1 DEAD AFTER MOTORCYCLE CRASH

A MOTORCYCLIST WAS FATALLY INJURED IN A CRASH IN KINGSPORT THURSDAY MORNING. THE KINGSPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO THE CRASH AROUND 10:45 AM AT THE INTERSECTION OF FORT HENRY DRIVE AND MORELAND DRIVE. ACCORDING TO A POLICE REPORT, A MOTO4RCYCLE WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON FORT HENRY DRIVE, WHEN IT RAN A RED LIGHT, AND HIT A TOYOTA TUNDRA THAT WAS TURNING LEFT ONTO MORELAND DRIVE. THE OPERATOR OF THE MOTORCYCLE IDENTIFIED AS 34 YEAR OLD STEVEN SEXTON OF GATE CITY WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE LATER DIED. THE DRIVER OF THE TUNDRA WAS NOT INJURED. THE CRASH REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.

3 VEHICLE CRASH OCCURS IN I-81 WORK ZONE

VIRGINIA STATE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING, AFTER A THREE VEHICLE CRASH IN A WORK ZONE ON INTERSTATE 81 THURSDAY. ACCORDING TO REPORTS, A CADILLAC SUV COLLIDED WITH TWO OTHER VEHICLES ON I-81 SOUTH IN WASHINGTON COUNTY AROUND 4 PM. ACCORDING TO THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AT ONE POINT THE CRASH HAD TRAFFIC BACKED UP FOR SIX MILES IN THE SOUTHBOUND LANES. STATE POLICE REPORTED ALL THREE VEHICLES ENDED UP IN THE CENTER MEDIAN. THE DRIVERS OF THE TWO VEHICLES HIT BY THE CADILLAC WERE CHECKED OUT AND DECLINED MEDICAL TRANSPORT. CAUSE OF THE CRASH WAS NOT REPORTED.

FORMER JOHNSON CO JUDGE SENTENCED TO JAIL, PROBATION

FORMER JOHNSON COUNTY JUDGE PERRY STOUT WAS SENTENCED TO A YEAR IN JAIL, AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO MONEY LAUNDERING AND POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE. IN ADDITION TO ONE YEAR IN JAIL, STOUT WAS ALSO SENTENCED TO SEVEN YEARS OF PROBATION. WHILE SERVING HIS JAIL SENTENCE, STOUT WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR WORK RELEASE. STOUT PREVIOUSLY ADMITTED IN COURT TO HELPING FUND A MARIJUANA TRAFFICKING OPERATION, AND USED THE PROFITS TO FUND HIS 2022 JUDGE CAMPAIGN. STOUT’S WIFE PAMELA WAS ALSO ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH 3 DRUG CONSPIRACY COUNTS, MAINTAINING A DWELLING FOR SALE OR USE OF NARCOTICS, AND FILING A FALSE REPORT. HER CASE IS PENDING IN GENERAL SESSIONS COURT.

ONE INJURED IN SULLIVAN CO CRASH

ONE PERSON WAS INJURED AFTER A CRASH ON HIGHWAY 394 IN SULLIVAN COUNTY THURSDAY MORNING. ACCORDING TO A PRELIMINARY CRASH REPORT BY THE TENNESSEE HIGHWAY PATROL, A GMC SIERRA WAS TRAVELING EAST AROUND 9:45 AM. AT THE SAME TIME A FREIGHTLINER WAS TRAVELING WEST. THE GMC ENTERED THE WESTBOUND LANE AND HIT THE FREIGHTLINER HEAD ON. BOTH VEHICLES CAME TO REST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE DRIVER OF THE GMC WAS INJURED IN THE CRASH, CHARGES ARE ALSO PENDING AGAINST THE DRIVER OF THE GMC. THE DRIVER OF THE FREIGHTLINER WAS NOT INJURED.

WCSO SEEKS PUBLICS HELP IDENTIFYING TRAILER THIEVES

INVESTIGATORS WITH THE WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE NEED YOUR HELP IDENTIFYING TWO MEN WHO STOLE A TRAILER. ACCORDING TO SHERIFF KEITH SEXTON. DEPUTIES RESPONDED TO A CALL IN THE 200 BLOCK OF EASTERN STAR ROAD ON APRIL 24^TH. SECURITY CAMERAS FROM THE SCENE CAPTURED IMAGES OF TWO MEN UNHITCHING THE TRAILER FROM A TOYOTA TRUCK, AND HITCHING IT TO A SINGLE CAB, RED CHEVY WITH BLACK WHEELS AND STEEL SIDE STEP. THE THEFT OCCURRED AROUND 2 AM. BOTH MEN HAD FACE COVERINGS AND WORE GLOVES. ONE MALE HAD ON A WHITE HOODED SWEATSHIRT AND JEANS, THE OTHER A BLACK JACKET AND JEANS. THE LEFT AND HEADED TOWARD KINCHLOE MILL ROAD. THE TRAILER HAS WELDED SPOTS ON THE METAL MESH ON THE BACK, ALONG WITH A NEW SPARE TIRE ON THE FRONT OF THE TRAILER. IT HAS A BLACK FRAME, SILVER WHEELS AND A WOODEN FLOOR. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CALL THE WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE.

SCAMMER WHO GOT WOMAN TO EMPTY BANK ACCOUNT ARRESTED IN VA

A VIRGINIA MAN AHS BEEN ARRESTED AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY SCAMMED A SULLIVAN COUNTY RESIDENT OUT OF MORE THAN 130,000 DOLLARS. ACCORDING TO A RELEASE FROM THE SULLIVAN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, THE VICTIM CONTACTED INVESTIGATORS ON APRIL 8^TH TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE SCAM. SHE SAID SHE HAD BEEN SHOPPING ON APRIL 4^TH, WHEN SHE RECEIVED A POP UP MESSAGE ON HER SCREEN TELLING HER SHE SHOULD CONTACT MICROSOFT DUE TO ILLEGAL ACTIVITY ON HER COMPUTER. SHE WAS TOLD ON THE PHONE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY WAS ON HER COMPUTER AND SHE HAD TO PAY TO HAVE IT REMOVED. THE VICTIM BOUGHT AND PROVIDED INFORMATION FOR SEVERAL APPLE GIFT CARDS. SHE WAS THEN TOLD HER BANK ACCOUNT HAD BEEN COMPROMISED AND SHE WOULD HAVE TO WITHDRAW ALL HER MONEY FOR HER ACCOUNT TO BE ENCRYPTED. SHE WAS THEN TOLD SOMEONE WOULD PICK UP THE MONEY FROM HER AND THAT A NEW ACCOUNT WOULD BE MADE AND THE FUNDS DEPOSITED. 29 YEAR OLD HANG ZHAN OF GLEN ALLEN VIRGINIA WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE MAN SHE GAVE THE MONEY TO. HE’S AWAITING EXTRADITION TO SULLIVAN COUNTY.

CALIFORNIA MAN GETS 18 YEARS FOR TRAFFICKING FENTANYL INTO SWVA

A MAN FROM BUENA PARK CALIFORNIA WAS SENTENCED TO 18 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO FUNNELING THOUSANDS OF FENTANYL PILLS INTO SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, 24 YEAR OLD ROBERT CONTRERAS PREVIOUSLY PLEADED GUILTY TO CONSPIRING TO DISTRIBUTE AND POSSESSION OF 400 GRAMS OR MORE OF FENTANYL AND POSSESSING A FIREARM IN FURTHERANCE OF A DRUG TRAFFICKING CRIME. CONTRERAS WAS SENTENCED THURSDAY, AND WAS ALSO ORDERED TO FORFEIT FIVE FIREARMS AND 31, 294 DOLLARS IN CASH.

OHIO MAN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO STEAL PLANE FROM MOUNTAIN EMPIRE AIRPORT

AN OHIO MAN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO STEAL AN AIRPLANE AT MOUNTAIN EMPIRE AIRPORT HAS BEEN CHARGE. ACCORDING TO SMYTH COUNTY VIRGINIA SHERIFF CHIP SHULER, DEPUTIES RESPONDED SHORTLY AFTER 3 PM WEDNESDAY, BUT THE SUSPECT HAD LEFT PRIOR TO THEM ARRIVING. THEY WERE NOTIFIED BY VIRGINIA STATE POLICE THE SUSPECT HAD BEEN APPREHENDED IN WYTH COUNTY FOLLOWING A PURSUIT WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH. THE SUSPECT IDENTIFIED AS 24 YEAR OLD DWAYNE POPE OF GARFIELD HEIGHTS OHIO WAS CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED GRAND LARCENY AND TRESPASSING IN SMYTH COUNTY. ADDITIONAL CHARGES WERE FILED IN WYTHE COUNTY BY THE VIRGINIA STATE POLICE.

AUTHORITIES IN GREENE CO SEARCHING FOR WOMAN NOT HEARD FROM SINCE MARCH

AUTHORITIES IN GREENE COUNTY ARE SEARCHING FOR A WOMAN WHO HAS NOT BEEN HEARD FROM SINCE MARCH. 31 YEAR OLD JENNIFER ELLIOTT WAS REPORTED MISSING BY A FAMILY MEMBER ON MAY 2^ND. ACCORDING TO THE GREENE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, ELLIOTT CALLED A FAMILY MEMBER SAYING SHE WAS STUCK ON VIKING MOUNTAIN AND NEEDED A RIDE. OFFICERS ARRIVED AND FOUND A MAN DESCRIBED AS AN ACQUAINTANCE OF ELLIOTT’S, WHO SAID SHE RAN OFF INTO THE WOODS. OFFICERS LOOKED FOR ELLIOTT BUT COULD NOT FIND HER. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CALL THE GREENE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE.

STRUCTURE FIRE REPORTED ON GREENE RIDGE LOOP

A STRUCTURE FIRE WAS REPORTED WEDNESDAY EVENING IN THE 600 BLOCK OF GREENE RIDGE LOOP IN GREENE COUNTY. THE STRUCTURE WAS REPORTEDLY FULLY ENGULFED WHEN FIRE FIGHTERS ARRIVED. ACCORDING TO THE GREENE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, THE HOMEOWNER WAS MAKING SOMETHING TO EAT IN THE KITCHEN, AND THEN WALKED TOWARD HIS BEDROOM TO GET READY FOR A SHOWER. HE THEN HEARD A LOUD POP COMING FROM THE KITCHEN AREA BUT STATED HE THOUGHT IT WAS HIS DOG THAT KNOCKED SOMETHING OVER. THE VICTIM NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE KITCHEN SHORTLY AFTER. MULTIPLE FIRE DEPARTMENTS RESPONDED TO THE FIRE. ARSON INVESTIGATOR DEPUTY BRYAN SHELTON WAS CALLED TO INVESTIGATE.

MOTOR VEHICLE WRECK ON W ANDREW JOHNSON HIGHWAY

A MOTOR VEHICLE WRECK WAS REPORTED NEAR MEADE TRACTOR AROUND 9:15 THURSDAY MORNING, IN THE 2900 BLOCK OF WEST ANDREW JOHNSON HIGHWAY. GREENE COUNTY RESCUE SQUAD, EMS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE WERE REQUESTED TO THE SCENE. MORE DETAILS ARE EXPECTED WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.

HIKER GETS LOST ON APPALACHIAN TRAIL

VOLUNTEERS WITH THE GREENEVILLE EMERGENCY & RESCUE SQUAD ALONG WITH OFFICERS WITH THE GREENE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT HELPED A LOST HIKER FIND HER WAY OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS THURSDAY NIGHT. A HIKER CALLED 911 JUST BEFORE 7 PM TO SAY SHE HAD GOTTEN LOST. SHE HAD DRIVEN TO JONES MEADOW ON VIKING MOUNTAIN AND HAD WALKED OUT TO THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, AND WAS UNSURE HOW TO GET BACK. ANOTHER HIKER CAME UPON THE LOST WOMAN AND WAS ABLE TO DESCRIBE TO RESCUE MEMBERS THE WOMAN’S LOCATION, AND GIVE HER DIRECTIONS BACK TO THE PARKING AREA. SHE WAS MET BY RESCUE SQUAD VOLUNTEERS AROUND 8:30 PM, WHO LED HER BACK TO THE PARKING AREA BY AROUND 9:15 PM.