Rural Metro Fire rescues disc golfer in North Knox county Park.
Crews received a rescue call in the Disc Golf course at Tommy Schumpert Park. The disc golfer fell in the woods near hole #17 and suffered non life-threatening injuries but could not walk out on their own.
Squad crews used their wheeled litter cart or stretcher wheel cart to safely get the golfer back to the beginning of the course, about 1/4 mile. Their condition has not been released.
Post by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office: In the early morning hours of June 8, 2025, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit, with the assistance of the Organized Retail Crime Unit and SWAT, executed a search warrant on Silver Spur Lane (off Lovell Road).
This operation is part of our ongoing commitment to the 313 Initiative, targeting Detroit-based drug trafficking organizations that are flooding our communities with deadly narcotics.
Inside the home, investigators seized:
• Over 2.5 pounds of pure fentanyl
• Cutting agents
• 2 handguns
• More than $10,000 in U.S. currency
Based on street-level calculations, that’s over 4,500 doses of fentanyl—valued at more than $500,000—taken off our streets.
Arrested and charged with multiple felony offenses:
• Asher Merritt – Detroit, MI
• Derek Bryant – Detroit, MI
• Joshawn Wilson – Detroit, MI
• Jason Washington – Benton Hill, MI
• Taylor Fair-Beck – Knoxville, TN
One of the suspects summed it up with:
“Am I in trouble?”
Yes. You are.
This is just another example of our continued effort to protect Knox County and keep deadly poison out of our community.
#KCSO#NARCUnit#ORCUnit#FentanylCrisis#313Initiative#NotInOurCounty#KnoxCountySheriff#SWAT#SafeCommunities
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 14 Tennessee dropped a tightly-contested battle at No. 3 Arkansas, 4-3, in game one of the NCAA Fayetteville Super Regional on Saturday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Dean Curley and Andrew Fischer both homered to drive in the Vols’ three runs, but the offense struggled overall against Razorbacks’ starter Zach Root, who earned the win after allowing just two runs on one hit over seven innings.
Marcus Phillips put forth a gritty effort on the mound for Tennessee (46-18), striking out five over 5.1 innings but was stuck with the loss after allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks.
Arkansas (47-13) opened the scoring in the second inning when Cam Kozeal raced home from third on a wild pitch.
The Big Orange responded and took their only lead of the game in the top of the fifth after Dalton Bargo reached on a hard-hit line drive that was ruled an error to lead off the inning before Curley launched his 14th long ball of the year over the left-center field fence to make it 2-1.
The Hogs responded immediately with a two-run homer of their own in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead before adding another insurance run in the sixth to take a 4-2 lead.
The relief duo of Brandon Arvidson and Tanner Franklin combined for 2.1 scoreless frames to keep the Vols within striking distance as they entered the ninth inning trailing by two runs.
Fischer hammered a 2-0 pitch over the right-field wall for his 25th homer of the year with one out in the top of the ninth to cut the deficit to a run, but Gabe Gaeckle got a groundout and a strikeout to secure his second save and end the UT comeback bid.
Sunday’s game is a must win for Tennessee as it’ll look to keep its season alive and force a decisive game three on Monday. First pitch between the Vols and Razorbacks is set for 3 p.m. (ET) on Sunday afternoon on ESPN.
WIVK has teamed up with Sevierville Golf Club to make Dad’s Father’s Day with a round of golf at the beautiful Sevierville Golf Club!
Each weekday this week leading up to Father’s Day listen to Joey and Nancy in the morning for a chance to win a round of golf for two with cart at Sevierville Golf Club to be used in 2025!
Thank you Sevierville Golf Club for making this happen!
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Three people have been charged and three children have been removed by the state from a Knox County home after a drug bust that was part of the 313 Initiative.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation officials say the arrests were made Thursday, June 5 at a home on Pelleaux Road during which almost two pounds of fentanyl, more than half a pound of cocaine and methamphetamine were seized as well as firearms and thousands of dollars in cash.
TBI says three adult males inside the home, all from the Detroit, Michigan area, were arrested and booked into the Knox County Jail.
The three people facing charges are:
TBI officials say three children were also in the home and were removed by the state.
The 313 Initiative is a partnership of dozens of law enforcement agencies aiming to stop drugs from coming to Tennessee from the Detroit, Michigan area.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knoxville Police Department will conduct a sobriety checkpoint in West Knoxville later this month.
KPD says officers will staff the checkpoint, which will be set up on Kingston Pike, the night of Friday, June 20.
The purpose of the checkpoint is to deter impaired driving, prevent serious or fatal crashes, and increase public awareness of the consequences of driving while under the influence.
During the checkpoint, officers will check motorists for signs of alcohol or drug impairment, which possibly contributed to at least 10 fatal crashes that occurred in Knoxville in 2024.
KPD conducted its most recent sobriety checkpoint on March 28, 2025 in the 1100 block of N. Broadway. Over 600 drivers were checked for signs of intoxication but no DUI arrests were made.
The Knoxville Police Department reminds motorists to always practice safe driving habits in all situations. Slow down, buckle up, reduce distractions, pay attention to the road, and never drive while under the influence.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Four people are facing charges after a hefty drug bust by the Knoxville Police Department.
Knoxville Police Department officials say the arrests happened Wednesday following the execution of search warrants at homes on Cedar Avenue and Bishop Street.
KPD says the search warrants were obtained as part of ongoing drug distribution investigations and resulted in the discovery of over 180 grams of cocaine, over 90 grams of fentanyl, around one pound of marijuana, over 340 grams of an unidentified powder and four firearms.
The search warrants resulted in the arrest of the following individuals:
According to KPD, Bernard Campbell, Amos Wright and Dale Campbell each have prior felony convictions for drug distribution.
Officials say several agencies, led by the Knoxville Police Department’s Organized Crime Unit, assisted in the execution of the search warrants to include KPD Special Operations Squad personnel, Community Engagement Response Team officers, and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation agents.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Knoxville man has plead guilty to a 2023 double murder.
Jair Romario Martin pleaded guilty in Knox County court Thursday to the murders of 22-year-old Madison Johnson and 21-year-old Heidi Johnson, who were found dead inside a home in the 400 block of Woodlawn Pike in May of 2023.
Officials with the district attorney’s office confirming Martin stands convicted of several charges to include two counts of first-degree murder and has waived his right to a jury determination for sentencing, which means a judge will decide his fate later in the month.
He faces life in prison or life without parole; that decision will be made on June 16.
Lenoir City, TN (WOKI) An investigation is underway in Loudon County after a body is found Friday near the railroad tracks in Lenoir City.
Officials with the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office say the body was discovered near the tracks off Foute Town Road and that the scene is being actively investigated and processed by deputies and Criminal Investigation Detectives.
LCSO says the body will be taken to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center in Knoxville for examination.
No additional information was released.
DALLAS – Tennessee ace Liam Doyle added another notch to his impressive list of accolades this season by being named a finalist for the 38th Dick Howser Trophy, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced on Thursday afternoon.
Doyle is one of four finalists for this year’s award and is the only pitcher. Three of the nation’s top shortstops Wehiwa Aloy (Arkansas), Roch Cholowsky (UCLA) and Alex Lodise (Florida State) were the other finalists.
One of the most prestigious awards in college baseball, the Dick Howser Trophy has been given to the top player based on two rounds of national voting by NCBWA members since 1987. It is given in memory of the former Florida State All-American shortstop and major league player and manager who died of brain cancer in 1987. Criteria for consideration of the trophy include performance on the field, leadership, moral character and courage – all qualities that were exemplified by Dick Howser’s life.
Doyle will look to join Tennessee legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Todd Helton (1995) as the only Vols to ever win the award. The junior lefty is just the fourth UT player to be named a finalist in the award’s history, joining the likes of Trey Lipscomb (2022) and Chris Burke (2001). Doyle is also the first UT player to be selected as a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award in the same season since Burke in 2001.
For the season, Doyle boasts a 10-3 record with a 2.84 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 18 appearances (16 starts). He leads the NCAA with 158 strikeouts,15.46 strikeouts per nine innings and ranks in the top 12 nationally in victories (ninth), WHIP (12th) and hits allowed per nine innings (seventh).
The Derry, New Hampshire, native, was named the Knoxville Regional’s Most Outstanding Player last weekend after going 1-0 and recording a save in his two appearances against Miami (OH) and Wake Forest. Doyle pitched nine innings and allowed just one earned run on four hits while striking out 16 batters during the regional.
In his most recent outing against Wake Forest on Monday night, Doyle broke Luke Hochevar’s single-season strikeout record of 154 by punching out five of the seven batters he faced to bring his season total to 158, which leads the nation entering this weekend’s NCAA Super Regional at Arkansas.
The 2025 Dick Howser Trophy will be presented to this year’s winner during a press conference at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday, June 13 at 11 a.m. (ET).
For more information on the Dick Howser Trophy, visit the NCBWA’s official website.
