AREA NEWS

Understaffed Jail Has Prisoner Escape

McMinn County Sheriff Steve Frisbie had some valid concerns regarding the security of his jail. He told the county commissioners that they were desperately understaffed. He was right. It was just a few days later that two prisoners escaped.
About four workers were overseeing approximately 190 prisoners during visitation period last Sunday, on November 28. Authorities said that the two prisoners crawled through the ductwork and clipped the bottom of an outside fence.
The escaped prisoners were Dustin King, incarcerated on meth charges, and Jedadyea Ray Tyndal incarcerated on burglary charges.
Please contact the Sevier County Sheriff’s department if you have any information regarding these individuals that could aid in their apprehension.

Blount County Man Threatens With Fire

Blount County Sheriff deputies were summoned to a Mutton Hollow Road address in the Marysville area just before 9 a.m. on Saturday morning, November 27th, with the report of a structure fire. They had just been there the night before on a domestic disturbance call.
The deputies arrived to find William Dennis Hodge, 52, holding a gasoline can and a cigarette lighter. Smoke was wafting out from the house, but Hodge refused to come out. He told deputies that he intended to set the house on fire and kill himself.
A SWAT team and a Crisis Negotiating team called in by Blount County Sheriff, Jim Berrong, in a combined effort to persuade Mr. Hodge to emerge from the dwelling, joined deputies.
Mr. Hodge ignored their attempts to help, and doused himself and his house with the gasoline. A fire spotted in the back of the house prompted the law enforcement team to rush and subdue Mr. Hodge to force him to safety. No one else was in the house at the time.
Mr. Hodge was then treated at the scene by the Rural/Metro EMS, receiving additional treatment at Blount Memorial Hospital before being taken to Peninsula Hospital for evaluation.