Tennessee Viking
06-11-2009, 09:21
Unicoi County sheriff breaks ankle searching for marijuana
By Jim Wozniak (NET%20News%20Service); Times News
Published June 10th, 2009 | 0 Comments (http://timesnews.net/article.php?id=9014443#Discussions)
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ERWIN — Unicoi County Sheriff Kent Harris broke an ankle in three places Wednesday morning as he searched for marijuana on Unaka Mountain and underwent surgery that night at Johnson City Medical Center to repair the damage, his chief deputy said.
The incident happened about 10 a.m. and led to a crew of about 20 people making the 1½- to 2-mile trek across rough terrain and a creek to reach Harris. The group emerged with him on Tenn. Highway 395 about a mile east of the Rock Creek Park entrance about 1:10 p.m.
“He’s in severe pain,” said Capt. Rick Butler, one of the people who went into the woods to get Harris, as he emerged ahead of the pack. “They gave him a couple pain shots, but he’s just hollering (with pain).”
Harris, who had been carted off the mountain in a Stokes basket — sort of a boat-shaped board — quickly was loaded into an ambulance and taken to Erwin Church of Christ as he complained of major pain. A helicopter was waiting there to fly him to JCMC, but he decided he would rather be taken by ambulance, said Maj. Mike Hensley, his chief deputy.
To go by air, Harris would have needed to be transferred to a stretcher that would fit in the helicopter, but such a move would have created a lot of pain, said Hensley.
“I talked to him on the phone,” Hensley said about 6:15 p.m. “He’s in good spirits. He appreciated everybody that came up there (to rescue him).”
Hensley said Harris was looking for marijuana with Sgt. Frank Rogers and K-9 Deputy Shane Hawkins when he stepped in a hole. That caused Harris, who was on a steep hillside at the time, to lose his balance and his right ankle to snap.
Rescuers had hoped to secure a helicopter with a bucket to evacuate Harris, but none was close by, Hensley said. He said Erwin Police Chief Regan Tilson, who was one of the rescuers, even tried to obtain one from the National Guard.
So the group treated Harris’ ankle and loaded him into the Stokes basket and carried him up and down the mountain. Hensley said a group of eight to 10 people used machetes to clear a path for Harris and those carrying him.
The rest took turns carrying Harris.
“It was tough going,” Hensley said. “Everybody did a great job.”
Butler said the recovery effort was treacherous.
“It was rough, straight up and down, rock cliffs,” Butler said. “He was right almost to the top of the mountain on the other side. (It was) very slippery. There were roots and trees and vines sticking everywhere. It’s a wonder we haven’t gotten somebody else hurt getting him out. His ankle looks pretty bad.”
The rescue workers, who were exhausted when they arrived with Harris, took awhile to catch their breath and recover.
Because of this incident, today’s planned grand opening ceremony for the sheriff’s department substation has been postponed. No new date has been set.
By Jim Wozniak (NET%20News%20Service); Times News
Published June 10th, 2009 | 0 Comments (http://timesnews.net/article.php?id=9014443#Discussions)
http://adserver.timesnews.net/openx/www/delivery/lg.php?bannerid=85&campaignid=113&zoneid=4&loc=http%3A%2F%2Ftimesnews.net%2Farticle.php%3Fid% 3D9014443&referer=http%3A%2F%2Ftimesnews.net%2F&cb=5807833e98
ERWIN — Unicoi County Sheriff Kent Harris broke an ankle in three places Wednesday morning as he searched for marijuana on Unaka Mountain and underwent surgery that night at Johnson City Medical Center to repair the damage, his chief deputy said.
The incident happened about 10 a.m. and led to a crew of about 20 people making the 1½- to 2-mile trek across rough terrain and a creek to reach Harris. The group emerged with him on Tenn. Highway 395 about a mile east of the Rock Creek Park entrance about 1:10 p.m.
“He’s in severe pain,” said Capt. Rick Butler, one of the people who went into the woods to get Harris, as he emerged ahead of the pack. “They gave him a couple pain shots, but he’s just hollering (with pain).”
Harris, who had been carted off the mountain in a Stokes basket — sort of a boat-shaped board — quickly was loaded into an ambulance and taken to Erwin Church of Christ as he complained of major pain. A helicopter was waiting there to fly him to JCMC, but he decided he would rather be taken by ambulance, said Maj. Mike Hensley, his chief deputy.
To go by air, Harris would have needed to be transferred to a stretcher that would fit in the helicopter, but such a move would have created a lot of pain, said Hensley.
“I talked to him on the phone,” Hensley said about 6:15 p.m. “He’s in good spirits. He appreciated everybody that came up there (to rescue him).”
Hensley said Harris was looking for marijuana with Sgt. Frank Rogers and K-9 Deputy Shane Hawkins when he stepped in a hole. That caused Harris, who was on a steep hillside at the time, to lose his balance and his right ankle to snap.
Rescuers had hoped to secure a helicopter with a bucket to evacuate Harris, but none was close by, Hensley said. He said Erwin Police Chief Regan Tilson, who was one of the rescuers, even tried to obtain one from the National Guard.
So the group treated Harris’ ankle and loaded him into the Stokes basket and carried him up and down the mountain. Hensley said a group of eight to 10 people used machetes to clear a path for Harris and those carrying him.
The rest took turns carrying Harris.
“It was tough going,” Hensley said. “Everybody did a great job.”
Butler said the recovery effort was treacherous.
“It was rough, straight up and down, rock cliffs,” Butler said. “He was right almost to the top of the mountain on the other side. (It was) very slippery. There were roots and trees and vines sticking everywhere. It’s a wonder we haven’t gotten somebody else hurt getting him out. His ankle looks pretty bad.”
The rescue workers, who were exhausted when they arrived with Harris, took awhile to catch their breath and recover.
Because of this incident, today’s planned grand opening ceremony for the sheriff’s department substation has been postponed. No new date has been set.