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Kingsport Police Department
Dale Phipps, Chief of Police 200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 http://KingsportTN.gov/City-Services/Police-Department• www.KingsportPDBlog.com |
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| NEWS RELEASE | ||||
| SUBJECT: | 4 Vehicle Crash Injures 3—Shuts Down Interstate 81 for 7 hours | |||
| DATE: | September 11, 2022 | |||
| CASE #: | 22-017914 | |||
| GENERAL NARRATIVE | ||||
| On September 10, 2022 at approximately 12:40 PM, Kingsport Police Patrol Officers responded to a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 81 near exit 63 (Airport Parkway) in Kingsport. Due to the serious and complex nature of the crash, the K.P.D. Traffic Unit was called to the scene to investigate. Their subsequent investigation determined the following:
A dark blue 2019 Ram 1500 pickup was northbound on I-81. Meanwhile, a white 2018 Ford Transit van, a white Freightliner tractor-trailer, and a white Chevrolet 1500 pickup were all traveling southbound on I-81. For reasons still under investigation, the Ram pickup crossed the grass median and began traveling north directly into southbound traffic. The Ram pickup struck the side of the Ford van and then the front of the Freightliner tractor-trailer. The Chevrolet pickup then ran off the right side of the road to avoid colliding with the other vehicles, but ended up traveling up an embankment, striking a tree, and rolling over. The Ram pickup caught on fire which further damaged it. The fire then spread to the double trailers (owned by FedEx) which were being pulled by the Freightliner. The driver and passenger of the Freightliner sustained suspected minor injuries and were transported by Sullivan County EMS to an area hospital for treatment. The driver of the Ram pickup, Jonathan Alexander Merritt (29 years of age of Salisbury, MD), sustained suspected major injuries and was also transported by Sullivan County EMS to an area hospital for treatment. As of the latest information received, he remains hospitalized in critical condition. The crash resulted in the complete closure of southbound I-81 and partial closure of northbound I-81 for approximately seven hours. Temporary detours were put in place by TDOT during the closure. By 8:00 PM, all lanes were back open, and normal traffic patterns had resumed. This crash remains under open and active investigation by the K.P.D. Traffic Unit. As such, no further details are available for release at this time. |
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| COLLISION VEHICLE INFORMATION #1 | ||
| Make | Ram | |
| Model | 1500 | |
| Year | 2019 | |
| Type | Full-size Pickup | |
| Color | Dark Blue | |
| Damage | Disabling Damage | |
| Driver | Name | Jonathan Alexander Merritt |
| Age | 29 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/White | |
| Residency | Salisbury, MD | |
| Injuries | Suspected Major Injury | |
| COLLISION VEHICLE INFORMATION #2 | ||
| Make | Ford | |
| Model | Transit | |
| Year | 2018 | |
| Type | Large Van | |
| Color | White | |
| Damage | Functional Damage | |
| Driver | Name | Ariel Alberto Garza |
| Age | 50 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/Hispanic | |
| Residency | Brownsville, TX | |
| Injuries | No Injury | |
| Passenger | Name | Adolfo Aguilar Banda |
| Age | 61 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/Hispanic | |
| Residency | Dallas, TX | |
| Injuries | No Injury | |
| Passenger | Name | Florencio Gonzalez |
| Age | 41 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/Hispanic | |
| Residency | Starr, TX | |
| Injuries | No Injury | |
| Passenger | Name | Luis Angel Nunez |
| Age | 22 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/Hispanic | |
| Residency | Monte Alto, TX | |
| Injuries | No Injury | |
| Passenger | Name | Norge Zamora Vazquez |
| Age | 31 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/White | |
| Residency | Houston, TX | |
| Injuries | No Injury | |
| COLLISION VEHICLE INFORMATION #3 | ||
| Make | Freightliner | |
| Model | Tractor-Trailer | |
| Year | 2017 | |
| Type | Tractor-Trailer | |
| Color | White | |
| Damage | Disabling Damage | |
| Driver | Name | Leandr Del Rosario Leon |
| Age | 41 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/Hispanic | |
| Residency | Philadelphia, PA | |
| Injuries | Suspected Minor Injury | |
| Passenger | Name | Leon Tyrese Goode, Jr. |
| Age | 30 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/Black | |
| Residency | Philadelphia, PA | |
| Injuries | Suspected Minor Injury | |
| COLLISION VEHICLE INFORMATION #4 | ||
| Make | Chevrolet | |
| Model | 1500 | |
| Year | 2020 | |
| Type | Pickup | |
| Color | White | |
| Damage | Disabling Damage | |
| Driver | Name | Max Alfonso Hidalgo |
| Age | 53 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/White | |
| Residency | Fort Bend, TX | |
| Injuries | No Injury | |
| Passenger | Name | Darren Dewayne Taplin, Jr. |
| Age | 28 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/Black | |
| Residency | Centreville, MS | |
| Injuries | No Injury | |
| RELEASING OFFICER | ||
| Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer
Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-343-9749 (FAX) ThomasMPatton |
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Kingsport Police Department
Dale Phipps, Chief of Police 200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 http://KingsportTN.gov/City-Services/Police-Department • www.KingsportPDBlog.com |
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| NEWS RELEASE | ||||
| SUBJECT: | Kingsport Police Department Launches 2nd Annual “No-Shave Fall-vember” Campaign for Charity (Reminder) | |||
| DATE: | September 8, 2022 | |||
| GENERAL NARRATIVE | ||||
| Beginning Thursday, September 1, 2022, area citizens may start noticing some stubble on the faces of some of Kingsport’s Police Officers. K.P.D. is launching its 2nd Annual “No-Shave Fall-vember” campaign to raise funds for a very worthwhile cause.
While Kingsport Police Department policies typically require employees to maintain a traditional conservative appearance, this Fall, K.P.D. will temporarily relax these standards and allow employees to select one of the following options: · Employees may choose to grow and maintain a neatly-groomed beard. · Employees may choose to wear blue jeans on Fridays (non-uniformed personnel only). · Employees may choose to wear a solid-color ribbon in one of the traditionally associated cause awareness colors. Last year’s campaign started off as “No-Shave November” and eventually expanded to “No-Shave November & December;” however, the “No-Shave Fall-vember” campaign this year will incorporate the four months of September, October, November, and December. Last year’s campaign successfully raised $12,250, all of which was donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. All K.P.D. employees are being encouraged to participate. In order to take part in this year’s campaign, employees are asked to make a $40 donation to the K.P.D. Employee Fund for each month of the campaign. If an employee wishes to participate in all four months, their donation would be $160. As wearing blue jeans on Friday only involves one day per week, that option only requires a $25 donation per month or $100 for all four months. Arrangements have also been made where citizens, businesses, and other organizations can join K.P.D.’s campaign by becoming a community partner sponsor. The following sponsorship tiers are available: · Diamond Level Sponsor $5,000 · Platinum Level Sponsor $2,500 · Gold Level Sponsor $1,000 · Silver Level Sponsor $500 · Bronze Level Sponsor $250 · Blue Level Sponsor (Individual Officer Matching) $160 K.P.D. is also extremely pleased to announce that Holston Medical Group (HMG) has already committed to be a Diamond Level Sponsor. This is the second year that HMG has pledged $5,000 to this campaign. The Kingsport Area Safety Council (KASC) has committed to be a Gold Level Sponsor, pledging $1,000 toward the campaign. We anticipate that other community partners will join us in our fund-raising efforts throughout the campaign. While certainly not required, in addition to their own participation, all K.P.D. employees are being challenged to obtain a Blue Level Sponsorship from a friend or family member to match their own individual donation. Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor may contact the K.P.D. Professional Standards Unit at 423-229-9433. Cash donations must be hand-delivered. Donations by check may either be hand-delivered or mailed. Checks should be written to “K.P.D. Employee Fund” with “No-Shave Fall-vember” written in the memo line on the bottom left of the check. Mailed checks must be received by December 31st and should be sent to: K.P.D. Employee Fund No-Shave Fall-vember Campaign 200 Shelby Street Kingsport, TN 37660 All monies raised through K.P.D.’s “No-Shave Fall-vember” campaign will be donated to local children’s charities and non-profits. This year, upon completion of the campaign, all funds raised will be evenly distributed between the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kingsport and Girls Inc. “Today, more than ever, we see how organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kingsport and Girls Inc. are making a difference in the lives of young people in our community. By providing a safe environment and positive programs in academics, athletics, leadership, life-skills, and character-development, they are positively impacting our next generation of citizens and directing them down the path toward success,” said Chief of Police Dale Phipps. “I genuinely hope that each of you consider making a contribution to this worthy cause. It is imperative that organizations that are dedicated to making investments into children’s lives have the proper funding in order to meet the needs of those who are less fortunate than others. We want to express our sincere appreciation to all employees, citizens, and our community partners for their generous support toward this campaign.” Effective January 1, 2023, K.P.D. employees will return to the traditional conservative appearance standards that citizens have come to expect. |
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| RELEASING OFFICER | ||
| Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer
Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-343-9749 (FAX) ThomasMPatton |
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Kingsport Police Department
Dale Phipps, Chief of Police 200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 http://KingsportTN.gov/City-Services/Police-Department • www.KingsportPDBlog.com |
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| NEWS RELEASE | |||
| SUBJECT: | K.P.D. Announces Fall 2022 Police Applicant Testing Session with Plans to Hire Several Officers (Reminder) | ||
| DATE: | September 8, 2022 | ||
| GENERAL NARRATIVE | |||
| The Kingsport Police Department has scheduled the next Police Applicant Testing Session for Tuesday, September 27, 2022 in anticipation of hiring several officers to fill any existing and upcoming vacancies. While K.P.D. now accepts applications year-round, in order to participate in this upcoming session, applications must be received by absolutely no later than Sunday, September 11, 2022. Any applications received after that date will be held until the next testing session.
Individuals who are interested in a rewarding career with a professional law enforcement agency are strongly encouraged to apply. All applicants must be a United States citizen and either already be at least 21 years of age or be turning 21 by no later than March 27, 2023. All applications must be submitted online using the following link: https://www.GovernmentJobs.com/Careers/Kingsport Following the September 11th deadline, all applicants will receive a confirmation email, as well as a letter by traditional mail, containing further instructions regarding the upcoming Police Applicant Testing procedures, as well as the exact date, time, and location that they are to report for testing. PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL NOT BE A WRITTEN EXAMINATION AS PART OF THIS TESTING PROCESS. All applicants will begin the testing process with a physical agility evaluation. The physical agility evaluation will be administered on Tuesday, September 27, 2022. This session will be conducted at Domtar Park, located at 1414 Riverport Road in Kingsport. The physical agility evaluation will consist of a timed one-mile run and a timed roughly one-quarter-mile obstacle course designed to measure fitness, strength, agility, endurance, and perseverance as related to the duties of a Police Officer. Individuals must have an application on file and sign a waiver of liability in order to be eligible to participate. The applications of those candidates who successfully pass the physical agility evaluation will be reviewed for eligibility and suitability to move forward to the interview panel phase which will be conducted during the following week of October 3-7, 2022. General criteria to be considered for selection for an interview will be outlined in the confirmation email and letter each applicant will receive. Those applicants with the highest combined scores on the physical agility evaluation and interview panel will then be interviewed by the Chief of Police to determine the final selections. Those ultimately selected will also be subject to a medical examination, psychological evaluation, and a thorough background investigation prior to actual hiring. The current starting salary for Police Officer Trainee has recently been increased to $18.73 per hour or $38,962 annually. Applicants who are already certified law enforcement officers may be eligible for additional salary adjustments to compensate for prior experience if certain criteria are met. Academy training and all essential equipment including uniforms, firearms, body armor, and duty gear are provided by the department. K.P.D. also issues take-home police cruisers to officers meeting specific response-time requirements. City of Kingsport employee benefits include direct payroll deposit; paid vacation, holiday, and sick leave; employee life insurance; optional supplemental and dependent life insurance; long-term disability; health insurance; optional dental and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; education tuition and fitness membership reimbursements, Mission Square 401 retirement; and optional Mission Square 457 retirement. For additional information regarding the application process, please call the City of Kingsport Human Resources Department at 423-229-9401. For additional information regarding a law enforcement career at the Kingsport Police Department, please call the K.P.D. Professional Standards Unit at 423-229-9433. |
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| RELEASING OFFICER | ||
| Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer
Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX) ThomasMPatton |
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Pavement Management Technology of Cleveland, Ohio plans to perform an asphalt maintenance project in a section of Colonial Heights and on select roadways in the Lynn Garden neighborhood.
Weather permitting, the work will begin on September 19 with an estimated completion date of September 23.
In Colonial Heights, the asphalt maintenance will take place on neighborhood streets between Kendrick Creek Road and Beechwood Drive. In Lynn Garden, the work will be on select roadways that were not treated with the seal coat earlier this year.
The contractor will be distributing door knockers the day before selected streets receive this maintenance effort. Motorists should use caution in these areas and seek alternate routes if possible during this time.
The city appreciates your patience during this road improvement process. For more details regarding the schedule visit www.pavekingsport.com.
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