednesday, July 16. Responding to a call from the sheriff’s office, the school system provided buses and drivers to transport approximately 73 inmates to seven different facilities throughout the state, the result of a notice by the Fire Marshal that major electrical problems posed a hazard to the inmates at the jail.
A recent inspection of the Grundy County Jail by the Fire Marshal determined that exposed electrical wiring and natural gas lines put the inmates at risk. Several renovations were immediately implemented while others are projected to take up to two weeks – the deadline set by the Fire Marshal for completion of all improvements. In addition to electrical and gas issues, minor changes must be implemented to bring the jail closer to code, including tamper-proof screws on all electrical outlets.
It will cost the county $35-$85 per day, per inmate to house prisoners at other facilities, Williamson County being the only jail to waive the housing costs. Added expenses will be incurred as Grundy County deputies’ transport prisoners from their new location back to Grundy County for court dates, meetings with lawyers, and doctor’s visits.
The temporary shutdown does not address all of the concerns of Grundy County residents. Overcrowding, hygiene, and other safety concerns are not the focus of current renovations.
Transport of inmates continued throughout the day on Thursday, with all prisoners out of the jail by late afternoon. No details are available to the consequences if the July 24 deadline passes without the repairs completed. However, there is speculation the jail will be permanently closed.

Man Heads To State Prison For Child Rape

William Julian Pillars

Last week a Franklin County resident was sentenced in Franklin County Circuit Court after being found guilty on charges of Rape of a Child and Sexual Battery. The conviction was the culmination of a criminal investigation conducted by Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigator George Dyer. William Julian Pillars (196 Sunshine Circle Decherd, TN.) was charged with Rape of a Child 3 counts and Sexual Battery 1 count and ultimately found guilty in a jury trial proceeding in Franklin County Circuit Court. Pillars was sentenced to serve 62 years in a facility to be named by the Tennessee Department of Corrections.

Judge Retention Meeting To Be Held In Manchester On Monday

Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Cornelia A. “Connie” Clark will be in Manchester Monday to hold an informational meeting regarding the upcoming retention vote of Tennessee Supreme Court justices.
The meeting is set for 3 p.m. in the Coffee County Circuit Courtroom, 300 Hillsboro Boulevard.
Also scheduled to be on hand at the meeting are former Tennessee Court of Appeals Judge Patricia Cottrell, Senior Judge Walter Kurtz, attorney Margaret Behm, and attorney William “Bill” Purcell. The vote will effect the retention of Tennessee Supreme Court Justices Gary Wade, Clark, and Sharon Lee.
For more information about the event, call Christina Henley Duncan at Rogers, Duncan & North for additional information, (931) 728-0820.
The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

Unemployment Rate For Tennessee

Tennessee’s unemployment rate for the month of June was 6.6 percent, a slight increase from the May rate of 6.4 percent. That’s according to Tennessee Labor Commissioner Burns Phillips.
The national unemployment rate for June was 6.1 percent, which was down from 6.3 in May.
Over the past year, Tennessee’s unemployment rate decreased from 8.4 percent to 6.6, while the national rate decreased from 7.5 percent to 6.1 percent.
The largest decreases occurred in mining, logging and construction, government and other services. The largest increases occurred in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality and trade, transportation and utilities.

Pedaling Police

Manchester Police officer Dale Roberson… Photo and story by Samantha Watters

This past week officers from the Manchester Police Department and surrounding communities participated in a Police Cyclist Course under the direction of the Law Enforcement Bicycle Association. This 40 hour training course was held in Manchester and each day of the week focused on a new topic such as Basic Bicycle Riding Techniques, Defensive Bike Tactics, Firing a Weapon after Dismounting a Bike, & Off Road Trail Techniques.

Patrolmen working on training

Some of the benefits associated with having trained bicycle officers within a community include more mobility within condensed city surroundings, less gas expense for local police departments, and the opportunity for officers to be more approachable by citizens. Officers from across the state traveled to participate in this 5 day course held in Manchester, TN. To see these officers during training and to learn more about the Police Cyclist Program, watch our all new Thunder TV News Video on the homepage at WMSRradio.com.

7/22/14 —- PAUL W. SWANSON

Paul W. Swanson, age 50 of Manchester, Tennessee, passed away on July 17, 2014 at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

Paul was a Instrument Technician Engineer at Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), a United States Navy Veteran and a member of Temple Baptist Church in Manchester.

He will be fondly remembered as a handsome, happy, intelligent and loving Christian, an exceptional father, extraordinary individual and the “biggest” Alabama Crimson Tide football fan. He was also a gifted, college level athlete in baseball and basketball.

He was preced in death by his parents, the late Walter C. Swanson and Wanda June Lawson Swanson and brother, Carl John Swanson.

He is survived by his sons, Justice Storm Swanson and Dallas Rain Swanson bothof Manchester, TN and their mother, Juana Lai Swanson of Manchester, TN; sister, Rebecca Marlow of Hillsboro, TN; brother, Eric Swanson and his wife Kathy of Manchester, TN; many nieces, nephews, friends and loved ones.

Visitation will be on Monday, July 21, 2014 from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Central Funeral Home in Manchester.

A Graveside Service will be conducted on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at the Rose Hill Memorial Gardens with Pastor James Kinslow officiating.

CENTRAL FUNERAL HOME in Charge of Arrangements.