News – Page 694 – Thunder Radio

Follow-up on Drug Arrests in Tullahoma

Timothy Wayne Mooningham… Photo provided by the CCSD.

On yesterday’s news we told you about Billie Jo Funk, age 44 of Morris Lane, Tullahoma, being a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation on East Grundy Street by Tullahoma Patrolman Tommy Elliott. Elliott reports that the driver fled on foot.
Now we have learned the alleged driver of the vehicle, Timothy Wayne Mooningham, age 32 of Faye Creek D-7 Wartrace, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon.
Upon searching the vehicle the arrest warrant says that Tullahoma officers allegedly found several Xanax pills, 26 grams of ice, and 20 grams of marijuana. Several glass pipes were located in the car and a 9mm fully loaded handgun.
The original reason for the stop was because the driver ran a stop sign.
Funk and Mooningham have been charged with 3 counts of Manufacturing/delivering/selling/possession of a controlled substance, drug paraphernalia uses and activities and illegal possession of a weapon. Mooningham also faces charges of driving on revoked/suspended license and violation of probation. Coffee County Sheriff’s Department deputies assisted in the arrest of Mooningham on Tuesday.
Funk’s bond was set at $82,500 and she is set to appear in court Nov. 10, 2016. Mooningham’s bond was set at $94,500 and he’ll be in court on October 10, 2016.

Grundy County Deputy Injured

A Grundy County deputy is at home recovering after being injured in a hit and run.
Sheriff Clint Shrum told reporters Deputy Rusty Parker was working at his second job at the time with Cumberland Outdoors.
Officials say the deputy approached a vehicle that was trespassing on Cumberland Outdoors property. When Deputy Parker asked the driver to exit, the driver identified as Nick Smart, took off hitting Deputy Parker instead.
Shrum says Parker’s leg was pinned in between the suspect’s vehicle and his own vehicle causing minor injuries. He was taken to a nearby hospital, treated and released.
Nick Smart is wanted on aggravated assault charges. He is believed to be driving a red and black Chevrolet Blazer. If you see him or know where he is, call the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office at (931) 692-3860.

Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold now in Jail

Artist rendering of Sheriff Robert Arnold being handcuffed by U.S. Marshals (Credit: Mike Sowers)… Story and picture by WGNS

A US Magistrate revoked the bond of Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold, he was handcuffed in the courtroom and led away. Arnold will be incarcerated until his federal court trial set for February 7, 2017. That places Chief Deputy Randy Garrett in command. After that, the county commission has the power to name a temporary sheriff to serve Arnold’s remaining term. However, that phase likely would not happen until after the results of the federal trial.
Sheriff Arnold had a six-hour federal hearing on Tuesday that dealt with allegations that he abused his wife Megan Arnold. The allegations arose after an alleged argument in the Arnold household on Labor Day, September 5, 2016.
The Magistrate ruled that he had too much evidence to go over and study to make a quick decision. That is why Sheriff Arnold remained free overnight, and appeared again Wednesday in Nashville’s federal courts.
Arnold was on bond when the domestic incident reportedly occurred as he awaits a federal trial that will take place in February of 2017. You may recall that Arnold was indicted earlier this year on 14 charges of honest services fraud; mail fraud; wire fraud; bribery concerning federal programs; extortion under color of official right; obstruction of justice; and conspiracy.
Arnold appeared again in court on Wednesday to hear from the judge in regards to him allegedly violating the conditions of his bond. The judge ruled that Arnold did indeed violate his bond conditions. The Sheriff of Rutherford County will now remain behind bars until the date of his trial on February 7, 2017.

TennCare Fraud Charges filed against Manchester Man

Harold Grant Lovelace… Photo provided

A Coffee County man is charged with TennCare fraud for using the program to obtain a prescription for a controlled substance, which he later sold to someone else. The Office of Inspector General (OIG), with the assistance of the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office have announced the arrest of Harold Grant Lovelace, 54, of Manchester. He’s charged with TennCare fraud in connection with using TennCare benefits to obtain a prescription for the painkiller Hydrocodone and later selling a portion to a confidential informant. “Tennesseans won´t allow this kind of abuse of the state´s public health program, especially considering the amount of prescription drugs that are being sold illegally,” Inspector General Manny Tyndall said. “TennCare drug fraud is one of our prime targets, and we´re working these cases across the state.” District Attorney General Craig Northcott is prosecuting. As of July 1, 2016, TennCare fraud was changed to a Class D felony punishable by up to four years in prison. The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to more than $3 million being repaid to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of more than $163.6 million for TennCare, according to latest figures. To date, 2,732 people have been charged with TennCare fraud. Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or visit the website and follow prompts that read “Report TennCare Fraud.

Man Charged with Assault and more after trying to Evade

Timothy Scott Solomon… Photo provided by the CCSD

On Sunday Coffee County deputies received a call of a suspicious subject knocking on doors on the McMinnville Hwy in Manchester. Deputies made contact with the subject on McMinnville Hwy after the man’s vehicle had ran out of gas. Deputies state that the subject returned to his vehicle and when officers again went to make contact with the man identified as Timothy Scott Solomon age 26 of South Spring St Manchester. Deputies found that the man had an active warrant and allegedly tried to evade law enforcement by exiting his vehicle. The arrest warrant says that deputies were able to stop the subject and place him in custody and as they were arresting Solomon, he supposedly pulled away from the deputies causing bodily injury to the one holding him. Solomon allegedly then attempted to evade the officers causing them to chase the subject approximately 1/2 a mile down the road into the woods. As authorities again went to place the subject into custody the man continued to resist them and kicked one of the officers.
Solomon was charged with; Resisting stop, halt, frisk, arrest or search, evading arrest, unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities, 2 counts of assault, and reckless endangerment. Bond was set at $60,500 and he’ll be in Coffee County Court on October 3, 2016.

Tourist Expenditures Help Coffee County Citizens Save Money

In a news release received from the Manchester Tourism and Community Development Commission, According to the State of Tennessee’s Department of Tourist Development 2015 Economic Impact Study, Coffee County Residents saved over $361 per household in tax obligations thanks to Tourist Expenditures in 2015. That number was up from over $333 in the 2014 report according to the State of Tennessee.
The County Impact Report was released by the State at last week’s Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Hospitality.
Coffee County also moved up from a 22nd ranking to 21st in statewide tourism impact and ranked seventh in three of the five growth metrics of the report and sixth in the two others.

Woman Arrested on Several Charges in Tullahoma

Billie Jo Funk… Photo provided by the CCSD

Early Tuesday morning, Billie Jo Funk, age 44 of Morris Lane Tullahoma was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for a traffic violation on East Grundy Street by Tullahoma Patrolman Tommy Elliott. Elliott reports that the driver and the front seat passenger fled on foot. Apparently Funk did not flee and the two suspects had not been captured at our news deadline.
Upon searching the vehicle the arrest warrant says that Tullahoma officers allegedly found several Xanax pills, 26 grams of Ice, and 20 grams of Marijuana. Funk also allegedly had several glass pipes plus police found in the car a 9mm fully loaded handgun.
Funk was charged with 3 counts of Manufacturing/delivering/selling/possession of a controlled substance, drug paraphernalia uses and activities and illegal possession of a weapon.
Her bond was set at $82,500 and she is set to appear in court Nov. 10, 2016.

Report on Tennessee Accidental Gunshot Deaths was Wrong

A publicized report that Tennessee had 105 accidental gunshot deaths during 2014-more than any state in the nation-was wrong. There were actually just five such fatalities, according to the state Department of Health. The Safe Tennessee Project initially reported the 105 fatalities earlier this month, saying the surprisingly high figure had been verified at the time by both the federal Center for Disease Control and the Department of Health.

Lady Raider Golf Wins 4th Consecutive District Championship

The CHS Lady Raider golf team with their district tournament plaque. Left to right – Sophie Vinson, Savannah Quick and Ashley Gilliam [Photo provided]

Four in a row! For the 4th consecutive year, the Coffee County Central High School Lady Raider golf team captured the District 8AAA crown as they finished with 3 of the top 4 individual scores to outdistance their competitors by 36 strokes. The win advances them to Thursday’s Region 4AAA tournament in Murfreesboro. The Red Raiders finished in 2nd place behind Tullahoma which was still good enough to qualify them for Thursday’s Region tournament as well.
Ashley Gilliam fired a 1 over par score of 72 on the Bear Trace Course at Tims Ford to tie for the overall low round with Malia Stovall of Franklin County. Gilliam lost on the first playoff hole to finish in 2nd place. Savannah Quick fired a 78 to finish in 3rd place and Sophie Vinson carded an 83 to finish in 4th. The Lady Raiders finished the round with a team score of 150. Franklin County came in 2nd at 186 and Shelbyville was 3rd at 206. The tournament win lifts the Lady Raiders season record to 49 and 3 on the year. The Lady Raiders will attempt to capture their 4th straight Region 4AAA title on Thursday at Murfreesboro’s Indian Hills Golf Course.

The CHS Red Raider golf team with their district tournament runner-up plaque. Left to right – Reid Lawrence, Austin Farris, John Parigger, Josh Perry and Samuel Prater [Photo provided]

The Red Raiders got a 5th place individual finish from Samuel Prater to finish in 2nd place in the district behind Tullahoma. The Red Raiders fired a team score of 316 which placed them 7 strokes ahead of 3rd place Franklin County. Prater fired a 77 on the day followed by Austin Farris at 79 while Reid Lawrence and John Parigger each fired an 80. The tournament performance lifted the Red Raiders record on the season to 58 and 15 on the year.
The Red Raiders will join the Lady Raiders at Thursday’s Region 4AAA tournament at Indian Hills. The tournament is set to get underway at 9 AM.

Man claiming to be a Clown Threatening Children Arrested

George Randy Hoppe… Photo provided by the CCCD

On Friday night the Coffee County Communications Center notified officers that a call had come in with the caller identifying himself as the clown who has been threatening children.
According to the arrest warrant, the subject became very lewd with the dispatcher talking sexually with her and stating he was going to harm children. He also allegedly stated that he was going to kidnap children and her, cut their ears off and other lewd acts. The call came through the non-emergency line and was not traceable.
The caller allegedly called back a second time a short time later and told another dispatcher that he was going to be waiting and kidnap her and more lewd comments. She asked where he was and he said he was at an address on Commodore Dr. Deputies were dispatched to the area where they found an empty lot.
Deputies then listened to the recordings and one of the officers thought he recognized the voice on the recording. Officers went to George Randy Hoppe’s home and obtained the man’s cell phone number and then called communications from his phone and the man then spoke to dispatchers and they claimed it was the same voice and laugh they had heard.
Hoppe age 64 of Volunteer Ave Manchester was arrested and charged by Deputy Cody Lendley with stalking. His bond was set at $100,000 and a court date of Oct. 24, 2016.

Category: News