Christopher Bassett Jr., (L) Kipling Colbert Jr., and Richard Williams (R) were convicted in the murder of Zaevion Dobson. (Courtesy: Knox County Sheriff’s Office / WVLT)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knox County Criminal Court has denied a petition for post-conviction relief made by a man convicted in the murder of Zaevion Dobson, a teen who was killed while shielding his friends from gang-related gunfire.
Christopher Bassett Jr. was convicted alongside Kipling Colbert Jr. and Richard Williams in December of 2017 in the killing.
After being convicted, Bassett Jr. petitioned for post-conviction relief, challenging the court’s admission of a YouTube video showing the three rapping alongside gang colors, symbols and references.
The court denied Bassett Jr.’s petition on January 22. Wednesday, January 24 marks the ninth annual “Zaevion Dobson Day,” an honor given by Knox County to pay tribute to Dobson’s legacy.
Due to the instability of the structure, crews were forced to work from the exterior to extinguish the fire at a single-wide trailer in Mascot. (Courtesy: Rural Metro Fire)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Rural Metro firefighters were kept busy Wednesday morning responding to two structure fires, one in Mascot and another in the Halls community.
Rural Metro fire crews were called to the 8900 block of “C” Drive in Mascot around 3:30 a.m. where they found a single-wide trailer fully engulfed in flames. The residents were not at home at the time, but they were using a space heater, with an extension cord from the neighbors’ power pole.
No injuries have been reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Rural Metro is reminding everyone to plug a space heater directly into a wall outlet; never plug it into a power strip or extension cord due to the fire risk.
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Rural Metro Fire is also reminding people in East Tennessee that driving over fire hoses can endanger firefighters and damage equipment.
Rural Metro officials issuing the reminder Wednesday after several drivers ran over fire hoses as crews fought a fire in Halls.
The fire happened on Rifle Range Road around 8:30 a.m. according to Rural Metro fire officials. (Courtesy: Rural Metro Fire)
“A fire hydrant was utilized on Rifle Range, and multiple vehicles continued to drive over the hose laying in the road. PLEASE, NEVER DRIVE OVER FIRE HOSES. When you do this, you endanger our lives and our equipment,” said Public Information Officer Jeff Bagwell.
Crews responded around 8:30 a.m. to a reported structure fire in the 3200 block of Rifle Range Road to find a single-wide trailer on fire. Officials say the residents had evacuated safely prior to the fire department’s arrival.
No injuries were reported; however, the trailer was damaged heavily in the fire.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee baseball legend Todd Helton is headed to Cooperstown after being selected for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, as revealed by the MLB Network on Tuesday evening.
In his sixth year eligible for selection, Helton appeared on 79.7 percent of the ballots from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, surpassing the 75 percent threshold. He becomes just the second player in Southeastern Conference history to be voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, joining Auburn’s Frank Thomas (2014).
Selected with the eighth overall pick in the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft by Colorado, Helton spent his entire 17-year Major League career with the Rockies and is still the franchise leader in games played (2,247), runs scored (1,401), hits (2,519), doubles (592), home runs (369), RBI (1,406), total bases (4,292) and walks (1,335).
Helton was a five-time MLB All-Star (2000-04), four-time Sliver Slugger award winner (2000-03), three-time Gold Glove winner (2001, 2002, 2004) and won the National League batting title in 2000. He also helped lead the Rockies to their first and only World Series appearance in franchise history in 2007. Helton joins Larry Walker as the second Rockies’ player to be enshrined in Cooperstown.
Already a member of the Tennessee Baseball Hall of Fame (Class of 2008), the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame (Class of 2017) and the National College Baseball Hall of Fame (Class of 2021), Helton had arguably the most decorated and dominant career of any player in program history and is still considered one of the greatest two-way players to ever play at the collegiate level.
During his time on Rocky Top, Helton was a standout performer at the plate and on the mound, setting numerous program records during his storied career. The Knoxville native still sits atop UT’s record book in career RBI (238), walks (147) and saves (23). He also holds single-season records for runs batted in (92 in 1995), earned run average (0.89 in 1994) and saves (12 in 1995).
Helton earned a multitude of national awards and accolades during his three seasons on Rocky Top, including winning the 1995 Dick Howser Trophy and earning National Player of the Year honors by the American Baseball Coaches Association, Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Helton was also named the 1995 SEC Player of the Year, a two-time first-team All-American (1994 & 1995) and a Freshman All-American (1993).
In his final season at UT, Helton helped lead the Volunteers to 1995 SEC regular season and tournament titles, as well as their first Men’s College World Series appearance in 44 years.
“What Todd Helton did for the Colorado Rockies organization is nothing short of legendary,” Tennessee baseball head coach Tony Vitello said. “Nonetheless, folks here think just as highly of all he has accomplished in our great state. What he has done in this community prior to, during and after his time on Rocky Top may never be duplicated.
“He went from being a local superstar in high school to being a hometown representative for the University of Tennessee here in Knoxville. As many I’m sure have mentioned, he was not just a two-way standout on the baseball field but also a legit two-sport athlete. Athleticism helped create those opportunities, but extreme competitiveness helped fuel his success. Ever since his days of success in Major League Baseball have concluded, he has given back to UT in every way you can possibly imagine. He truly deserves every bit of love he receives from Vol Nation.”
The official induction ceremony for the 2024 Hall of Fame selections will take place in Cooperstown, New York on July 21.
For more information on Helton’s Hall of Fame selection and this year’s National Baseball Hall of Fame Class, click HERE.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Tellico Plains man is sentenced Tuesday, January 23 to more than two decades in prison for rape of a child.
Officials with the District Attorney’s Office say 36-year-old Brandon Wesley Lethco pled guilty to six counts of rape of a child and received a 25-year sentence. The DA says that sentence will be served at 100%.
“There is no place for criminals who abuse the innocence of a child within our community,” said District Attorney Shari Tayloe. “My office will continue to pursue these heinous acts with full force. I want to commend the hard work of my ADAs and law enforcement for bringing justice for this young victim.”
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Department of Child Services collaborated with the DA to successfully obtain the conviction.
“No child should have to endure the pain of a case like this,” said Tayloe. “While we cannot give back what was taken from any victim, we will continue to seek justice in every case, especially in cases where children are abused.”
Tennessee’s extreme winter weather event over the last week has left 34 dead across the state, according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency’s latest update.
TEMA said the State Emergency Operations Center in Nashville is activated at a Level 4 – Elevated to support local requests.
“The extreme cold experienced last week is transitioning out of the state with this week’s forecast including warmer temperatures and rain in all parts of Tennessee starting Monday and extending through Friday,” TEMA said.
The Tennessee Department of Health has confirmed 34 weather-related fatalities in the following counties:
Shelby County – 11
Knox County – 7
Madison County – 2
Marshall County – 2
Roane County – 2
Washington County- 2
Anderson County – 1
Carroll County – 1
Coffee County – 1
Henry County – 1
Hickman County – 1
Lauderdale County – 1
Marion County – 1
Van Buren County – 1
The Knox County Regional Forensic Center is investigating at least seven deaths that happened in the past week as possibly weather-related, according to Chief Administrative Officer Chris Thomas.
Thomas confirmed to WVLT News that the following deaths were being listed as possibly weather-related but also said that other secondary factors could have contributed to their deaths.
“Official cause and manner of death will be determined after autopsy and or exam reports are finalized, which could take months due to current caseload,” Thomas said. “Our office is indeed investigating each one of these deaths to determine accurate cause and manner of death. These deaths may have other contributing factors such as natural or drug-related causes as a primary or secondary cause of death.”
The deaths come as East Tennessee saw a massive snow event that dumped several inches of snow on the ground and brought in frigid temperatures. Monday, a week after the snow fell, county and city officials are still working on roads.
Monday, Jan. 15
A box car driver died in a crash on I-75.
A 73-year-old woman was found outside at the bottom of a staircase
Tuesday, Jan. 16
A 50-year-old woman, believed to be unhoused, was found outside
A 71-year-old woman found inside a home with no heat
Friday, Jan. 19
A 47-year-old man found outside, also believed to be unhoused
Sunday, Jan. 21
A 52-year-old man killed in a crash on Rutledge Pike
A 62-year-old woman found inside a car in a driveway.
Thomas and the forensic center are being asked to report possibly weather-related deaths to TEMA. The chief administrator told WVLT News that hypothermia could be a primary factor in many of the above deaths, or could be a secondary factor.
“Broken asphalt pavement resulting in a pothole, dangerous to motorists. Shot with shallow dof. ….recent addition”
Motorists traveling on East Tennessee interstates and state routes should be aware of upcoming road construction activities that will affect traffic.
Beginning on Tuesday morning, January 23, TDOT crews will be patching potholes regionwide. This is being done in response to the damage recent winter weather has done to East Tennessee roadways.
Please keep an eye out for crews working in the following areas:
I-640 East at Rutledge Pike in Knox County
I-40 in Loudon County
I-40 in Roane County
I-75 in Campbell County
SR 63 from Harrogate to LaFollette
Various state routes in Hancock, Hamblen, Hawkins and Greene Counties
This schedule is contingent on favorable weather conditions. Motorists are advised to expect delays and use extreme caution in this area as workers will be present.
As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and “Know Before You Go!” by checking travel conditions before leaving for their destination. Drivers should never tweet, text, or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel.
Rocky Top, TN (WOKI) UPDATE1/23/24 3:30 p.m.: One person is found dead and an investigation continues following an early morning apartment building fire in Rocky Top.
Multiple crews were called to the 300 block of Main Street just before 4:00 a.m. Tuesday for a major fire. Officials on scene say the building housed five apartments as well as businesses.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is helping to investigate the blaze; they are confirming that one person was found dead inside the building after the fire.
Fire officials say eight people are believed to have been affected by the fire, including the one who died.
The Red Cross is helping those who have been displaced.
ADDITIONAL UPDATE: An investigation is underway after an early morning downtown fire in Rocky Top that leaves several displaced.
Multiple Crews were called to the 300 block of Main Street just before 4 a.m. and found flames coming from the roof and eventually spreading to the exterior before crews put it out.
Officials say the building houses five apartments as well as businesses and that eight people are believed to have been affected by the fire.
The Red Cross is helping those who have been displaced.
No word on injuries and authorities are still asking people to please avoid this area as crews continue to monitor the fire.
UPDATE: An investigation is underway and one person is unaccounted for after an early morning downtown fire in Rocky Top.
Multiple Crews were called to the 300 block of Main Street just before 4 a.m. and found flames coming from the roof and eventually spreading to the exterior before crews .
Officials say the building houses five apartments as well as businesses.
Fire officials say eight people are believed to have been affected by the fire, including the one person who is unaccounted for. The Red Cross is helping those who have been displaced.
No word on injuries and authorities are still asking people to please avoid this area as crews continue to monitor the fire.
ORIGINAL STORY: Anderson County – Multiple Crews are on the scene of an apartment building fire in the 300 block of Main Street and Third Street in Rocky Top this morning.
Fire crews were called to the scene just before 4 a.m. this morning and say there are 5 apartments in the building but it’s not known if anyone is living there and no word on injuries at this time.
Roads are closed in the area while crews battle this fire which was saw smoke and flames coming from inside, out the roof and coming through windows to the exterior earlier but crews have managed to stop that spread and are making progress fighting that blaze.
Flames are greatly reduced but some interior fires are still burning.
Please avoid this area as crews continue to fight that blaze.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team moved to fifth in the nation in each major poll this week.
Tennessee (14-4, 4-1) ascended one spot in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and two positions in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, as announced Monday afternoon.
This is the 50th consecutive week the Volunteers are in the AP Poll, the third-longest streak in the country—Houston is first at 76 and Kansas is second at 55—and 13 weeks longer than the prior program record. Tennessee has earned a top-10 spot in 23 of those 50 weeks, including a top-five nod on six occasions.
This is the sixth straight week Tennessee is in the AP top 10, tied for its seventh-longest streak ever. Four of the eight such occurrences in program history have come under ninth-year head coach Rick Barnes, all since the 2018-19 campaign.
The Volunteers won both their games last week, each at Food City Center, by 19-plus points without trailing for even a second. First, behind a career-high 39 points from fifth-year guard Dalton Knecht, they logged an 85-66 victory Tuesday over Florida. They followed that Saturday with a 91-71 triumph over Alabama, as Knecht logged his fourth straight 25-point performance.
Tennessee garnered 1,237 points in the AP Poll balloting, an increase of 90 from last week. In the Coaches Poll, the Volunteers tallied 671 points, a 97-point jump, to move just seven shy of fourth-place Houston.
The Volunteers are once again the highest-ranked team in the SEC, which now has three top-eight teams. They are joined by sixth-ranked Kentucky and No. 8/6 Auburn on both lists. Meanwhile, Alabama is the top four of the “receiving votes” section of both polls and Florida claimed points in the AP Poll.
Following their midweek bye, the Volunteers head to Nashville, Tenn., where they take on Vanderbilt at Memorial Gymnasium, with action slated for 6 p.m. ET, live on SEC Network.
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.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the third time this season, including the second in a row, Dalton Knecht of the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team is the SEC Player of the Week, as announced Monday afternoon by the league office.
Knecht also garnered Naismith Trophy Player of the Week plaudits, as revealed Monday afternoon by the Atlanta Tipoff Club/Naismith Awards. He is the first Volunteer to claim the accolade since Grant Williams on Jan. 28, 2019.
The 6-foot-6, 213-pounder from Thornton, Colo., averaged 32.0 points per game for the second consecutive week, this time doing so in wire-to-wire home wins over Florida and Alabama. He added 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game to his ledger, while shooting 21-of-43 (48.8 percent) overall, 5-of-12 (41.7 percent) beyond the arc and a perfect 17-of-17 at the line.
Knecht poured in a career-best 39 points in Tuesday’s 85-66 victory over the Gators, finishing 13-of-23 from the field, 4-of-6 on 3-pointers and 9-of-9 at the stripe. Saturday, he logged 25 points in a 91-71 triumph over the Crimson Tide.
With his 39-point showing versus Florida, Knecht became the first SEC player since LSU’s Shaquille O’Neal in February 1991 to log back-to-back 35-point games, per Jared Berson. His 25-point performance against Alabama made him the fifth SEC player in the last 14 seasons (2010-24) to hit that total in four consecutive outings.
Additionally, this week alone, Knecht became the first SEC player to make eight-plus free throws without a miss since LSU’s Tari Eason on Feb. 26 and March 2, 2022.
While no other individual has claimed even two SEC Player of the Week distinctions this season, Knecht is already the first person from any school to earn three in a season since Auburn’s Walker Kessler in 2021-22.
The fifth-year guard, who previously won the award both Nov. 13 and Jan. 15, is also the fourth player in Tennessee history to do so thrice in a single campaign, joining Grant Williams (2018-19), Chris Lofton (2006-07 & 2005-06) and Dyron Nix (1988-89). The league first started giving out the recognition in 1984-85.
In addition, Knecht is the first back-to-back honoree in the league since Kentucky’s Immanuel Quickley nearly four years ago, as he won March 2 and Feb. 24, 2020. Two of the last three SEC players to receive the distinction in consecutive weeks are Vols, as the last person to achieve the feat before Quickley was Tennessee’s Admiral Schofield on March 5 and Feb. 26, 2019.
Knecht and Schofield are the only Volunteers in the last 20 years to win back-to-back SEC Player of the Week awards. Just two others—Ron Slay on Feb. 17 and Feb. 10, 2003, and Nix on Dec. 6 and Nov. 29, 1989—have done so in program history. In total, this is the 18th time in head coach Rick Barnes‘ nine seasons a Volunteer has earned SEC Player of the Week accolades.
Knecht and fifth-ranked Tennessee continue play, after a midweek bye, Saturday at 6 p.m. ET against Vanderbilt at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tenn., live on SEC Network.
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.
