Stolen U-Haul recovered


Bradley County Sheriff’s deputies arrested two people Monday night after they recovered a U-Haul truck that had been reported stolen from Clear Lakes California.  The truck pulled off Springplace Road while Deputies Phillip Reagan and Travis Smith were on a call to watch for the vehicle.

The two occupants, Steven W. Gibbs, 30, and Rhonda Crackel, 43, both of Bruceton Tennessee, were taken into custody for theft over $10,000.  An NCIC hit confirmation showed the vehicle was reported stolen on April 3 and was possibly in the possession of Steven W. Gibbs.

The 2004 GMC truck, valued at $10,000, is being held for a U-Haul recovery team.

Sheriff’s Office arrests one, seeks second person in theft at GE site

Detectives at the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office have made an arrest for the December theft of copper wire from the construction site of the new GE plant in north Bradley County.

A second person indicted by the Bradley County Grand Jury is being sought but he has not been found at this time.

Detective Kevin White said the Grand Jury indicted Kevin Vaughn Crosby, 41, for the theft of wire from GE having a value of $2,000 and the theft of a projector from Bradley Central High School.  At the time, Crosby was employed by a janitorial service and was assigned to the crew that worked at the school campus.

Crosby is charged with two counts of theft over $1,000.

The second suspect will face charges stemming from the copper theft when he is arrested. 

In another investigation , the sheriff’s office has an active reward of up to $500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved in the theft of copper wire from homes in Eagle Creek Subdivision on Mouse Creek Road.   Sheriff Tim Gobble authorized the reward after several homes under construction in the new development were stripped of electrical wiring.  Losses were several thousand dollars for the owners of the new homes. 

Anyone with information about the thefts in Eagle Creek Subdivision can contact the Criminal Investigations Division of the Sheriff’s Office at 728-7337.

Suspicious device identified as container of paint

A bomb technician from the Cleveland Police Department safely disposed of a suspicious device that was found late Monday afternoon at the entrance to Bradley County’s Judicial Complex.

Emergency Medical Service workers who man the ambulance substation at the center noticed the device and immediately alerted the 9-1-1 center.  Sheriff’s deputies and Cleveland police officers blocked off the intersection of Blythe Avenue and Bower Lane until the device could be destroyed.

Sheriff Tim Gobble said the device was a small metal canister wrapped in duct tape that had a bulge on one side that could have possibly been a fuse.

The jail was locked down as a precaution and correction officers conducted a full perimeter sweep of the building for any additional suspicious devices, however none were found. Bomb Technician Chris Jacques “disrupted” the device and found it to be a metal container of paint that was of no danger.

Sheriff Gobble expressed his appreciation to the city police department and the city fire department for their response and assistance.

 Accident on Buchanan Road fatal for 17 year old

Traffic Investigators for the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a fatal crash Monday night on Buchanan Road which claimed the life of the 17-year-old driver of one of the vehicles.

He was identified as Robert Tyler Gates, a recent graduate of Bradley Central High School.

Gates was driving a Mazda MX6 that collided with a Dodge Durango driven by Sandra L. Elliott, 59, who received non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at Skyridge Medical Center. 

Traffic investigators said alcohol does not appear to have been a factor in the accident but the investigation will look into the possibility of speed being a factor.

The traffic unit plans to return to the scene of the accident Wednesday morning to do a detailed drawing of the site.  It will necessitate the closing of Buchanan Road for a brief time while they complete this phase of the investigation.