TRAFFIC STOP LEADS TO ARRESTS IN BURGLARY INVESTIGATION

Valerie R. Crisp

A routine traffic stop on Sunday launched an investigation that has thus far put three people in jail and helped the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office solve a recent burglary.

When Deputy Casey Kerr activated his emergency equipment on Baldwin Street for the traffic stop the vehicle pulled off the road but two of the three people inside attempted to elude the officer on foot.

Tyler Lee Keller, 20, was taken into custody after briefly eluding capture. In the vehicle deputies found Valerie R. Crisp, 22, who did not flee.  Both gave their address as Lebannon Church Road.

Brian Howard Towers

All three have been linked to a burglary on McClure Road where the home and an outbuilding were entered.  

Detectives obtained a search warrant for Keller’s residence and found some of the stolen property and 68 marijuana plants.

Tyler Lee Keller

QUARANTINED RESIDENCE RELEASED AFTER CLEAN-UP

Since the passage of a state law allowing law enforcement to quarantine sites that have been used for the production of methamphetamine the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office has posted quarantine notices on eight homes.

The law gives law enforcement a mechanism to quarantine homes until they are cleaned of contamination and certified by an industrial hygienist as being safe to occupy.

The law deals specifically with the potential harm to humans who are exposed to the vapors that are given off by the combining of various substances and chemicals to produce meth. Toxic vapors are released that can be absorbed into the walls, floors, and contents of the house.   

Last week the sheriff’s office received the final report of a hygienist for a residence at 1113 Lay Street , one of the quarantined properties. Detective Mike Hughes, the environmental officer for the sheriff’s office, said the residence is now safe after the property owner had the site cleaned. It is the first quarantined property that Det. Hughes has released.

Cleaning up a meth site is expensive, leaving the homeowner with an expense often amounting to several thousand dollars.

During investigation at the Lay Street apartment the Drug Enforcement Unit found the components of a meth lab.

The renter was forced to leave everything behind including furniture, kitchen utensils, bedding, family photos, and clothing.

The owner of the apartment bore the expense of hauling away the contents, having a state-certified industrial hygienist assess the extent of contamination, and rebuilding the apartment’s interior.

Detective Hughes said “ pretty much everything” was replaced including walls, bathroom fixtures, kitchen cabinets, and the kitchen sink.

“The chemicals used to produce meth are toxic and pose a health risk to humans and animals,” Hughes said.   

The state Department of Environment and Conservation warns residual contamination “can be found adsorbed onto surfaces, and permeated into walls, carpets, drapes, bedding, furniture, appliances, clothing, toys, etc.”

Potential health hazards from residual contamination at clandestine meth labs includes:   

• d-Methamphetamine - numerous neurological effects, stroke and cerebral vasculitis. Infants are at greatest risk.
• Iodine - thyroid, pulmonary edema
• Red Phosphorus - Eye, respiratory irritants/burns
• Phosphine Gas - Respiratory Impairment, toxic
• Acids - Eye, respiratory and dermal irritants/burns
• Caustics - Eye, respiratory and dermal irritants/burns
• Metals - Dermal burns, spontaneous fires
• Solvents - carcinogens, liver / CNS effects, flammable
• Sharp objects - Hepatitis, potential HIV infection

Detective Hughes said the remaining seven sites cannot be used until corrective measures have been taken and the quarantine is released. Violating the order is a health risk and subjects the violator to arrest.  Each site is posted with brightly-colored signs to warn of the danger.

Just over a week ago the parents of a six-year-old placed a frantic 9-1-1 call reporting their daughter missing.  Family members had canvassed the neighborhood for half-an-hour but when their efforts produced no result panic quickly set in.

They looked everywhere they could think of.  In vehicles, the house, and places outside the house where the missing child might be. But she was no where to be found.

Only a parent who has faced a crisis of this nature can understand the fear they were experiencing.   

It was then they called the Sheriff’s Office.

Upon receipt of their call dispatchers in the 9-1-1 center directed several deputies to the area to assist with efforts to find the child. At the same time, additional personnel were en-route to provide sufficient manpower in the event the search was expanded to cover a larger area.

The Sheriff’s department’s first responders went back over the same area where the family looked.  The house, surrounding area and vehicles parked in the driveway were checked again to make sure the six-year-old had not been overlooked.   

As two hours passed since she was last seen,  plans were being formulated to expand over a wide area using approximately three dozen volunteers who had responded from the Sheriff’s office, the community, and that community’s volunteer fire department all wanting to help.

Then over the radio was heard “ she’s been found,” bringing a sigh of relief to everyone.   

It was relief for the parents and other family members that she was safe. The officer who found her had decided to look closely at the rear seat of a king-cab pickup truck that was parked at the girl’s residence.  There he found her asleep, out of view behind the rear seat.

At approximately 9:40 p.m. tonight, Thursday July 19th 2007, the correction officer in G pod at the Bradley County Jail was notified of a problem in cell 454.   

The officer found inmate Jeff Ingram lying on the floor.  He notified other personnel in the jail and the on-site Bradley County Emergency Medical Service station responded.   

CPR was started on inmate Ingram who was taken to SkyRidge Medical Center where he died a short time later.   

The other inmate in the cell reported Ingram had been exercising and when he stood up he fell to the floor.

The BCSO Criminal Investigations Division was contacted to conduct a full investigation of the matter. Sheriff Tim Gobble has also requested a full review by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation .  At this time Ingram’s death appears to be medically related.

Inmate Ingram was 42 years old and had been in jail for approximately one month for violation of probation with no bond.   

The sheriff’s office extends its condolences to his family.