Police chief named to manage city and other news from areas around Chattanooga

Thursday, September 12, 2013

photo John Culpepper

Police chief named to manage city

CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. - Longtime Chickamauga City Manager John Culpepper will retire and hand over the reins Sept. 27 to current city police Chief Micheal Haney.

Culpepper, who has served for roughly 40 years as city manager, asked the City Council to appoint Haney to take his place.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to become city manager," said Haney, who has been the assistant city manager for about a year. "I've always had John to lean on. He will stay on as an adviser to answer questions."

Haney has worked 16 years for the city police force and was named chief six years ago. He grew up in Chickamauga and is a graduate of Gordon Lee Memorial High School.


Police dog in critical condition

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - A Middle Tennessee K-9 officer remains in critical condition after collapsing while tracking a shooting suspect.

Rutherford County Sheriff's Sgt. Lee Young told the Daily News Journal that his partner, Ely, is being treated at Williams Animal Hospital after going down Sunday in 90-degree heat.

Associate veterinarian Jean LaValley said Tuesday that it would be "touch and go" for the Belgian Malinois over the next couple of days. She said the biggest concern is that he could start bleeding.

She said his fever is now under control, he is no longer dehydrated and his kidneys are working better. Police said they rotated dogs during the search because of the heat, but Ely collapsed after just 20 minutes.


Two killed as truck hits home

KNOXVILLE - Authorities said two people in a truck have died after it crashed into a home in Knox County.

Knoxville Fire Department Capt. D. J. Corcoran told The Knoxville News Sentinel that the crash early Wednesday apparently ruptured the gas tank on the truck, setting both it and the home ablaze.

Homeowner Dennis Hoffman said the impact happened in an empty bedroom on the other side of the home, but it awakened him and his wife. "It shook the bed and woke us up," Hoffman said.

Officials haven't released the names of those who died.


Drivers warned of wandering cow

STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. - Metro Atlanta drivers are being warned to be on guard for a cow with a history of wandering into traffic on a busy interstate just south of the city.

The cow sometimes grazes in the median of Interstate 675 and shows up from time to time near the highway in Clayton and Henry counties. Henry County police said 911 switchboards light up when the animal comes out of the woods to graze by the freeway.

Police suspect it has been responsible for at least one traffic accident near I-675, so they'd like to find it and catch it.

WSB-TV reports that authorities have named the animal "Kevin the Cow."

Though drivers are amused by the situation, police say they're taking the matter seriously because of the potential danger to motorists.