Category: News

Shawn Michael Luce

Tullahoma Police and other authorities worked tirelessly for over 12 hours searching for a man they said shot at them late Wednesday night. Police were able to capture the suspect on Thursday afternoon in Tullahoma.
At approximately 11:06 pm Wednesday night, Tullahoma Police were dispatched near 1505 Normandy Road in regards to a domestic dispute. The suspect abandoned a vehicle in the road and left with keys and firearms.
While officers were interviewing the apparent female victim, she stated that Shawn Michael Luce, 25, had gotten out of the car and took the keys and grabbed two weapons. She allegedly told police that he got a pistol and an M-1 assault rifle from the vehicle. As officers were talking to the woman approximately 6 shots were fired in their vicinity. The officer and victim moved to a near-by parking lot at Normandy Road and Flower Town Road. At 11:28 pm more shots were fired rapidly.
Units from the Tullahoma Police Department, Coffee County Sherriff’s Department and the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) arrived to control area. The THP dispatched a helicopter to assist in the search.

Shawn Michael Luce being escorted inside the Tullahoma Police Department… Photo by Wayne Thomas of the Tullahoma News.

Around 1:25 p.m. Thursday officers located Luce behind a house on Ralph Broadrick Road. He started to run and Tullahoma officers Tyler Hatfield, Sam Campbell and Johnny Gore along with Sheriff’s deputy Brandon Reed and Investigator James Sherrill chased him down and caught him around 1:36 p.m. at 1188 Riley Creek Road.
He was then transferred to Tullahoma Police Department.
Luce has been charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and illegal possession of a weapon. The investigation is continuing and other charges could possibly be filed.
He would not tell officers where he spent the night after evading officers during their search for him.
Any person having information about this incident should contact the Tullahoma Police Department at (931) 455-0530.
According to police, Luce has “several” warrants from Florida where he recently moved from to Tullahoma.

Emergency personnel work to free the victim.. All photos by Dennis Weaver

A two-vehicle accident occurred Thursday morning around 6:45 AM in Manchester at the overpass at Exit 114.
Juan L Ayala age 40 of Polk St, Manchester was the driver of a gold 4 door Acura that was northbound on Hwy 41 (Hillsboro Blvd). Allegedly Ayala veered into the center turning lane striking the rear of a tractor trailer which had just initiated a left turn onto the on-ramp of I-24 (East).

Manchester Fire and Rescue had to cut the top off of the vehicle to free Ayala.

The truck, driven by Kelley Cheney of Douglass of Georgia had been traveling north on Hwy 41 as well, and was attempting to access the East bound lanes of Interstate 24.
Ayala’s Acura stuck the back of the trailer as the truck was in motion dragging it underneath the trailer for a short distance.
Ayala was the only person inside the Acura and conscious when extricated from the car. Ayala was airlifted from the scene by Air Evac and taken to Chattanooga’s Erlanger Hospital for treatment of several injuries. Douglass was uninjured.

The Air Evac crew loading the Manchester man onto the chopper. He was taken to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga

Emergency crews from Manchester Police, Manchester Fire & Rescue, Coffee County EMS, AEDC Fire Dept, Air Evac, Coffee County Sheriff’s Department, Gilley’s Crane and the Tennessee Highway Patrol assisted at the scene. Manchester Officer Dustin Foster was first on the scene and conducted blood alcohol tests on both drivers.

There will be a fundraising rally for Jason Sain on Saturday, June 21st at Deerfield Elementary beginning at 4 PM. Jason, a 40 year old father of 2 and former Coffee County star athlete, was diagnosed with malignant brain tumors in April and 100% of the proceeds from this event will go to help with medical expenses not covered by insurance as well as living expenses. Dinner will be served at 4 PM with a Live Auction starting at 6. Price to attend is $12 for adults and $8 for children and there will be door prizes and raffles open to all attendees. To donate online, visit: dustyelamfoundation.org AND click on the “HelpJason” link. For more information, contact June Fann at 931-409-1700 or Melinda Ashburn at 931-728-3381.

With five district offices and soon-to-be three satellite centers, Duck River EMC (DREMC) is committed to providing services and programs at the community level. To further enhance this emphasis on local delivery, the co-op has announced the creation of a new department and named a 25-year veteran employee as its director.
David Young will be in charge of the new District Services group. He is currently the Manchester District manager. Young’s promotion takes effect July 1, the start of DREMC’s 2015 fiscal year.
“This is a position of great responsibility. I am delighted that someone of David Young’s experience, enthusiasm and dedication has agreed to take on the challenge,” said President/CEO Michael Watson.
District Services comprise operations at Columbia, Lewisburg, Decherd, Manchester and Shelbyville, the service centers at Lynchburg, Sewanee and Chapel Hill (under construction) and the co-op’s dispatch center in Shelbyville. More than two-thirds of the co-op’s employees work at the district level, where routine business is transacted and special programs and services delivered.
The new District Services department will focus on improving customer satisfaction during all member interactions.
Young will be based at the Shelbyville headquarters but work extensively with the district managers, their staffs and employees. His successor at Manchester has not yet been named.
He joined DREMC in 1989 as an electrical engineer. For the past 20 years, he has managed the Manchester District.

Firemen worked through parts of the course with their eyes completely covered

Wednesday the Manchester Firemen were involved in survival course training exercises. After going through a few hours of class room work firemen were off to the survival course. Manchester firemen made their way to the former pool hall on the Hillsboro Blvd next to the First National Bank branch. Many people driving by and those living in the area may have thought the building was on fire but it was only man made smoke used for training exercises.

A Manchester Fireman breaks through a wall

Manchester Fire Chief George DeShields told WMSR News that firemen Thursday through Saturday will be at house on Waite St doing bail outs and self-rescue from the second floor. Don’t be alarmed this is only training.