Category: News

According to WKRN-TV in Nashville, an all-night search in Franklin County had a happy ending Sunday morning.
A young woman was found safe around 8 a.m. after spending more than 12 hours lost and alone in the mountains.
According to the Franklin County Rescue Squad, 24-year old Savannah Jade Bishop better known as Savvy Bishop was located around 8 a.m.
Bishop went missing after taking her new four-wheeler out Saturday night for a drive on Keith Springs Mountain, near the Franklin/Marion County line.
Lisa Clark, Bishop’s mother, tells News 2 that Bishop called her Saturday night and said she had an accident. A final text came in around 10 p.m. saying she had taken a wrong turn, flipped the four-wheeler and was lost, hungry and scared.
Crews from multiple counties helped in the search. The young woman’s condition has not been released.

On Sunday (August 6, 2017) Deputy Benjamin Sneed of the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department responded to the Fire Lake area of Coffee County in reference to a burglary of a residence. The owner stated that someone had broken into a garage and shed on his property and vandalized them. Outside the garage there was a work light and a grill that was originally inside the building and there was also fire extinguisher spray all over the floor and several items inside the building had been moved. A mobile home had the back door opened and the primary residence had the crawl space door removed.
While on scene an in-progress burglary was reported near the other location. The owner of property gave a description of two white male suspects one in all black and the second in a dark colored vest and the owner gave the direction of travel.
K-9 Max and Deputy Jennifer Curbow were called to the scene. Deputies received a call that one of the suspects was in the woods nearby. All units responded to that area attempting to locate the men. Deputy Sneed saw a white male in all black appear in a field. In Sneed’s report he says he announced himself in full uniform and emergency lights were on. The suspect continued to run. Sneed eventually caught him and placed him in custody.
Austin Summit age 23 of Parkers Lane in Manchester allegedly gave a full confession to Sneed and Investigator Kelly Smith.
Summit was charged with resisting/stop/halt/frisk or search (non-violent) with other charges pending.
A second suspect is being questioned as the investigation continues.

For the second time in as many weeks a Tullahoma man has been arrested in connection with work he allegedly failed to perform.
Elmer Ray Church, 46, of East Grundy Street, Tullahoma was charged with two counts of theft of property and five counts of forgery.
In warrants, Tullahoma Police Investigator Johnny Gore alleges that between June 1 and July 10 Church was hired to do construction work at 100 Point Drive in Tullahoma but he failed to do it. Warrants allege that Church was paid $84,100 in January and February to perform construction work on the residence but he did not perform them.
New warrants allege that Church took five checks that were to pay other subcontractors and cashed them without paying the contractors to whom they were intended. The checks totaled $44,750.
The warrants allege that Church forged his name on a check made to Window Work in the amount of $9,010. He then allegedly deposited the check in his account at Ascend Federal Credit Union.
He is also accused of forging his name on a check made out to Mark Baker for $8,000 and deposited it in Traders National Bank in Tullahoma and then withdrew the money.
He also allegedly forged his name on a check made to Roscoe Brown for $6,000 and deposited it in Traders National Bank and then withdrew the money.
He is also accused of forging his name on a check made to Joel Winton for $4,250 and deposited it Traders National Bank in Tullahoma and then withdrew the money.
Also between June 1 and July 20 Church was hired to do construction at a residence on South Polk Street in Tullahoma. The work was never completed and Church was paid $5,000 for the work.
When he arrested on Aug. 2 he posted a bond of $50,000. But he is being held on the latest charge on a $70,000 bond.

A warrant round-up in Grundy and Marion Counties resulted in the arrest of 29 people Tuesday. Nearly 40 law enforcement officers spread out across both counties to arrest the individuals in connection with failing to appear in court, probation violations and distributing controlled substances including meth, marijuana and painkillers.
Those arrested were part of an undercover operation conducted by the 12th judicial district task force, Tracy City Police and sheriff’s departments in Grundy and Marion Counties. The TBI also assisted in the round-up along with Monteagle Police.

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department continues to search for a missing teen. Reports indicate that the teen could now be in Rutherford County.
Keana Watters age 17 of Coffee County has been missing since June 30, 2017. Watters was last seen at her residence and reports now indicate that she could be in Rutherford County.
She is a white female standing 5’4″ and weighing 118lbs with brown hair and eyes.
If you have any information please contact Investigator Jason Dendy at the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department at 931-570-4427.

The Hands-On Science Center in Tullahoma has been awarded a $48,886 grant from the USAF STEM Program. Grants like this are key to furthering the Air Force mission to foster a new generation of scientists, mathematicians, engineers and technologists who will one day discover and problem solve in the nation’s defense laboratories and other supporting U.S. companies.
The Hands-On Science Center has provided science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs for 25 years. Collaborating with the Arnold AFB STEM Outreach program office, the Center is focused on providing an educational environment for youth conducive to the growth of technology and ideas throughout Middle Tennessee.
Earlier this summer, the Hands-On Science Center announced the selection of Deb Wimberley as its new executive director. The selection was made after a national search and selection process, led by John Claybrook, president of the HOSC Board of Directors.
“Ms. Wimberley has a wealth of science and teaching experience and is extremely enthusiastic with a deep sense of commitment to the mission of this organization,” reported Claybrook.
Wimberley’s experience includes over eight years as science teacher at Westwood Middle School in Manchester, TN. She also has extensive knowledge of a variety of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs and an extensive network with businesses in the region.
The Hands-On Science Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire excitement for science through over 100 interactive exhibits and programs that engage, educate and empower. Hosting over 18,000 visitors each year, the Center is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m. and on Sundays from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. as well as Monday and Tuesday for scheduled school field trips. The Hands-On Science Center is located at 101 Mitchell Blvd in Tullahoma, TN.

Recently Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the formation of the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit, a new Department of Justice pilot program to utilize data to help combat the devastating opioid crisis that is ravaging families and communities across America. This new unit will focus specifically on opioid-related health care fraud using data to identify and prosecute individuals that are contributing to this prescription opioid epidemic.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, which includes Coffee County, was one of 12, out of 94 districts across the country, chosen to participate in this program. The district will receive funding for an Assistant U.S Attorney, for a three-year term, to focus solely on investigating and prosecuting healthcare fraud related to prescription opioids, including pill mill schemes and pharmacies that unlawfully divert or dispense prescription opioids for illegitimate purposes. Sadly, statistics show that Tennessee is one of the most highly opioid-addicted states in the country.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Lewen, Jr., has been selected to fill this position in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee. He will be working with the FBI, DEA and HHS, as well as our state and local law enforcement partners.

Just before 10 am on Wednesday, a black male in a white T-shirt, dark blue jeans and a large gold belt buckle attempted to pass a fraudulent check at US Bank in Decherd.
The male was rushed and got scared and fled the bank on foot. Police are unaware if he had a vehicle waiting for him in the area.
The Decherd Police Department is asking for your help if you see someone matching this description. They don’t believe the male is from this area but he has a book of checks belonging to a victim and may try to cash another one in the area.
If you have any information, please call Franklin County Consolidated Communications at 967-2331 or the Decherd Police Department at 962-1675.

Two men, one from Tullahoma and the other from Manchester were arrested after they were stopped for a traffic violation.
Jonathon Charles Burt, 27, of South Polk Street, Tullahoma was charged with burglary, two counts of theft, unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities and two counts of failure to appear. Burt was booked into the Coffee County Jail under a bond of $32,700.
Also arrested with Burt was Joshua James Talley, 28, of Crown Road Manchester who was a passenger in the vehicle. He was charged with theft of property, burglary, unlawful carrying or possession of a weapon and violation of probation. His bond was set at $21,500.

Coffee County Sheriff’s Deputy Cpl. Stephen Sharketti stopped Burt on Wayside Road in Manchester. When he made contact with him, Burt admitted that there were firearms in the vehicle. In searching the vehicle, the deputy allegedly found two pistols that had been stolen from a residence on Red Oak Drive in Manchester. He also allegedly found a duffel bag, five stolen watches, three pair of Ray Ban Sunglasses, a necklace and three DeWalt power tools. Also found was a spoon with drug residue on it.
According to a report by the deputy, the Dodge Charger that Burt was driving had been stolen in Tullahoma.
Both men are to appear in Coffee County General Sessions Court on Sept. 11.