Grand jury hikes charges in Gatlinburg assault case

List of latest indictments included

Mar. 09, 2013 @ 01:41 PM

SEVIERVILLE —

The grand jury returned scores of indictments when it met this week, including upgraded charges against a Knoxville man charged with sending his ex-girlfriend to a hospital in an assault and resisting officers who came to arrest him.

Fifty-year-old Michael W. Shelton is now facing the charge of attempted first-degree murder for an incident that allegedly happened Sept. 29.

At that time, police were called to the Family Inns of America on Ski Mountain Road in Gatlinburg, where they found the woman unconscious in a stairwell. Shelton allegedly tried to run from police when they attempted to question them, and fought with the arresting officer before being handcuffed and taken into custody.

The alleged victim was airlifted to The University of Tennessee Medical Center, where her injuries required emergency surgery. She later told investigators Shelton kicked her in the back and in the head before she lost consciousness.

He was also charged after the incident with resisting arrest and assaulting an officer.

Also facing more serious charges is Zachary Rattler of Cherokee, N.C., who allegedly stabbed a homeowner who caught him during a burglary last November.

Rattler was initially charged with attempted second-degree murder, aggravated burglary, possession of a prohibited weapon and theft.

The grand jury charged him with especially aggravated robbery, attempted first-degree murder, especially aggravated kidnapping, especially aggravated burglary and possession of a prohibited weapon.

The homeowner called 911 after discovering the break-in at his home, according to police reports, and Rattler stabbed him before trying to leave in his car. Pigeon Forge police caught Rattler as he tried to leave and he was arrested without further incident.

A grand jury is a panel of randomly selected county residents who meet in private to review criminal allegations to determine whether there is enough evidence to justify proceeding with a trial. It does not determine guilt or innocence.

A new grand jury is selected every two months and meets at that time to review allegations.

If the group determines there is not enough evidence to merit a trial, it can return a finding of “no true bill.” If it finds there is enough evidence to proceed, it can return an indictment or a presentment.

Indictments are returned in cases where the charges against the accused party have already been announced in general sessions court, and a judge has sent the matter to the grand jury. Presentments are returned when the grand jury issues charges that had not been announced previously. Sealed presentments are kept secret until the defendants are arrested.

Names that are listed more than once in the list of indictments represent people who faced multiple indictments.

INDICTMENTS

Jonathan W. Blair — theft over $1,000

Shawn Burger — theft over $1,000

Robert Thomas Bradford — rape of a child

David Chandler Cushman — seat belt violation

David Chandler Cushman — possession of drug paraphernalia, three counts of possession of a schedule II substance for resale, two counts of possession of a schedule IV with intent to sell, possession of firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.

Angela R. Dykes — two counts of theft over $1,000

Joseph Deniakis — domestic assault

Kevin Louis Denman — possession of a schedule III substance

Kevin Louis Denman — evading arrest, driving on a suspended license

Kevin Louis Denman — aggravated assault

Mark J. Figeroa — simple possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia

Mark William Eaton — aggravated burglary, theft over $500

Marsha Lynn Gardner — violation of financial responsibility, speeding, driving on a suspended license

Christopher L. Hall — assault

Aaron Matthew Hannah — tampering with or fabricating evidence

Kelly Henderson — promotion of meth manufacture

Jesse Todd Herring — aggravated burglary, theft over $500

Richie Carlos Hembree — violation of financial responsibility, speeding, driving on a suspended license, violation of driver’s license, failure to exercise due care

Lorie Blaine Knight — driving on a revoked license with DUI convictions

Timmy Ben Knight — resisting arrest

Timmy Ben Knight — assault

Timmy Ben Knight — five counts of aggravated assault, two counts of reckless endangerment

Tyler Ted Leonard — theft over $1,000

Timothy Richard Luscier — reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, public intoxication, domestic assault and vandalism under $500

Nathan Lennon McCollum — assault

Shawn Mitchell — two counts of aggravated burglary, two counts of theft over $1,000

Justin W. Myers — vandalism over $1,000 to $10,000

Michael Paul McCarter — theft over $1,000

Brea S. Martin — aggravated burglary, theft over $1,000

Vanessa Morton — DUI

Daniel Ray Myers — burglary of a motor vehicle, possession of a schedule II substance for resale, theft over $1,000, prohibited weapon and vandalism over $1,000

Brian Ray Miller — theft over $500

Brian Ray Miller — three counts of theft over $1,000

Toni Lee Oliver — aggravated burglary, theft over $1,000, vandalism under $500

Melinda Day Ogle — burglary of a motor vehicle, theft under $500

Toni Lee Oliver — aggravated burglary, theft of property worth $10,000 to $60,000

Joshua Edward Owens — aggravated burglary, theft of property worth over $1,000 and vandalism under $500

Joshua Edward Owens — theft over $1,000

Logan Scott Prince —theft over $500

Carl A. Pruitt — domestic assault

Chad B. Queen — assault, domestic assault

Matthew Daniel Raczynski — theft over $500

Zachary Gale Rattler — especially aggravated robbery, attempted first degree murder, attempted second degree murder, especially aggravated kidnapping, especially aggravated burglary, prohibited weapon

David S. Reed — aggravated burglary, theft of property worth $10,000 to $60,000

David S. Reed — aggravated burglary, theft over $1,000, vandalism under $500

Matthew Gary Richardson — assault, unlawful possession of a weapon

Nicholas Scates — possession of drug paraphernalia, evading arrest

Nicholas Scates — forgery

Christopher Robb Semmler — violation of sex offender registry

James Willard Shepherd Jr. — public intoxication, aggravated assault

Ronny D. Slagle Jr. — two counts of statutory rape

Paul Carl Smith — DUI, implied consent

Kevin Dale Stallings — forgery over $1,000

Austin Conner Soprito — aggravated burglary, theft over $1,000, vandalism under $500

Austin Conner Soprito — aggravated burglary, theft over $1,000

Austin Conner Soprito — possession of drug paraphernalia

Shane David Tegtmeier — robbery, aggravated robbery, theft over $1,000

Quince Lee Terry — possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, aggravated assault

Irving Vandyke — DUI, implied consent, failure to maintain traffic lane

James Adam West — assault

Steven Troy Wilburn — DUI, failure to maintain traffic lane

Joshua Lynn Williamson — burglary of a motor vehicle, theft under $500

Roy Allen Arwood — contributing to the delinquency of a minor

Gary Francis Bickford — third count of DUI, driving on a revoked license with DUI convictions

Dennis Scott Birch — two counts of aggravated assault, leaving the scene of an accident, driving on a suspended license

Joseph Brennan — reckless endangerment, evading arrest, driving on a suspended license

Kimberly D. Campbell — DUI, possession of a schedule III substance, possession of a schedule II substance, financial responsibility, failure to exercise due care

Jamaine Crowell — theft over $1,000

Nikkie Lashea Cruze — criminal impersonation, simple possession of cocaine

William Clapper — robbery

Robert Conger — attempted aggravated burglary

Matthew Thane Cooper — theft under $500

Dale Copeland — vandalism over $500

Angela K. Current — three counts of theft over $1,000

Kevin Louis Denman — driving on a suspended license

Michael L. Dickerson — assault, burglary of motor vehicle, theft over $1,000, unlawful possession of a firearm

Jessica N. Elliott — three counts of aggravated burglary, two counts of theft under $500, two counts of theft under $1,000

Uriah Lee Ferguson — aggravated assault, assault

Brandon Christopher Frazier — assault

Christal Dawn Frazier — habitual motor vehicle offender, aggravated assault, attempted theft of property worth $1,000 to $10,000, attempted burglary of a motor vehicle, vandalism, unlawful possession of a weapon

William Gravis Galloway —DUI, implied consent

Kathleen Garcia — DUI

Marsha Lynn Gardner — violation of financial responsibility law, driving on a suspended license, registration law

Marsha Lynn Gardner — possession of drug paraphernalia

Angela D. Goodwin — six counts of writing a worthless check less than $500

Robert Trevor Grose — two counts of aggravated domestic assault

Perry D. Guthrie — promotion of meth manufacture

Jimmy Guzman — aggravated domestic assault

William Alan Hays — two counts of aggravated robbery, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, attempted aggravated robbery

William Clarence Heine Jr. — vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of an accident involving death, DUI, financial responsibility, failure to exercise due care

Joseph Henriquez — aggravated sexual battery, rape of a child

Stephen Todd Herring — simple possession of marijuana, theft over $500

Mark Jason Hoffsis — violation of habitual motor vehicle offender, fourth count of DUI, second count of driving on a revoked license, leaving the scene of an accident, implied consent while revoked for DUI

Mark Jason Hoffsis — violation of habitual motor vehicle offender, fourth count of DUI, second count of driving on a revoked license, leaving the scene of an accident, implied consent

Kristina Ann Houser — theft under $500

Kody Evan Lane — violation of financial responsibility law, driving on a suspended license, leaving the scene of an accident

Gary D. Lawhorn — three counts of aggravated burglary, two counts of theft under $500, two counts of theft over $1,000, driving on a suspended license

Thomas M. Lennon II — domestic assault

Stephen L. Lutrell — aggravated assault

Angela Starr Miller — accessory after the fact

Justin Ray Miller — aggravated robbery, theft over $1,000

Justin Ray Miller — assault on a police officer, robbery, public intoxication, theft under $500, theft over $500

Phillip C. Ogle II — aggravated assault, theft over $1,000, burglary, vandalism over $1,000

Phillip C. Ogle II — possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a schedule IV controlled substance, domestic assault, introduction of contraband into a penal facility, two counts of vandalism over $1,000

Dustin Michael Palmieri — evading arrest, theft under $500

Chasidy A. Phillips — two counts of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, attempted aggravated robbery

Robert E. Poling — DUI

Logan Scott Prince — theft over $1,000

Logan Scott Prince — theft over $500

Logan Scott Prince — attempted aggravated robbery

Matthew Daniel Raczynksi — theft over $1,000

Chadrick Carl Rayfield — violation of sex offender registry

Chadrick Carl Rayfield — aggravated burglary, theft over $1,000

James Ridnauer — assault, vandalism under $500

Justin Owen Roe — robbery, aggravated robbery, theft over $1,000

Misty A. Royce — destruction and tampering with government records, two counts of domestic assault, child abuse

Nicholas Scates — promotion of meth manufacture

Michelie E. Shanefelt — fraudulent use of a credit card

Michael W. Shelton — attempted first degree murder

James Willard Sheperd Jr. — domestic assault

Michael Wayne Shelton —assault on officer, resisting arrest

Bryan Tate Shultz — assault, theft under $500

Ronny D. Slagle Jr. — burglary of a motor vehicle, six counts of fraudulent use of a credit card worth less than $500, theft over $500

Austin Conner Soprito —DUI, implied consent, driving left of center line

Susan Elaine Stevenson — two counts of cruelty to animals

Erica Renee Tunnell — third count of DUI, simple possession of marijuana

Richard Vaughn — possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a schedule VI substance

Kavonda R. Waters — theft over $1,000

Brandi J. Whitten — DUI, implied consent violation, two counts of reckless endangerment, financial responsibility

Ronald J. Wilcox — solicitation of a minor

Tyler James Williams — two counts of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, attempted aggravated robbery

Codi Sawn Worley — theft under $500

Victoria Lynn Zuehlke — prescription fraud

NO TRUE BILLS

Joe Martin Bates — possession of a schedule III controlled substance

Joseph Brennan — simple possession

Brian Alan Brenton — domestic assault

Kesha Broyhill — simple possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia

Rachel Dawn Canter — simple possession of marijuana

Joshua Craig Coons — simple possession of marijuana

Dale Copeland — assault

Nicol Dorilynn — tampering with evidence, filing a false report, fraud

Leann Lynn Hughes — sale of a schedule II controlled substance in day care zone, no driver’s license

Larry D. Hysell — unlawful photographing in violation of privacy

Justin Lenard Ownby — possession of burglary tools, possession of a schedule II substance

Roger Parsons — possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a schedule VI substance

Christina Lynn Romero — simple possession

Darren James Sachara — assault and domestic assault

Tina Marie Stanley — public intoxication, possession of a schedule II substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a schedule IV substance

Thomas Randall White — registration expired, driving on a suspended license, theft under $500

n jfarrell@themountainpress.com