ROAN MOUNTAIN — Investigators from the Carter County Sheriff’s Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continue to follow leads in the apparent double homicide case involving two bodies discovered in a garage at 120 Hemlock Lane in the Hampton Creek community. The bodies had been partially burned.

“We are spending a great deal of time on the leads we have,” Lt. Mike Little of the sheriff’s department said on Thursday. He said he has not yet received any information from the autopsies conducted at Quillen College of Medicine, but he said such information can be slow in coming in cases where the bodies were burned.

Little said investigators believe the victims suffered gunshot wounds. Kristin Helm, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation also said agents had found there were gunshots. Neither Helm nor Little could confirm other news media reports that the gunshots had been to the head.

Read the expanded version of this report at the Johnson City Press Web site.

ROGERSVILLE — A Rogersville man who led police on a high speed chase across the western half of Hawkins County Thursday night was charged with multiple felonies after being stopped in Bean Station with a "pit maneuver."

Rogersville Police Department Officer George Henry said he was on Hasson Street shortly before 8 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of Highway 11-W when he observed a black older model Mercedes pass by westbound at a high rate of speed.

Henry pursued the Mercedes, and said he paced behind the vehicle at 85 to 90 mph. When the Mercedes turned left onto Arrowhead Drive Henry activated his lights and siren in an attempt to stop the vehicle, but it wouldn’t stop. It was later discovered the alleged driver was Joe Perry Reed, 33, 127 Marble Hall Road, Rogersville.

The pursuit circled the Morgan Estates subdivision with Reed turning back into the westbound lane of 11-W from Morgan Drive. Reed had three occupants in the vehicle, who according to their police statements, were unwilling passengers in this pursuit.

At one point during the pursuit one of the passengers downshifted the Mercedes transmission, which caused the vehicle to decelerate and the tires to smoke. Henry pulled ahead of Reed, and as Reed tried to pass him back Reed allegedly rammed the side of Henry’s patrol car.

Eventually the chase crossed into Bean Station where Grainger County officers were waiting to join the pursuit. Grainger County officers stopped Reed near the Bean Station IGA using a "pit maneuver" which involves tapping a chase vehicle’s rear quarter panel to spin it out.

Reed was driving without a license and had allegedly been consuming alcohol. The Tennessee Highway Patrol, which made the arrest, did a blood draw on Reed.

Reed was lodged in the Grainger County Jail on charges there, and will also faces charges from the RPD including three counts of felony reckless endangerment, felony evading arrest and aggravated assault.

Update: On Monday morning police identified the victim as Samuel Bell, 19, of 1802 Fair Haven Drive, Kingsport.

KINGSPORT — Divers from the Kingsport Lifesaving Crew and Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office found the body of a suspected drowning victim Sunday night beneath the cliffs where the victim and other boys were diving into the lake at Warriors Path State Park Sunday afternoon.

A witness told the Times-News the young men were diving from the cliffs Sunday around 5:30 p.m. when the 19-year-old victim jumped from above the highest cliff, landed in the water on his side, and never came up.

Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Leslie Earhart told the Times-news that around 9 p.m. divers located the victim beneath the cliffs in Fort Patrick Henry Lake at a depth of about 30 to 40 feet.

The name of the victim wasn’t released Sunday.

Friends said the victim turned 19 Saturday. One friend described him as an “adrenaline junkie.”

The cliffs where the boys were jumping Sunday are marked clearly with signs prohibiting jumping or diving. Witnesses said the height of jumping areas ranges from 30-90 feet.

A friend of the victim, Andrew Sboukis said the victim climbed a tree above the highest cliff and jumped from a height of 90 to 100 feet into the Fort Patrick Henry Lake.

“He went to the cliff where we were jumping, went past the tallest cliff people normally jump off of, jumped out a tree and landed on his side,” Sboukis said. “He just never came up. I jumped in off of a nearby cliff. I heard that and I swam over there. He was gone.”

Boater Crystal Chandler of Kingsport witnessed the incident as she was passing by.

“He jumped off the tall cliff where the trees were and he never resurfaced,” Chandler said. “We picked the two boys out of the lake in our personal boat and brought them back to the (boat) ramp. They’re upset because they couldn’t find their buddy. He just turned 19 yesterday (Saturday).”

If this death is in fact a drowning, it would be the third drowning this past weekend in the area.

Two people drowned Saturday including one on Boone Lake, and one on the Nolichucky River who wasn’t discovered until Sunday morning.

The body of a man who went missing on the Nolichucky River Saturday morning was recovered Sunday evening, David Crum of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, said.

The body of Michael W. Jones, 60, of Jonesborough, was found in 8 1/2 feet of water off A.J. Willis Road just after 6 p.m. The TWRA is still investigating.

Agencies assisting the TWRA were the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County-Johnson City Emergency Medical Services, the Washington County Rescue Service, Embreeville Volunteer Fire Department, Kingsport Lifesaving Crew and Unaka Search and Rescue.

Read the full report on the Johnson City Press website.

The National Weather Service in Morristown has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Greene County, eastern Hawkins County, Sullivan County, and Washington County, Tenn., until 12:15 a.m.

At 11:23 p.m., National Weather Service Doppler radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing ping pong ball size hail and damaging winds in excess of 60 mph.

This storm was located six miles west of Colonial Heights, or six miles southwest of Kingsport, and moving southeast at 25 mph.

Locations in the warning include... Colonial Heights, Gray. Jonesborough. Fall Branch, Limestone, Leesburg and Avondale.

Demand from record early summer heat prompted the Tennessee Valley Authority to plea for Northeast Tennessee residents to conserve electricity through midweek.

As temperatures soared above 100 degrees, the TVA and the Johnson City Power Board issued news releases asking customers to reduce electrical use during peak times of the heat wave.

Areas served by the JCPB, Erwin Utilities and Greeneville Light & Power System are included.

Read the full story on the Johnson City Press website.

ROGERSVILLE — Despite a 90 degree forecast and 40 percent chance of rain, Rogersville Fourth of July Celebration organizers are preparing for their biggest crowd ever Wednesday at the City Park.

For more than two decades, the non-profit Rogersville Fourth of July Celebration Committee has raised funds to bring a headline musical performance to the City Park free of admission on the Fourth of July.

In recent years attendance had reached 30,000, but last year with “The Band Perry” performing attendance was estimated around 50,000.

Committee Chairman Dr. Blaine Jones said the 23rd annual Rogersville Fourth of July Celebration may even top that attendance record thanks to a free concert by two chart-topping groups including “The Eli Young Band” which currently has the No. 4 song on the country Billboard charts with “Even if It Breaks Your Heart.”

Opening for The Eli Young Band is MercyMe, which currently has the No. 1 song on the Christian Billboard Chart with “The Hurt & the Healer.”

“That is an awesome lineup if I must say so myself,” Jones said. “There are not many places in America you are going to get that high quality of entertainment for free.”

Wednesday’s celebration is an all-day event starting at 7 a.m. with the Skelton Law Series “Firecracker 4 Miler” footrace through historic downtown Rogersville.

Hundreds have already registered for the contest.

A 3-on-3 basketball tournament begins in the park at 9 a.m., followed by a traditional Independence Day parade through downtown Rogersville at noon; and then all the entertainment and events shift to the Rogersville City Park begin at 1 p.m.

The Kids Zone sponsored by Christ Fellowship will open at 1 p.m. with at least 10 inflatable rides free for the kids to use.

Camp Hope will be sponsoring Water Wars; the Tennessee Army National Guard will have their Rock Climbing Wall; and the City Pool will be open for free swimming.

Free entertainment begins at 1 p.m. with the main attractions MercyMe at 6:30 p.m. and the Eli Young Band at 8:30 pm.

The day concludes with what Jones describes as “one of the largest fireworks shows in the South” orchestrated by Bob Smith and Dynamic Effects & Fireworks at 10 p.m.

“The day is a free except for the food, drinks, souvenirs and T-shirts,” Jones said.

“These are a few of the ways the Fourth of July Committee raises funds to pay for the event. We are still seeking donations and sponsors if interested.”

Anyone may send a donation to Four Square, Inc., c/o Rogersville 4th of July Celebration, P.O. Box 35, Rogersville, TN 37857.

To be a sponsor, call Dr. Blaine Jones at 423-272-3150.

Volunteers are also still needed to help in the Kids Zone.

If you would like to volunteer to help, call Missy Gillenwater at 423-754-2691.

Three Kingsport residents have been arrested following the recent heat exhaustion death of a dog, allegedly left tied to a post with no water or protection from the sun.

The suspects were indicted last Tuesday by a Sullivan County grand jury on charges of aggravated animal cruelty. Kingsport Police Department Code Enforcement Officer Melanie Adkins says they were arrested Friday, with charges also pending against a fourth individual.

Losha L. Detamore, 32, Telda D. Detamore, 34, and William D. Comerford, 71, each of 650 Donelson Drive, had bond set at $10,000 each. Losha and Telda have posted bond and been released while Comerford remains incarcerated.

On May 31 Kingsport police were called to the suspects' residence, locating a dead Pomeranian. An incident report states the residents had left the animal tied to a post in the backyard "for a period of time" without food, water or protection from the sun.

KPD Officer Adkins and Sullivan County Assistant District Attorney Julie Canter said witnesses observed the animal in distress before it died. They were reportedly waiting for an animal shelter to open, not knowing they could dial 911 for such an incident.

Adkins and Canter encouraged the public to call 911 if an animal appears in immediate distress.

"We can prevent this type of thing as a community if we work together," said Canter.

ROGERSVILLE — Hawkins County 911 officials have begun searching for a remedy to the effects of lightning after the second strike since April interrupted service for about 30 minutes and ruined an estimated $30,000 worth of equipment Sunday night.

Hawkins County 911 Director Gay Murrell said the new 911 center, which was constructed in 2009, is supposed to be grounded. But a lightning strike in April destroyed several surveillance cameras.

About 11:30 p.m. Sunday, the 911 building was hit again by lightning, with more devastating results.

“It came in through the heavy equipment inside, and we temporarily lost all telephones and radios,” Murrell said. “Telephones came up within five minutes, but our radio communication was knocked out, so we had to use the radio equipment in the (county Emergency Management Agency’s) mobile command center.”

Dispatch capabilities were down for about 30 minutes before the mobile command center could be activated. Murrell said fortunately it was a light time period for call volume.

During that period of time, Hawkins County 911 received some calls for storm-related downed trees and one tree fire when a tree fell on a power line, but no “life threatening” calls came in before the mobile radios could be activated.

“We had to work a relay system,” Murrell said. “Inside we answered the phones and dispatched out in the mobile command center.”

A technician arrived Monday morning and brought some of the inside radios back online. Murrell said she called in extra dispatchers Monday morning to assist with calls.

Still, the 911 system suffered “extensive damage” as a result of the lightning strike, Murrell said. The repair costs will be covered by insurance.

“I’ve estimated that we are looking at a minimum of $30,000 worth of damage,” Murrell said. “We lost channel cards, one console, two radios, 11 cameras, a big-screen TV that we watch the weather on, and possibly lost three computers. We’ve had to rearrange a lot today.”

Murrell added, “We are grounded, but not to the extent that we should have been. The electrician is going to get together with our insurance carrier to figure out what we need to do to improve our grounding.”

Hawkins County was hit with a massive power outage Friday evening as a result of a fire at the John Sevier Fossil Plant in Rogersville. Hawkins County 911 has a backup system for power outages, which did keep the service up and running during the approximately one-hour blackout.

WISE — A line of strong thunderstorms swept out of Kentucky across Southwest Virginia Sunday night, adding areas of power outages for regional utilities already dealing with massive power disruptions across the Eastern United States, particularly West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia.

Since last Friday Appalachian Power Co., a unit of American Electric Power (AEP), has been struggling to restore power to hundreds of thousands of customers in West Virginia and Virginia.

Sunday after 10 p.m., a line of powerful storms hammered large portions of Southwest Virginia with lightning and strong winds, downing power lines primarily as a result of falling limbs or in some cases, entire trees.

Old Dominion Power Co., a unit of Kentucky Utilities (KU) based in Lexington, Ky., serves most of Wise County and portions of Lee County. ODP reported well over 2,000 customers without service across those two counties Sunday night into Monday.

“Wise and Lee were pretty much hit the hardest for us,” KU spokesman Cliff Feltham said Monday. “Between those two, at the height of the storm we had about 2,500 customers out.”

KU hoped to have service restored to all its ODP customers Monday.

Meanwhile, that same storm system added Appalachian Power’s service slice of Wise County, primarily around the Pound area, to AEP’s giant service headache. AEP’s Web site on Monday reported 657 customers in Wise County were without power on Sunday.

Other area counties AEP reported with outages included 780 customers in Dickenson, 1,485 in Buchanan, 913 in Russell, 828 in Tazewell, and 1,246 in Washington.

KINGSPORT — Open burning is now banned in the city of Kingsport until further notice after a directive was issued from the fire marshal Monday afternoon.

Kingsport Fire Department Public Education Officer Barry Brickey said July Fourth holiday staples like cookouts using charcoal and gas-powered grills are not affected by the ban, which was brought on by drought conditions that have gripped the Southeast and triggered at least three small blazes in recent days around Sullivan County.

“The fire marshal has been looking at rainfall totals and checking them throughout our region, and Sullivan County currently borders on an extreme drought,” Brickey said. “The rain we got from the thunderstorm Sunday night did not even budge things, and we are still bone dry. We know there will be a lot people in Kingsport around July Fourth, and you’re talking about blazes like campfires or bonfires — anything where cinders can fly free and float that are now not allowed. As dry as conditions are right now, things can escalate very fast.”

A Kingsport fire unit assisted on a quick-spreading brush fire Monday afternoon near the Exit 66 area of the county that Brickey said was contained.

A mulch fire was reported and put out at Brandy Mill Apartments in the city last week, while a blaze sparked by fireworks that burned less than a half-acre but threatened three storage buildings valued at over $400,000 was quashed in the county last Wednesday, according to a listing on the State Fire Report issued by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry.

The city’s traditional fireworks display will go on as scheduled from atop Cement Hill at 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday, said Downtown Kingsport Association Executive Director Stacey Eubanks, after conferring with Fire Chief Craig Dye and Fire Marshal Robert Sluss Monday morning.

“They plan to have a brush fire truck from a county fire department on standby (near the display) to make sure we have the right safety measures in place,” said Eubanks.

A city law already makes setting off fireworks within the city limits illegal, punishable by a $50 fine per incident. Brickey said those caught in violation of the open burn ban will face a $50 fine plus court costs.

Burning bans in Tennessee have grown from just a handful last week to 26 counties as of Monday afternoon, Division of Forestry official Tim Phelps told the Times-News.

The only East Tennessee counties on the list are Sevier and Loudon counties, but Phelps expects that list to grow by the end of the week.

“The low relative humidities across Tennessee are very unusual this time of year. That has caused all of the ... fuels on the forest floor to dry out and become extremely flammable,” said Phelps.

County mayors must put in a request to the Division of Forestry for a burn ban to be designated, Phelps said.

Daily fire reports and updated drought conditions can be found at www.burnsafetn.org.

JOHNSON CITY — One person is dead and another seriously injured following a single-vehicle crash Monday morning.

Witnesses told Johnson City Police Department investigators that a red Ford F-150 pickup was traveling northbound in the 3900 block of Bristol Highway just before noon when the driver lost control. The vehicle left the road and struck the ditch line. The pickup then went airborne, rolled, and hit a utility pole.

The driver died at the scene, and the passenger was transported to Johnson City Medical Center Hospital, where he is listed in critical condition. The victim’s identification is being withheld at this time pending notification of families.

A local business sustained damage due to flying debris from the crash.

The Johnson City Police Department’s Traffic Homicide Team is investigating the incident.

ROGERSVILLE — A Morristown couple pleaded guilty last week in Hawkins County Criminal Court to charges related to a meth lab bust that occurred following their arrest last year during a Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office “highway drug interdiction operation.”

Vance Edgar “Dank” Lawson Jr., 45, of Morristown, pleaded guilty Wednesday before Judge John Dugger to charges including promotion of manufacturing methamphetamine, food stamp fraud, possession of drug paraphernalia, and violation of the seat belt law.

Lawson was sentenced to two years and one day, fined a total of $2,975, and will be eligible for parole after serving 30 percent of his sentence.

Rita Faye Lawson, 42, of Morristown, pleaded guilty to food stamp fraud. She was sentenced to one year of probation and fined $150. She was originally charged related to the meth lab investigation as well, but those charges were dismissed after Vance Lawson took responsibility for being involved in the meth operation.

On April 4, 2011, the Lawsons were stopped in their vehicle by the HCSO Narcotics Unit on a seat belt violation moments after leaving a residence on Spruce Pine Road, which was raided due to a meth lab a short time later.

The couple were found in possession of a food stamp card under another person’s name, which they stated they’d purchased from the legitimate beneficiary for $75 to purchase groceries.

Vance Lawson was also found in possession of a pipe, which contained meth residue.

He was also implicated in the Spruce Pine Road meth manufacturing operation based on statements given by other individuals arrested on that raid, as well on purchase logs recording his purchases of pseudoephedrine.

Assistant Attorney General Alex Pearson said all other co-defendants in that case have already pleaded guilty. The rightful owner of the food stamp card was not prosecuted, Pearson added, because investigators only had the Lawsons’ word for how they acquired it.

Other guilty pleas heard by Dugger during June’s criminal court session include:

• Dillon Cole West, 25, 617 Zion Hill Road, Surgoinsville, who was sentenced June 1 to 120 days in jail followed by 18 months probation and fined $250 for felony false report.

• Heather Nicole Leonard, 25, 130 Henard Lane, Rogersville, who was sentenced June 27 to two years and one day of community corrections and fined $2,225 for promotion of manufacturing meth and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• John Patrick Shipman, 34, of Rogersville, who was sentenced June 26 to six years on community corrections and fined $4,225 for possession of Schedule II narcotics with intent to deliver, maintaining a dwelling for drug use, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Susan Ann Estes, 32, 101 Lyons Park Ave., Rogersville, who was sentenced June 26 to two years and one day and fined $2,000 for promotion of manufacturing meth.

• Thomas Newton Cockrell, 38, 158 River Shadows Drive, Rogersville, who was sentenced June 22 to two years and one day and fined $2,000 for promotion of manufacturing meth.

• Matthew Edward Bledsoe, 21, 135 Dogwood Lane, Whitesburg, who was sentenced June 22 to two years and one day and fined $2,000 for promotion of manufacturing meth.

• Michael Lynn Shelton, 19, no address available, who was sentenced June 22 to two years and one day and fined $1,285 for two counts of vehicular assault and simple possession of Schedule IV narcotics.

• Denver Lingar, 34, of Pineville, Ky., who was sentenced June 22 to three years and one day and fined $2,150 for conspiracy to possess Schedule II narcotics with intent to deliver and felony failure to appear. He was ordered to serve 180 days in jail and will be on probation for the remainder of his sentence.

• Michelle Dianne Bennett, 39, no address available, who was sentenced June 22 to two years and one day, fined $200 and ordered to pay a total of $625 to two victims for two counts of theft over $1,000.

• Lori Ann Davis, 38, 1732 Pressman’s Home Road, Rogersville, who was sentenced June 1 to two years and one day of probation and fined $500 for promotion of manufacturing meth.

• Eugene Russell Baugh, 34, 603 Tuggle Hill Road, Rogersville, who was sentenced to two years and one day, fined $250, and ordered to pay $4,000 in restitution for theft over $1,000.

A Johnson City man was jailed on several charges late Saturday after he fled a wreck in his own neighborhood and had altercation with the other driver, police said in a news release.

Robert A. Taylor Jr., 28, 1017 Whittling Wood Drive, was arrested after police were called to Whittling Wood about 11 p.m.

Police said Taylor's vehicle struck another vehicle, and the two drivers had an altercation. Police arrived after Taylor fled the accident scene but caught up with him as he was exiting the neighborhood onto Bristol Highway and pulled him over on Knob Creek Dock Road. He was driving under the influence and had a firearm, police said in the news release.

Read the expanded version of this report at the Johnson City Press Web site.

NASHVILLE — A Tennessee Supreme Court order temporarily suspending the law license of former Hawkins County judge James “Jay” Taylor states that Taylor “misappropriated funds for his own use and poses a threat of substantial harm to the public.”

Taylor, 41, 148 Stewart Hills Drive, Rogersville, has been held in the Davidson County jail since being indicted there May 28 on 41 counts of theft from the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). He was also indicted June 1 on 12 counts of theft and money laundering in Hawkins County.

Taylor’s bond in Davidson County is $100,000.

If Taylor makes his Davidson County bond, he would be returned to the Hawkins County jail to make a $150,000 bond there.

A petition for the temporary suspension of Taylor’s law license was issued by the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility (TBPR) on June 25 by TBPR senior litigation counsel Sandy Garrett. The Supreme Court suspension order was filed Friday with the Davidson County Clerk of Courts.

In Hawkins County, Taylor is scheduled to stand trial Jan. 28, 2013. No trial date has been set on Taylor’s Davidson County charges. Taylor had practiced law in Hawkins County since 1997.

KINGSPORT — The Fourth of July parade in Kingsport will have more than 100 entries — everything from patriotic floats and emergency and military vehicles to horses, cheerleaders and the always-present Shriners.

But what will be in short supply will be music, as only one local high school band has committed to marching in the parade on Wednesday.

The marching bands of Dobyns-Bennett High School and Sullivan North High School will not be in the parade on Wednesday. The only band committed is Sullivan South High School. For years, all three bands have performed in the Fourth of July parade.

“We are for sure, and we’re very excited about it,” said Kenneth Carrico, band director for Sullivan South.

The South marching band will include about 60 students and perform what Carrico calls Sousa-palooza — a compilation of John Philip Sousa’s marches.

Sherry Gillum, new band director at Sullivan North, said she wanted to have the marching band in the parade but could not since her first day on the job was Monday. Sullivan North’s marching band includes about 30 instruments and 15 flag members. Gillum said she hopes members of her band will participate in the upcoming Fun Fest parade.

Lafe Cook, band director at D-B, said he made the call not to be in the parade because of the low number of band members who would be in town this week.

“We canvassed our student attendance before the end of the school year to discover how many kids are going to be there. Most years we seem to be fine, but this year the number of kids who are available to attend was so low,” Cook said. “I think that’s a construct of the early start of school and the limited window we have to do various band camp rehearsals.”

D-B’s band had camp last week, and the two-week-long football band camp begins July 16. City school starts back Aug. 6.

“This is one of the few weeks band families have to get out of town,” Cook said.

D-B’s band has approximately 330 members and in years past for the Fourth of July parade, typically 100 to 120 members march, with a high year being 180 members. This year, only 50 to 60 members were available to march in the parade, Cook said.

“We didn’t feel like we had the student attendance to make it work, and it’s not just the number of kids — it has to do with which kids are available. The key upper classmen weren’t going to be available,” Cook said. “We didn’t have what we needed to put our best foot forward and are hoping that this is a one-year anomaly.”

Next year, July Fourth falls on a Thursday, and Cook said he plans to adjust the schedule to ensure more students are in town that week.

“There are going to be some disappointed people, but at the end of the day we feel like we should represent our school and our community at a level that meets the tradition and expectation of the program,” Cook said.

The 59th annual Mack Riddle American Legion Fourth of July Parade in Kingsport gets under way at 10 a.m. Wednesday, beginning at the Kingsport Renaissance Center and ending at the Kingsport Veterans Memorial at J. Fred Johnson Park.

The two-hour-long parade has been deemed one of the largest ones in Tennessee.

GATE CITY — A Kingsport man was given a five-year prison sentence in Scott County Circuit Court Monday after being convicted for his role in multiple burglaries that happened in 2010 in the Weber City area.

Joseph Lesley Shupe, 30, 1375 Derwood Court, No. 3, Kingsport, was sentenced by Circuit Judge John Kilgore to 15 years in prison with nine years and four months suspended.

Shupe was also ordered to pay restitution to multiple victims.

Shupe’s sentence came after he pleaded guilty to 11 total felony counts, including breaking and entering, grand larceny and conspiracy.

Shupe was arrested following a series of break-ins that occurred in November 2010 at homes and businesses in and around Weber City. Shupe confessed to the burglaries after being taken into custody by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office.

“(Shupe) was one of three people who went on a crime spree that took place in November 2010,” Scott County Commonwealth’s Attorney Marcus McClung said. “He will join the other two who are already serving their time in prison now.”

The co-defendants arrested in connection with Shupe were convicted for their roles in separate break-ins.

Scottie Ray Barnette, 32, Gate City, was sentenced in March 2011 to four years and three months in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of grand larceny and three counts of breaking and entering.

Shupe’s other co-defendant — Drandon Ray Darnell, 38, Kingsport — was ordered to serve a three-year sentence after pleading guilty to three counts of grand larceny and one count each of breaking and entering and conspiracy.

The blotter is derived from recent central dispatch records and incident reports of area police agencies.

Kingsport Police Department

June 28

Officers were dispatched to a suspicious person on Lynn Garden Drive, where the suspect was found to be, "extremely hyper and talkative." The man was, "continually asking to go to the car to charge his phone," and attempted to run away from police. While being detained he sustained a cut above his eye and yelled, "I have Hep C and HIV." He then began spitting and flinging blood towards officers. Two packs of bath salts were located on the suspect, who is charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest.

July 1

Dispatch was alerted of a man on Carver Street with a pistol. The caller said the suspect, "said he was just so irritated that he wanted to shoot somebody."

Sullivan County Sheriff's Office

June 28

A caller from Peach Orchard Drive advised his son was drunk and, "acting like a fool."

A suspicious "bread truck" was reported at Blountville Middle School.

A Gaines Street man reported his neighbor kicked him in the stomach and continues to walk in front of his house.

June 30

The owner of a mobile home park on Hooker Road reported a tenant was "wanting to set off fireworks" and causing problems.

A man on Weaver Branch Road claimed his wife had busted a window out of his truck and, "set it on fire." He stated that before she left she punched herself in the face, threatening to tell police he had attacked her.

July 1

Staff of Johnson City Medical Center requested EMS check on a Sycamore Drive resident. Upon her release from the hospital an IV had inadvertently been left in her arm.

Hawkins County Sheriff's Office

July 1

A Church Hill resident let a man borrow his truck, which was returned with a dent in the front bumper. The vehicle owner says he asked about the dent, at which time the man, "hit him in the face." When the suspect was interviewed by police he stated the truck's owner had swung at him first. He also admitted that his wife had been driving the truck when it hit a pole in Kingsport, and he would pay to repair the damages.

June 30

A man allegedly walked into Lakeview Market in Mooresburg, stuffed $100 worth of snack foods into his cargo pants and fled the scene.

For the complete blotter listings read each Tuesday and Friday's print or expanded electronic editions of the Kingsport Times-News.

ROGERSVILLE — A Hawkins County woman was charged with aggravated assault early Friday morning after allegedly beating a neighbor over the head with a stick after the neighbor accused her of theft.

Shortly before 2 a.m. Friday, Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Michael Lipe was dispatched to the home of Amy Linde, 228 South Fork Branch Road, Rogersville.

Linde stated that Choya Kay Wilder, 23, 219 South Fork Branch Road, had been at her house earlier in the day. After Wilder left, Linde discovered $37 and her I.D. were missing.

“Amy stated Choya came back to her residence at approximately 1:47 a.m., and she (Linde) confronted her (Wilder) about the missing items,” Lipe stated in his report. “Amy stated Choya became very irate, and they had an argument. Amy stated Choya left the residence, and she (Linde) went back into her bedroom to get an item from the nightstand.”

Lipe added, “She was unaware Choya had come back into the residence. Amy said she bent down, and Choya struck her several times in the head with a wooden stick.”

By the time Lipe arrived, Wilder had reportedly fled the scene on foot. Lipe stated he observed small lacerations with minor bleeding to Linde’s head.

After Lipe left, Wilder allegedly returned to Linde’s residence and began yelling and cursing.

Lipe responded back to the area, but Wilder had fled again, although this time he was able to track her to a nearby barn.

Lipe said Wilder admitted to striking Linde in the head with the stick, which she then threw into the bushes.

After being charged with aggravated assault, Wilder was released from the Hawkins County jail on $5,000 bond and is scheduled for arraignment on July 11.

Wilder was a witness to the June 11 stabbing at Cades Apartments on Main Street on the far east end of Rogersville that occurred June 11.

Rogersville Police Chief Doug Nelson said no charges have been filed in that stabbing.

Wilder and the Cades Apartments resident who did the stabbing both told police that the victim, Joshua Spriggs, assaulted Wilder and then attacked the resident during an altercation inside the apartment leading up to the stabbing.

The resident claimed self-defense, which Wilder reportedly corroborated.

As of Monday, Spriggs remained in Holston Valley Medical Center in critical condition, although Nelson told the Times-News Monday he’d been notified that following several operations Spriggs had “turned a corner” toward recovery.

Nelson said evidence in the stabbing would be presented to the attorney general’s office for a determination on whether it should be presented to the Hawkins County grand jury.

A Limestone man pleaded guilty Tuesday in a drug and weapons case that opens the door for his wife, also charged in the case, to return to teaching.

Jonathan B. Aloisio, 36, and Toni M. Aloisio, 36, 3661 State Route 34, Limestone, were charged last year with possession of schedule I, II and VI drugs for resale, aggravated child abuse/neglect/endangerment and maintaining a dwelling where controlled substances are used and sold.

The charges against Toni Aloisio were dismissed and Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood signed an order for expungement, meaning the court records on Toni Aloisio will be destroyed.

Read the full story on the Johnson City Press Web site.