Driver drowns after crashing into Bellevue pond

  by Heather - February 11th, 2008 - 2:15 pm| BREAKING | no comments

Authorities have recovered a body from a manmade pond in Bellevue after witnesses reported seeing a car drive into it.

The body is believed to be the car’s driver.

An eyewitness reported seeing the car swerve and drive into the pond, located at Devon Valley Road at Old Hickory Boulevard, just before 11:30 a.m. Monday.

The witness said someone was seen on top of the vehicle and then disappeared.

Divers located and cleared the vehicle.

The body was found a short time later.

Watch News 2 at 4 p.m. for complete coverage of this story.

Barack Obama pulls TV ads across Tennessee

  by Christian Grantham - January 21st, 2008 - 3:20 pm| BREAKING, Politics | no comments

Volunteer Voters has the scoop.

According to sources, Barack Obama has canceled all his recently purchased television ads for the Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis media markets. The now canceled buy was for one week estimated at $50,000 in the Nashville market and $200,000 statewide.
[SOURCES: Barack Obama Pulls Tennessee Ads - VolunteerVoters - 01-21-08]

5 boys take joy ride with sex offender

  by Christian Grantham - December 12th, 2007 - 6:21 am| BREAKING, Crime, Family, Public Safety | one comment

When police stopped Michael Ingram for swerving in traffic they found five boys ages 12 and 13 in the back seat. Not only was Ingram driving drunk, police say he is a convicted sex offender who met the boys on MySpace. News 2 was the first to bring you this story.

Ingram is a registered sex offender and not supposed to be with young boys.  But that’s exactly what he was doing Saturday, when police pulled him over and found the boys inside.

The mother of one of the boys in Ingram’s car said it all started outside Hermitage Elementary School. Ingram approached the boys and told them he knew a famous rock band and could get them autographs.

In an arrest affidavit from Saturday, the Metro police officer describes Ingram as drunk, saying he fell down on several occasions just standing.
[Sex Offender Spent Time With Young Boys Before Arrest - WKRN - 12-11-07]

Oak Hill City Manager voted 10 times despite felony conviction

  by Christian Grantham - November 30th, 2007 - 3:50 pm| BREAKING, City Government, County Government, EXCLUSIVE, Politics | one comment

A Davidson County voter registration form posted on News 2’s VolunteerVoters could put Oak Hill City Manager Bill Kraus in more legal jeopardy.

Kraus, who pled guilty to federal mail fraud in 1987, did not file to restore his voting rights as a convicted felon and has voted 10 times since registering to vote in Davidson County.

Kraus did not answer question #9 on the voter registration form which asks “HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CONVICTED OF A CRIME WHICH IS A FELONY” but signed the document affirming “I have never been convicted of a felony, or I have had my rights restored as required by law.” Kraus told News 2 he did so intentionally.

“I was told both by the court and by lawyers at the time that [the felony conviction] would place no restrictions on my civil or voting rights.”
[Oak Hill City Manager Bill Kraus Left Felony Question Blank On 2003 Voter Registration Form - VolunteerVoters - 11-30-07]

Above Kraus’s signature appears a warning stating: “Giving false information to register to vote or attempting to register when not qualified are felonies punishable by not less than one (1) year nor more than six (6) years’ imprisonment or a fine of $3,000 or both.”

Oak Hill recently retained a law firm to investigate Kraus’s criminal record when it resurfaced on News 2’s political blog. The city has not concluded its investigation.

BREAKING: Pro-war blogger to run for state House

  by Christian Grantham - October 30th, 2007 - 9:24 am| BREAKING, New Media, Politics, State Government | no comments

News 2’s Adam Kleinheider has a breaking story on a potential candidate for retiring state Representative John Hood’s (D-Murfreesboro) seat.

The blogosphere will remember Lance Frizzell as the often combatively pro-war militarily blogger “Lance in Iraq.” Frizzell served in Northern Iraq for years as a 1st LT Medical Platoon Leader in the 278th Regimental Combat Team and maintained the vibrant and often updated blog from Iraq while his National Guard unit was stationed overseas and where he received the Bronze Star for meritorious service.
[Sources: Frizzell To Explore House Run - Volunteer Voters - 10-30-07]

BREAKING: Gizmo verdict

  by Christian Grantham - October 23rd, 2007 - 3:23 pm| Animals, BREAKING, Crime | 5 comments

This just in from News 2’s Lori Mitchell:

Count 1 - Chad Crawford is guilty on misdemeanor, aggravated cruelty to animals - punishment up to 11 months and 29 days
Count 2 - unable to reach a verdict on intentional killing of an animal

- 10-22-07 - Trial begins for man accused of killing Gizmo

BREAKING: 10+ car accident I-65S

  by Christian Grantham - October 23rd, 2007 - 2:27 pm| BREAKING, Public Safety | no comments

The Traffic Operations Center in Franklin tells us that at 2:15p.m. a multiple vehicle accident has closed I-65 SB between Cool Springs and McEwen. AVOID AREA IF POSSIBLE. Use Cool Spring to Mack Hatcher to SR 96 E.

UPDATE 2:30p.m. - THP is now on scene. All south-bound lanes are closed on I-65. Multiple injuries being reported and 10 vehicles at minimum are involved.

UPDATE 3:30p.m. - I-65 SB has been re-opened. Emergency Response still on scene. Please continue to use caution in the area.

UPDATE 4:45p.m. - One fatality confirmed.