Two ejected, injured in Claiborne RZR wreck

Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency wildlife officers are investigating an incident that injured two occupants of an off-highway vehicle that crashed on the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area in Claiborne County over the weekend.

The accident occurred on Saturday, April 8 at approximately 6:48 p.m. on Tackett Creek Rd. when a Polaris RZR side-by-side being operated by Hayden Morgan, 20, of Oak Ridge, lost control and flipped multiple times ejecting both Morgan and his passenger, Zachary Smith, 21, of Powell.

Other members of the riding group rendered aid to both occupants while awaiting Campbell County EMS and Campbell County Sheriff’s Office deputies, who arrived on the scene first. Morgan refused treatment at the scene and EMS transported Smith to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for treatment. Smith was discharged the next day.

A preliminary investigation by TWRA Sgt. Dustin Burke and Officer Rick Roberts shows that after the initial start of the accident, the vehicle traveled approximately 85-90 feet before coming to rest in the opposite direction.

Speed and alcohol may be contributing factors and the accident remains under investigation at this time.

Employee says he shot suspected shoplifter in ‘self-defense’

NASHVILLE (AP) — A Walgreens employee who shot and wounded a pregnant woman he suspected of shoplifting said he acted in self-defense after being pepper-sprayed, Nashville police said Thursday.

A Walgreens team leader followed two women to a vehicle in the parking lot Wednesday evening after watching them leave the store without paying for items, police said in a statement. He said he was recording the women on his cellphone and that he made his way to the rear side of a vehicle where they were placing the items in the trunk. One of the women then sprayed him with pepper spray, he told police.

The man said he then fired a semi-automatic pistol because he was “in fear and didn’t know if they were armed,” the statement said.

The women fled in the car, and the employee went back into the store and called 911.

The pregnant woman suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was dropped off at a hospital, where an emergency cesarean section was performed. The child was not injured by gunfire, and both the newborn and the mother were listed in critical but stable condition, police said.

The employee cooperated with detectives and handed over his gun and cellphone.

After the investigation is complete, findings will be sent to the local prosecutor’s office for a determination as to whether charges will be filed.

HARDY, Lainey Wilson lead ACM Awards

nominees

NASHVILLE (AP) — Country artist HARDY drove the success of his hit song “Wait in the Truck” with Lainey Wilson all the way to the Academy of Country Music Awards, where he is the leading nominee.

And his duet partner was not far behind, as “Yellowstone” actor and singer-songwriter Wilson earned six nominations including female artist of the year and album of the year during nominations announced Thursday.

The awards show will be held in Frisco, Texas, on May 11, hosted by Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks and airing on Prime Video.

Among Hardy’s seven nominations are two in the song of the year category: “Wait in the Truck” and “Sand in My Boots,” a song performed by Morgan Wallen and co-written by HARDY, Ashley Gorley and Josh Osborne.

The most awarded artist in ACM history made another record when Miranda Lambert received her 17th female artist of the year nomination. She surpassed Reba McEntire, who had 16 nominations in that category, and Lambert, the Texas native, has four other nominations this year, including entertainer of the year and album of the year for the critical favorite “Palomino.”

Nominees for entertainer of the year include Lambert, Wallen, Luke Combs, Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Chris Stapleton and Carrie Underwood. Ashley McBryde and Jon Pardi are nominated alongside Wilson, Combs and Lambert for album of the year.

Female artist of the year nominees are Kelsea Ballerini, Lambert, McBryde, Carly Pearce and Wilson. Male artist of the year nominees are Brown, Combs, Jordan Davis, Stapleton and Wallen.