Knoxville, Tennessee (KCSO/WOKI) The Knox County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit (TANGO) is investigating a vehicle crash on Maynardville Highway near Loyston Road and the Union County Line. Upon arrival June 13, 2025, deputies found that three vehicles had collided, resulting in multiple victims.
Emergency responders from R/M and AMR Ambulance quickly assessed all individuals involved. Three were transported to local hospitals with what appeared to be serious injuries. Sadly, one person was pronounced dead at the scene.
Initial observations suggest speed may have contributed to the collision. TANGO is conducting an investigation to determine the exact cause.
Out of respect for family members who have not been notified, we will not release any names or post pictures of the vehicles involved.
UPDATE: Knoxville, TN (KPD/ WOKI) Knoxville Police have identified the victim of the crash into Shannondale Assisted Living Facility as 96 year-old Walter Humphrey.
KPD says charges will be filed against 24 year-old Eleasah Williams who they say was driving the minivan that crashed into Mr. Humphrey’s room at the facility on Saturday.
Williams was extracted from the van and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, she is charged with vehicular homicide with recklessness and will be booked when she’s discharged.
Preliminary investigation shows that Williams sped from an apartment complex on Woodview Lane, across all four lanes of Middlebrook Pike and into the assisted living facility for reasons that remain under investigation.
Knoxville, TN (KPD/WOKI) UPDATE: Following continued investigation, 24-year-old Eleasah Williams, the driver of the KIA minivan that crashed into Shannondale Assisted Living Facility early Saturday morning, has been charged with vehicular homicide with recklessness. Williams remains hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and will be booked upon her release.
KPD NEWS RELEASE: One Dead After Vehicle Crashes Into Assisted Living Facility
The Knoxville Police Department is investigating after a vehicle crashed into an assisted living facility on Middlebrook Pike and killed a patient in the facility’s care early Saturday morning.
At around 5:15 a.m. on Saturday, June 14, 2024, KPD officers responded to the Shannondale Assisted Living Facility at 7350 Middlebrook Pike after a KIA minivan reportedly crashed into the building. The vehicle had crashed completely into the room, striking and killing the occupant, who was identified as a 96-year-old man.
The driver was extracted from the van by responding Knoxville Fire Department personnel and transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Based on the findings of the still ongoing investigation, it appears that driver sped from the apartment complex on Woodview Lane, across all four lanes of Middlebrook Pike and into the assisted living facility for reasons that remain under investigation.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Almost exactly one year after helping lead Tennessee to its first national championship, Christian Moore will get his shot in the Major Leagues after officially being called up by the Los Angeles Angels on Friday.
Moore is set to be the third VFL to make his MLB debut this season, along with pitchers Chase Dollander (Rockies) and Blade Tidwell (Mets), as he joins the Angels for a seven-game road trip that begins Friday afternoon in Baltimore before a four-game set against the Yankees in his home state of New York starting on Monday.
Moore is the ninth Vol in the Tony Vitello era to make it to the Majors, joining Garrett Crochet (2020), Ben Joyce (2023), Andre Lipcius (2023), Trey Lipscomb (2024), Jordan Beck (2024), Seth Halvorsen (2024), Dollander (2025) and Tidwell (2025).
In 79 minor league games played, Moore slashed .302/.382/.475 with an .857 OPS. He scored 54 runs and had 92 hits, including 14 doubles and 11 home runs, to go along with 52 RBIs during his rapid accession to the big leagues, spending two games with the Single-A Inland Empire 66ers, 55 games with the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas and 20 contests with the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees before getting called up.
The Brooklyn, New York, native, became the 20th first-round pick in program history and the highest drafted Volunteer under Vitello and his staff when he was selected No. 8 overall in the 2024 MLB Draft by Los Angeles.
A consensus first-team All-American at Tennessee during his junior year in 2024, Moore posted one of the most prolific offensive seasons in program history, setting single-season records for home runs (34) and total bases (236) while also ranking second in UT history in hits (111), third in runs scored (83) and seventh in RBIs (74). He is the program’s career leader in homers (61) and also ranks top five in Tennessee history in runs scored (179), extra-base hits (100), total bases (438) and walks (115).
Moore is the 51st VFL in program history to make it to the big leagues and joins Beck (Rockies), Crochet (Red Sox), Dollander (Rockies) and Halvorsen (Rockies) as current major leaguers who played at Tennessee.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee was well-represented on the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings All-America teams, which were announced on Friday.
Three Volunteers garnered All-America acclaim from the ABCA in pitcher Liam Doyle (first team), first baseman Andrew Fischer (first team) and outfielder Hunter Ensley (second team).
This marks the third All-America honor this season for both Doyle and Fischer after each was also recognized by the NCBWA and Perfect game earlier this week. It is the first All-America nod for Ensley, who is 23rd player to be named an All-American during head coach Tony Vitello‘s tenure.
Doyle finished his junior campaign with a 10-4 record and 3.20 ERA in 19 appearances (17 starts) and leads the nation with a Tennessee program record 164 strikeouts.
One of the top prospects for the upcoming MLB Draft, Doyle was just the third Vol to ever garner SEC Pitcher of the Year honors and is also the third player in program history to be named a finalist for both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy, joining UT legends Todd Helton (1995) and Chris Burke (2001). His impressive list of accolades also includes being named the Perfect Game Pitcher of the Year and the NCBWA District 3 Pitcher of the Year.
In his final season on Rocky Top, Ensley had a breakout year for the Big Orange, setting career highs in batting average (.336), OPS (.949), at-bats (241), runs (46), hits (81), doubles (17), RBIs (62), total bases (128), walks (30), on-base percentage (.418) and stolen bases (seven). Ensley’s hits and doubles totals both led the team while he earned second-team All-SEC honors and was also tabbed to the SEC All-Defensive team.
Fischer put together one of the most complete offensive seasons in program history, leading the Vols in OPS (1.257), runs (70), home runs (25), RBIs (65), total bases (165), slugging percentage (.760), on-base percentage (.497) and walks (63). His 63 walks tied Chase Headley’s program record from 2005 while his 25 long balls led the SEC and are the second most in a single season in UT history.
The Manasquan, New Jersey, native, was the only player in the country to reach base in every game this season, getting on in all 65 contests for the Big Orange. Fischer’s marks in homers (third), walks (fourth), slugging percentage (12th) and total bases (16th) all rank in the top 20 nationally.
The full ABCA All-America Teams can be found HERE while Tennessee’s complete list of postseason honors can be seen below.
Tennessee Baseball 2025 Postseason Honors
Levi Clark – Fr. – DH Perfect Game Freshman All-American – 1st Team
Dean Curley – So. – INF Knoxville Regional All-Tournament Team (2B)
Liam Doyle – Jr. – LHP Perfect Game Pitcher of the Year NCBWA District 3 Pitcher of the Year Golden Spikes Award Finalist Dick Howser Trophy Finalist ABCA All-American – 1st Team (SP) NCBWA All-American – 1st Team (SP) Perfect Game All-American – 1st Team (SP) ABCA Southeast All-Region – 1st Team (SP) SEC Pitcher of the Year All-SEC – 1st Team (SP) Knoxville Regional Most Outstanding Player Knoxville Regional All-Tournament Team (SP)
Hunter Ensley – R-Sr. – OF ABCA All-American – 2nd Team (OF) ABCA Southeast All-Region – 1st Team (OF) All-SEC – 2nd Team (OF) SEC All-Defensive Team (OF) SEC All-Tournament Team (OF)
Andrew Fischer – Jr. – 1B ABCA All-American – 1st Team (1B) NCBWA All-American – 1st Team (1B) Perfect Game All-American – 1st Team (1B) ABCA Southeast All-Region – 1st Team (1B) All-SEC – 1st Team (1B) Knoxville Regional All-Tournament Team (1B)
Gavin Kilen – Jr. – 2B/SS Perfect Game All-American – 1st Team (2B) NCBWA All-American – 3rd Team (2B) ABCA Southeast All-Region – 2nd Team (SS) All-SEC – 1st Team (2B)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) UPDATE 6/13 6:00 a.m.: A portion of Airport Loop Road at McGhee Tyson Airport has reopened Friday morning following the discovery of a sinkhole Thursday night.
Airport officials say the roadway is the main road circling the airport terminal building and garage; travelers and visitors to McGhee Tyson were rerouted for a time yesterday.
Airport officials still advise fliers to arrive several hours before their flights.
ORIGINAL STORY: A portion of Airport Loop Road at McGhee Tyson Airport will be closed indefinitely following the discovery of a sinkhole Thursday night.
Airport officials say the roadway is the main road circling the airport terminal building and garage; travelers and visitors to McGhee Tyson are being rerouted.
“A portion of Airport Loop Road will be closed indefinitely and airport visitors will be rerouted,” TYS officials said. “This roadway is the main road circling the airport terminal building and garage.”
Airport officials are asking fliers to arrive at least three hours before their flights.
Temporary Rerouting of Traffic at McGhee Tyson Airport (Current as of 10:30 p.m. EST, June 12)
Directions to Airport from Blount County– Pass the airport entrance on Alcoa Hwy and travel to the Pellissippi Parkway (HWY 129) exit heading to Oak Ridge. Use the cloverleaf exit to circle back around to Alcoa Highway and enter the airport through the main entrance. If picking up a passenger and they are not on the curb ready to be picked up, please use the free Phone and Wait Lot as a designated meeting location. Circling back to the front of the terminal will require exiting the airport toward Knoxville and repeating the cloverleaf exit process at Pellissippi Parkway.
Directions to Airport from Knoxville– Enter the airport off Alcoa Hwy. You will have access to the front of the airport on both levels and all parking lots. If picking up a passenger and they are not ready to be picked up on the curb, please use the free Phone and Wait Lot as a designated meeting location. Circling back to the front of the terminal will require exiting the airport toward Knoxville and repeating the cloverleaf exit process at Pellissippi Parkway.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knox County government is soon to enter a hiring freeze.
That news coming Thursday from CFO and Co-Chief of Staff Chris Caldwell who says the move is aimed at saving money and keeping the county from dipping into its “rainy day fund.”
“We discussed this during our budget process and decided it would be a way to reduce the amount of fund balance – or rainy-day fund – used,” Caldwell said. “It’s basically a cost-saving measure to reduce the amount of reserves needed this year.”
The county currently has 26 open positions:
Knox County Sheriff’s Office patrol officer
Knox County Sheriff’s Office assistant kitchen manager
Knox County Sheriff’s Office medical assistant
Knox County Sheriff’s Office nurse
Knox County Sheriff’s Office correctional officer
Knox County Sheriff’s Office support services technician
Juvenile Service Center correctional officer
Knox County Sheriff’s Office commissary assistant
Parent Educator
Knox County Sheriff’s Office property officer
Knox County Health Department medical assistant
Knox County Health Department dentist
Knox County engineering laborer
Public Building Authority project manager
Probation case manager
Groundskeeper
Knox County Sheriff’s Office secretary
Knox County Health Department medical assistant
Accounting system technician
Permits technician
Convenience center operator
Health services clerk
Engineering and Public Works officer manager
Public health fitness coordinator
Knox County Health Department care coordinator
Public Building Authority telecommunications technician
According to Caldwell, the freeze is set to begin on July 1 and will stay in place until at least December; it is not expected to impact any county services.
Caldwell adds that the county is hoping to save between $500,000 and $750,000 over the six month freeze.
Knox County is soon to enter a hiring freeze. (Courtesy: WVLT)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A motorcycle driver dies following a head-on collision Thursday in West Knoxville.
Officials with the Knoxville Police Department say the crash happened on N. Gallaher View Road between Broome Road and Walker Springs Road. They report a truck was turning left out of an apartment complex when a motorcycle hit the truck and then struck another vehicle head on.
KPD says the motorcycle driver was transported to UT Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.
No other injuries were reported.
The crash remains under investigation.
The crash happened on N. Gallaher View Road between Broome Road and Walker Springs Road, according to KPD officials. (Courtesy: KPD)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knoxville Police Department has tracked down Dulcie’s Cafe’s trailer, a food truck that was reported stolen out of Knoxville earlier this week.
The business took to social media to ask for help after security cameras caught a person in a Home Depot truck rental pull up to the trailer at 701 N. Cherry Street in the early morning hours on Sunday and drive away with it.
Knoxville Police Department officials reporting Thursday that the trailer has been found and recovered in Nashville.
No word on a suspect or suspects. KPD says the investigation remains ongoing.
The business took to social media to ask for help after security cameras caught a person Home Depot truck rental pull up to the trailer at 701 N. Cherry Street and drive away with it. (Courtesy:Dulcie’s Cafe)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the second consecutive year, the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team will face Syracuse in the ACC/SEC Challenge, as announced Thursday afternoon by ESPN.
The Volunteers will travel to Syracuse, N.Y., to face the Orange at JMA Wireless Dome, with action set for Dec. 2. The game time and ESPN network designation will be announced in the future.
Tennessee owns a 5-3 all-time ledger versus Syracuse and has won each of the last four contests. This is the third year in a row the two teams will square off in non-conference action, with each outing at a different location.
Most recently, the Volunteers collected a 96-70 home win on Dec. 3, 2024, in last year’s Challenge behind a game-best 26 points from fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier. The prior season, Tennessee posted a 73-56 victory on Nov. 20, 2023, in the Allstate Maui Invitational opener in Honolulu, with fifth-year guard Dalton Knecht scoring 17 points to lead all scorers.
The first two triumphs in Tennessee’s four-game series winning streak came over two decades ago. The Volunteers notched a 66-62 home victory on Jan. 19, 2002, and eared an 83-70 road decision on Dec. 22, 2000, in the lone top-25 matchup—both were in the top 12—in series history.
Tennessee sports a 1-1 record on the road against Syracuse. It dropped a 98-65 result on Nov. 28, 1993, in its first visit there.
The Volunteers are 1-1 in the SEC/ACC Challenge, which started during the 2023-24 season. They fell at North Carolina, 100-92, on Nov. 29, 2023, in a top-20 showdown.
Tennessee is 126-101 all-time against the current ACC membership. It owns an 8-1 such record over the last four years (2021-25), including registering a perfect 4-0 figure in 2024-25. Head coach Rick Barnes is 85-77 versus the current ACC schools, including 6-10 against Syracuse. The SEC went 14-2 in the 2024 Challenge after splitting the inaugural 2023 edition. Overall, the SEC is 21-9 in the event.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
2025 ACC/SEC CHALLENGE MATCHUPS Florida at Duke (Dec. 2) Georgia at Florida State (Dec. 2) North Carolina at Kentucky (Dec. 2) Miami at Ole Miss (Dec. 2) Missouri at Notre Dame (Dec. 2) Oklahoma at Wake Forest (Dec. 2) Virginia Tech at South Carolina (Dec. 2) Tennessee at Syracuse (Dec. 2) Texas A&M at Pittsburgh (Dec. 2) Clemson at Alabama (Dec. 3) Louisville at Arkansas (Dec. 3) NC State at Auburn (Dec. 3) Mississippi State at Georgia Tech (Dec. 3) LSU at Boston College (Dec. 3) Virginia at Texas (Dec. 3) SMU at Vanderbilt (Dec. 3)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The ACC/SEC Women’s Basketball Challenge returns for the 2025-26 college basketball season, and so does a classic clash between historic rivals Tennessee and Stanford.
The Lady Vols, ranked No. 7 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25, will travel to face the Cardinal on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at Maples Pavilion. The match-up will be one of 16 games scheduled over the course of two days featuring two of the premier conferences in women’s college basketball.
The contest follows previously-announced Big Orange women’s tilts for the upcoming season vs. NC State (Nov. 4 in Greensboro, N.C.) and vs. Louisville (Dec. 20 in Brooklyn, N.Y.).
This will mark the first occasion eight-time NCAA champion UT will meet the three-time NCAA champs since an unranked Big Orange squad fell to a No. 2 Cardinal team, 77-70, on Dec. 18, 2022. The Lady Vols, though, own a 25-14 all-time record in a series that began in 1988 and was discontinued after that 2022 meeting.
The 2025 ACC/SEC Women’s Basketball Challenge is slated to take place over Dec. 3-4. Games will be televised across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ACC Network and SEC Network, with specific designations to be announced later.
The Challenge finished the inaugural year in 2023 with a 7-7 tie between the leagues. The SEC, however, went 10-6 in the Women’s Challenge last season to bring the two-year total to 17-13. Tennessee earned one of the SEC’s triumphs in 2024, defeating a talented Florida State squad, 79-77, on Dec. 4 at Food City Center in Knoxville.
The Lady Vols, who are under the leadership of head coach Kim Caldwell for the second season, are coming off a 24-10 campaign that saw an exciting, fast-paced team advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 in her first campaign. That squad knocked off UConn during regular season and ended Ohio State’s perfect home court season winning streak during the NCAA Second Round, heightening anticipation on Rocky Top heading into 2025-26.
UT returns three of its top four scorers and rebounders, including junior guard and All-SEC Second Team/SEC All-Defensive Team performer Talaysia Cooper (16.6 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 3.2 apg., 3.1 spg.), senior forward Zee Spearman (11.7 ppg., 6.0 rpg.) and senior guard Ruby Whitehorn (11.6 ppg., 4.0 rpg., 1.7 apg.). Additionally, it welcomes back key 2024-25 contributors in junior forward Alyssa Latham (3.9 ppg., 3.7 rpg.) and redshirt sophomore guard Kaniya Boyd (4.0 ppg., 1.3 apg., 1.3 spg.).
Also expected to return to the court is redshirt senior guard Kaiya Wynn, who missed all of last season due to injury but averaged 4.4 ppg. and 2.6 rpg. in 2023-24 and has appeared in 94 contests for the Big Orange during her career. She is the only player on the roster to appear in a Tennessee-Stanford game, doing so in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
Caldwell and her staff also have recruited extremely well, adding a transfer portal class rated No. 1 by ESPN’s Charlie Creme and a high school signing group rated No. 1 or No. 2 in the nation by most analysts. The transfer class includes 6-foot-4 forward and Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year Janiah Barker of UCLA (7.4 ppg., 6.0 rpg., 1.4 apg.), 5-7 guard and All-ACC Second Team selection Nya Robertson of SMU (18.5 ppg., 62 3FGs, 111 FTs) and 6-5 forward Jersey Wolfenberger of LSU (4.6 ppg., 3.4 rpg., 63% FG). The stellar prep class includes McDonald’s All-Americans Mia Pauldo, Deniya Prawl and Jaida Civil, as well as Mia’s twin sister, Mya, and Lauren Hurst, all of whom rank among ESPN’s top 60 recruits in the class of 2025.
Stanford, which is unranked in the aforementioned ESPN poll, finished 16-15 a year ago during Kate Paye’s first season as head coach. The Cardinal, though, hopes to bounce back quickly by landing a consensus No. 3-rated 2025 recruiting haul, featuring a trio of players ranked among the nation’s top 21 and joining Tennessee as the only schools in the class to accomplish that feat.
