Rockwood, TN (WOKI) UPDATE: Officials with the Roane County Sheriff’s Office say the incident is being investigated as an overdose due to heroin and fentanyl being found inside the home. The sheriff’s office is working to find out where the drugs came from.
ORIGINAL STORY: An investigation is underway in Roane county after three people are found dead in a home on Mountain View Road in Rockwood.
The Roane County Medical Examiner says the bodies, two men and one woman, were found around 9:30 a.m. Thursday and were subsequently taken to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center for examination.
The medical examiner’s office together with the Roane County Sheriff’s Office and the Rockwood Police Department are investigating.
-TWRA is stressing the importance of being BearWise after removing a plastic pet feeder from a bear cub’s head this week.
TWRA received the first report on August 14, when a resident near Chilhowee Lake spotted a sow bear and four cubs on her porch with one having a container stuck on its head. TWRA Black Bear Support Biologist Janelle Musser responded and promptly began a trapping effort. She was able to lure the cub into a trap, but it was unable to trigger it with its mouth due to the container on its head. She moved the trap each time a new sighting was reported, even trying a different style trap with a foot plate trigger but at this point, the mother became trap shy and became difficult to pattern.
On Tuesday night, a resident who had been following the situation reported that the cub was in a tree and Musser was able to dart the animal and remove the container. She says, “Darting bears in trees is not standard practice and is only done in an emergency. This cub would not be able to continue surviving like this.”
Despite the long entrapment of its head, the bear did not have any abrasions from the container and was in relatively good shape other than his ears being mashed down to his head. The cub is now recovering at Appalachian Bear Rescue in Townsend. The capture of this bear cub would not have been possible without help from the community reporting sightings, allowing traps on their properties, and being an extra set of eyes, ears, and hands.
BE BEARWISE
Garbage, birdseed, and pet food are the main attractants that bring bears into residents’ yards, near their homes, and on their porches. In this case, an automatic pet food feeder left out for dogs or cats attracted the bear cub which could have died without intervention.
This is not the first time this has happened, and it won’t be the last unless people follow BearWise practices. Tennessee and other states see incidents like this when bears rummage through garbage. This time of year, bears are bulking up for winter and are trying to eat upwards of 20,000 calories a day. This makes attractants like garbage, birdseed, and pet food even more alluring to bears. Their sense of smell leads them to the attractants, and they can get an easy, high-calorie meal in a one-stop shop instead of spending hours foraging for acorns, bugs, and other natural foods. In addition to incidents like this, bears that eat non-natural foods around people and homes become accustomed to humans and often must be humanely euthanized to keep people safe.
Residents in bear country can expect to see higher activity levels this time of year and should secure their garbage, remove their birdfeeders, feed pets for limited time periods, and remove all bowls. This will help keep people, pets, and bears safe. For more information on bears and how to secure attractants in a bear-resistant way, please visithttps://bearwise.org/.
An investigation is underway by Knoxville Police following a deadly shooting in the Western Heights area.
KPD responding to UT Medical Center last night (Wednesday) for a shooting victim, identified as 47 year-old Dorian Steeley, who was brought to the hospital by car and was pronounced dead.
Police found the crime scene was in the 1300 block of Stair Avenue.
Anyone with information is asked to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165. Tipsters can remain anonymous and be eligible to receive a cash reward.
Multiple people were airlifted to hospitals following a crash on Highway 127. (Courtesy: Crossville Fire & Rescue)
Crossville, TN (WOKI) Rescue officials in Crossville are asking for prayers after multiple people were airlifted to different hospitals Wednesday following a crash on Highway 127 North.
Officials with Crossville Fire and Rescue say two vehicles were involved and three people had to be rescued using the jaws of life.
The southbound lanes of Highway 127 were closed during the accident so helicopters could land and transport the patients.
The conditions of those involved in the crash have not yet been released.
Knox County Sheriff’s Officer Tucker Blakely, 29 (Courtesy: KCSO)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Funeral arrangements for Knox County Sheriff’s deputy 29 year-old Tucker Blakely, who lost his life after being shot in-the-line of duty Sunday, have been announced.
Officer Blakely will lie in-state beginning at 10:00 a.m. this Friday, October 6, at Clear Springs Baptist Church, 7350 Tazewell Pike in Corryton. A celebration of life service will follow, starting promptly at 2:00 p.m.
The public is welcome to pay their respects beginning at 10:00 a.m., and citizens are welcome to stay for the celebration of life.
KCSO asks that attendees exercise patience as the area will be congested beginning Friday morning.
Sheriff Tom Spangler thanks the community for the outpouring of support toward him, KCSO officers, and Officer Blakely’s family.
A memorial honoring Officer Blakely was also set up Wednesday afternoon in downtown Knoxville, near the City-County Building. The public is welcome to visit the spot, where KCSO has placed Blakely’s patrol car.
Knox County residents pay respects to fallen Deputy Tucker Blakely, who died after responding to a domestic call. (Courtesy: WVLT)
Suspect in custody after police presence in West Hills (Courtesy: TDOT)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Officers with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office take a suspect into custody after descending upon the West Hills area Wednesday afternoon in response to a domestic call on Mallard Bay Drive.
KCSO officials say deputies responded to a situation on Mallard Bay Drive, but the suspect had left by the time they got there. A short time later, deputies reportedly tracked the individual down near the West Hills I-40 exit ramp.
The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Michael Soch was taken into custody. He is charged with assault.
The Sevier County Emergency Management Agency and the City of Gatlinburg will conduct an Emergency Alert Systems test on all the Outdoor Warning Siren Systems in Sevier County between noon and 12:30 p.m. today.
There are 15 different sirens in Sevier County and 9 in Gatlinburg which provide two different types of alerts. Mechanical sirens provide an audible siren only, while modulator units provide an audible siren and verbal instructions.
Don’t be alarmed, it’s only a test. Cellphones across the country will sound at 2:20p when FEMA and the FCC run a test of the Emergency Alert system..
You should only receive the alert on your cellphone once, a message in either English or Spanish reading “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
Televisions, and radios will also broadcast a similar alert from 2:20-2:50p.
The EAS system is used to alert the public during emergencies such as natural disasters, Amber Alerts and other safety threats.
Zoo Knoxville announced the loss of one of their zebras on Tuesday. Die Toekoms was an eight-year-old Hartmann’s mountain zebra who zoo officials said died after complications with his intestines.
Officials said caretakers noticed Die Toekoms was showing signs of gastrointestinal discomfort and gave him medication to help ease the pain.
They discovered a bowel obstruction and then transported Die Toekoms to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine for emergency surgery.
Zoo Knoxville officials said they discovered a large section of Die Toekoms’ small intestine had twisted. Because surgeons determined that he would not be able to recover, the zebra was humanely euthanized.
“Unfortunately, despite our rapid intervention and the skilled team working to save him, the prognosis for Die Toekoms was grim,” said Phil Colclough, Director of Animal Care, Conservation and Education. “The kindest thing we could do was make sure he left this world peacefully and with dignity.”
Die Toekoms arrived at Zoo Knoxville in 2018 and fathered two offspring, Mosi and Rosi, who both live at Zoo Knoxville.
It marks the third zebra death at Zoo Knoxville in the last few years. One died in March of 2021, and another died in April of this year.
