Josh Peterson

A joint investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office has resulted in the arrest of a Palmer man on a murder charge.

On or around November 11, 2020, the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the disappearance of Scottie Dewayne Tate (DOB 04/21/1972) of Palmer. Investigators developed information that led to the discovery of the victim’s body on Anderson Road on November 20th. At the request of District Attorney General J. Michael Taylor, TBI Special Agents joined deputies in the investigation, and investigators developed information that identified Derrick Anderson as the individual responsible for the death of Scottie Tate.

On Wednesday, investigators arrested Derrick Earl Anderson (DOB 05/24/1985) and charged him with one count of First Degree Murder. Anderson was booked into the Grundy County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond.

Tullahoma Police Department is warning the public of a new scam that is being perpetrated in the name of the Tullahoma PD.

In this scam attempt, the caller poses as a representative of the department and then ask for money in support of COVID-19 relief efforts.

The Tullahoma Police Department says: “We want the citizens of our great city to know that we will never solicit money via phone or by any other means. If you are a recipient of one of these calls please let us know.”

Never give out personal information over the phone and do not be aggressive toward the caller, which can lead to retaliation as learned in a recent incident in Manchester.

Manchester City Schools and Coffee County Schools have teamed up for another Mobile Food Pantry that will be held at 9 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 12, at First Baptist Church in Manchester.

This is a first come, first serve event, and is for families who have children enrolled in either of the two school districts.

Join us at Thunder Radio and Rosalyn Partin of the Manchester H&R Block and congratulate our student of the week – Jonathan Whitten!

Jonathan is in seventh grade at Coffee County Middle School. He is the son of Clayton and Crystal Whitten. His favorite subject is Math. When he grows up, he would like to be an accountant. Jonathan’s favorite hobbies are basketball and being a Cleveland Browns fan.

Rosalyn Partin, owner of the Manchester H&R Block, has been inspired to recognize great kids in our community all year long. H&R Block gives each Student of the Week a gift card, a commemorative plaque, as well as a special letter of recognition. Job well done, Jonathan!

(Pictured, Rosalyn Partin presents Jonathan Whitten with his student of the week award)

Coffee County Communications Board, which oversees the operations of the Coffee County 911 Center, has called a special meeting for 6 p.m. Feb. 10 to discuss a leadership change for the 911 center.

Tensions have risen lately after 911 Director Diane Argraves submitted a formal complaint to the Coffee County Government HR department that leveled accusations at Coffee County Sheriff Chad Partin, who happens to be the chair of the Coffee County Communications Board (CCCB), accusing him of being a bully and discriminating against her because of her gender and her age.

In a meeting last month, Partin addressed the CCCB and read an overview of ongoing issues the board has had with Argraves over the past two years.

Bluntly, Partin told Argraves he felt that the position of director was “over your head. “

Partin said the he and other board members have received complaints about dispatcher attitudes, lack of checking on first responders after arrival on a call, putting too much detailed information over the radio, speaking disrespectfully over open microphones and dispatchers acting unprofessionally, “leaving in the middle of a shift to spy on a husband.”

“This puts coworkers in distress and left citizens and officers in distress,” said Partin.

Tullahoma Police Chief Jason Williams, who is also a member of the 7-person CCCB, said during the January meeting that his primary problem is that there is no real direction or vision for the building. Williams added that when he brings problems to Argraves’ attention, she addresses or responds, but there is no initiative.

Among the issues Partin highlighted was the issuance of bonuses paid to employees of the 911 center. Money was made available and Argraves was divvying it out without structure. Partin said that Argraves told the board that there was no record of evaluations to gauge bonuses, that it was ‘in her head.”

“Members of the board explained to [Argraves] that we could be sued over the current way it was being done and that this had to be corrected,” said Partin.

Partin said the board devised a plan to tie these bonuses into training, with checks given at the end of the year once each employee completes training, with money amounts to be consistent for each employee.

Partin said in December when he asked Argraves for a record of the training, records were not ready. He said once he received them, there was training written down for dates that had yet to take place. He added that he felt the 911 board was “being misled.”

“The attitude of our director is to the point of a rebellion and resistance.”

In Argraves’ letter to the county with a complaint about Partin, it stated that Partin came to the 911 center and slapped the glass and was yelling.

Partin addressed this, saying that incident happened in the summer and found it interesting that it was just now being brought up.

Argraves serves at the pleasure of the CCCB. She was appointed by the board as director in 2017. 

Four Chattanooga residents are in the Coffee County Jail following a wild pursuit that started at the Manchester post office on Wednesday, Feb. 3. 

According to Coffee County Sheriff’s Department Chief Investigator Billy Butler, the sheriff’s department was working with the postal inspector in relation to a case of identity theft in the area.

Authorities got word that potential suspects were actually at the post office and were shipping packages. One of the subjects got out of the vehicle and was apprehended inside the post office by Coffee County Sheriff’s Department authorities. That subject has been identified as Tawon Lebron Billips, Jr..

“We then boxed in the vehicle they were traveling in the parking lot,” explained Butler.

At that point, the driver, identified as Jeffery Dewayne Dews, rammed police vehicles and took off. Police chased the vehicle down US Highway 41, and then on State Highway 55 toward McMinnville.

“Warren County had strips set up before the split at (Warren County) High School. They went around it and then traveled the wrong direction up Highway 55.”

Butler said the suspects threw two loaded handguns out of the vehicle that were recovered by officers.

“The pursuit was terminated on Highway 70 going toward Cannon County,” said Butler.

A short time later, the vehicle was discovered abandoned and the three occupants inside were apprehended a few hundred yards from the vehicle.

In addition to Dews and Billups Jr., also arrested were Armond Jarve Dews and Jada Yanai Springs. All have Chattanooga addresses.

Butler said joint efforts of McMinnville Police Department, Warren County Sheriff’s Department and Tennessee Highway Patrol were integral in a safe resolution to the pursuit.

Butler said the group faces multiple charges, including evading arrest, aggravated assault with the vehicle, reckless driving, identity theft and others. He added that gun charges will be turned over to federal authorities.

Area authorities are searching for three males who allegedly committed armed robbery at the Dollar General store in Pelham. This happened at approximately 9:04 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 2.

According to Grundy County Sheriff Clint Shrum, two black males and a third male of unknown ethnicity entered the store with their faces covered. One of the subjects presented a black handgun and pointed it at the cashier’s head and asked for the manager.

Once in contact with the manager, the group demanded gift cards loaded with cash.
According to authorities, the suspects fled eastbound on Interstate 24 in two separate vehicles. One maroon vehicle and one blue.

Anyone with information or who may have seen these vehicles is encouraged to contact Grundy County Sheriff’s Captain Larry Sims at 931-692=3466 ext. 5.