kelloggs5TLfan
Team Owner
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=109372&catid=2
UT men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl has suspended four players indefinitely after they were arrested Friday morning.
Tyler Smith, Cameron Tatum, Melvin Goins, and Brian Williams were taken into custody on an array of charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm.
"I am deeply saddened and troubled by today's news," the statement read. "I am indefinitely suspending Melvin [Goins], Tyler [Smith], Cameron [Tatum] and Brian [Williams] from all team activities until we have more information about today's incident. I apologize for the embarrassment this has caused to our University."
The players are facing misdemeanor charges involving drugs and weapons, but the Knoxville Police Department confirmed Friday evening they are not facing felony charges as police earlier indicated.
Officials at the Knox County Detention Center said all four players were released from custody Friday night.
Knoxville Police had earlier said Smith and Williams were charged with felonies for possession of a gun with an altered serial number.
However, Judicial Commissioner Robert Cole processed the warrants and said they were all misdemeanors, and KPD made a correction Friday evening.
PREVIOUS STORY
There are now questions about where, exactly, the players got the car they were driving.
Commissioner Cole said the officer's report indicates the vehicle was rented, but not to any of the four people in the car. The warrant does not name the person to whom the car was rented.
"We take these matters very seriously. We are still gathering information. Once the appropriate authorities have provided us with all of the facts, we will act accordingly," Tennessee Coach Bruce Pearl said.
Williams was held on $2,500 bond. Smith was held on $2,000 bond. Goins was held on $1,500 bond. Tatum was held on $1,000 bond.
Knoxville Police arrested the four after a routine traffic stop around noon Friday, near the intersection of Kingston Pike and Alcoa Highway, at the tail end of the strip.
The officer detected a smell of marijuana smoke coming from the car, which Tatum was driving.
Police searched the car and reported finding a gun under the driver's seat, along with a gun with an altered serial number under Tyler Smith's seat, the front passenger seat. Police also reported finding a baggie of marijuana and an open container.
The four were arrested on misdemeanor charges, rather than merely citing them, because the officer could not determine if the driver or passengers were under the influence of marijuana.
Goins and Williams are charged with the drug possession. Tatum is charged with violation of an open container law.
All are charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.
A statement from Knoxville Police Department spokesman Darrell DeBusk is below:
On January 01, 2010, at about 1127 hrs., Officer Sakovich stopped a car for speeding on I-129 at Kingston Pk. The officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car as he spoke with the driver. The officer requested back up and a K-9 officer. Officer Chadwell walked his dog around the vehicle where it alerted. The driver and 3 passengers were taken out of the vehicle so officers could search the vehicle.
Items and their locations found inside the vehicle:
•A. handgun under driver seat , accessible by either the driver or left rear seat passenger.
•B. handgun, with altered serial #, under passenger seat, accessible by either the front seat passenger or right rear seat passenger
•C. baggy of schedule VI drugs
•D. open container of alcohol
It could not be determined if the driver and passengers were under the influence of marijuana or not although the strong odor indicated that marijuana had been recently smoked in the car. Because of this, physical arrests were made instead of misdemeanor citations for the misdemeanor charges. Possession of a firearm with an altered serial # is a felony charge. All four individuals were physically arrested.
Please contact the Knox County Sheriff's Office for mug shots.
Suspects and charges:
1.Cameron Alexander Tatum (driver) dob 07/88 (a) unlawful poss. of firearm (b) open container of alcohol
2.David Tyler Smith (front seat passenger) dob 09/86 (a) unlawful poss. of firearm (b) poss. of firearm with altered serial #
3.Melvin Lamont Goins II ( left rear seat passenger ) dob 12/87 (a) unlawful poss. of firearm (b) poss. of schedule VI
4.Brian M. Williams ( right rear seat passenger ) dob 08/87 (a)unlawful poss. of firearm (b) poss. of firearm with altered serial # (c) poss. of schedule VI
This will be the only information released on this incident until Monday, January 4, 2010
UT men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl has suspended four players indefinitely after they were arrested Friday morning.
Tyler Smith, Cameron Tatum, Melvin Goins, and Brian Williams were taken into custody on an array of charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm.
"I am deeply saddened and troubled by today's news," the statement read. "I am indefinitely suspending Melvin [Goins], Tyler [Smith], Cameron [Tatum] and Brian [Williams] from all team activities until we have more information about today's incident. I apologize for the embarrassment this has caused to our University."
The players are facing misdemeanor charges involving drugs and weapons, but the Knoxville Police Department confirmed Friday evening they are not facing felony charges as police earlier indicated.
Officials at the Knox County Detention Center said all four players were released from custody Friday night.
Knoxville Police had earlier said Smith and Williams were charged with felonies for possession of a gun with an altered serial number.
However, Judicial Commissioner Robert Cole processed the warrants and said they were all misdemeanors, and KPD made a correction Friday evening.
PREVIOUS STORY
There are now questions about where, exactly, the players got the car they were driving.
Commissioner Cole said the officer's report indicates the vehicle was rented, but not to any of the four people in the car. The warrant does not name the person to whom the car was rented.
"We take these matters very seriously. We are still gathering information. Once the appropriate authorities have provided us with all of the facts, we will act accordingly," Tennessee Coach Bruce Pearl said.
Williams was held on $2,500 bond. Smith was held on $2,000 bond. Goins was held on $1,500 bond. Tatum was held on $1,000 bond.
Knoxville Police arrested the four after a routine traffic stop around noon Friday, near the intersection of Kingston Pike and Alcoa Highway, at the tail end of the strip.
The officer detected a smell of marijuana smoke coming from the car, which Tatum was driving.
Police searched the car and reported finding a gun under the driver's seat, along with a gun with an altered serial number under Tyler Smith's seat, the front passenger seat. Police also reported finding a baggie of marijuana and an open container.
The four were arrested on misdemeanor charges, rather than merely citing them, because the officer could not determine if the driver or passengers were under the influence of marijuana.
Goins and Williams are charged with the drug possession. Tatum is charged with violation of an open container law.
All are charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.
A statement from Knoxville Police Department spokesman Darrell DeBusk is below:
On January 01, 2010, at about 1127 hrs., Officer Sakovich stopped a car for speeding on I-129 at Kingston Pk. The officer smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car as he spoke with the driver. The officer requested back up and a K-9 officer. Officer Chadwell walked his dog around the vehicle where it alerted. The driver and 3 passengers were taken out of the vehicle so officers could search the vehicle.
Items and their locations found inside the vehicle:
•A. handgun under driver seat , accessible by either the driver or left rear seat passenger.
•B. handgun, with altered serial #, under passenger seat, accessible by either the front seat passenger or right rear seat passenger
•C. baggy of schedule VI drugs
•D. open container of alcohol
It could not be determined if the driver and passengers were under the influence of marijuana or not although the strong odor indicated that marijuana had been recently smoked in the car. Because of this, physical arrests were made instead of misdemeanor citations for the misdemeanor charges. Possession of a firearm with an altered serial # is a felony charge. All four individuals were physically arrested.
Please contact the Knox County Sheriff's Office for mug shots.
Suspects and charges:
1.Cameron Alexander Tatum (driver) dob 07/88 (a) unlawful poss. of firearm (b) open container of alcohol
2.David Tyler Smith (front seat passenger) dob 09/86 (a) unlawful poss. of firearm (b) poss. of firearm with altered serial #
3.Melvin Lamont Goins II ( left rear seat passenger ) dob 12/87 (a) unlawful poss. of firearm (b) poss. of schedule VI
4.Brian M. Williams ( right rear seat passenger ) dob 08/87 (a)unlawful poss. of firearm (b) poss. of firearm with altered serial # (c) poss. of schedule VI
This will be the only information released on this incident until Monday, January 4, 2010
